With life as busy as it is, someone recently asked me, “With all that you’re involved in outside the farm and with everything you do on the farm… when do you sleep?” To be honest with you, it depends on the time of year! All farmers have different schedules. They do what works best for their farm, family, and lifestyle.
I usually wake up around 5:30 or 6:00 a.m. As our farm has gotten bigger, I have a little bit more flexibility because I’m not married to the cows and milking times. I don’t remember my grandfather ever being able to take a day off or having a flexible schedule. We have great employees who take the different milking shifts so that I’m able to take on more of a managerial role.
My brother works more on the cow-side of things. He usually starts the day at the farm at 5:30 a.m. to meet with his guys and make sure they’re all on the same page for the day. I’m at the farm between 6:30 and 7:00 a.m. when I meet with the staff to talk about what we have going on for the day, where we’re headed, and what the plan is. Having everyone on the same wavelength is key to a successful day.
Usually I take some time in the morning to check emails and my calendar to see who might be coming and going from the farm. In the role that I have on the farm, there is a ton of communication and working with people throughout my day. Sometimes I feel like my phone never leaves my ear!
Every day is different for me. Some days – usually the rainy ones – are office days, when I spend the day getting things organized, making phone calls, and scheduling what’s going on in the future. Other days I’m in the field all day. Sometimes I’m in the shop or around the farm fixing things that need attention.
I try (try being the keyword) to leave the farm around 5:30 or 6:00 at the end of the day. Times have changed with the growth of the farm. Since I have that little bit more flexibility with the larger farm, the time I head in for the day depends on the season and what we have going on. Some days, especially during planting and harvesting, we’re out working the fields until midnight. Other days, especially the rainy ones, we end a little bit earlier. With the technology we utilize, we’re able to get a lot more done in a shorter amount of time than my grandfather was able to when he farmed.
