Dinner plans, weekend plans, event plans, and work plans never seem to go just the way you have in your head. Being a farm kid has helped me deal with the fact that life is not easy, it's full of surprises and in order to survive you better adapt. This has flowed over into my professional life. It's helped me in my personal life. I've learned to just accept, and not expect sometimes.
I'm farm girl flexible.
I should probably copyright that term.
I would like to go on the record and say that being farm girl flexible is not at all code for doormat. I am a harmonizer. This is something I've recently discovered, and written about. I like to fix things, and I like to make people comfortable and happy. I strive to be supportive, even if I can be stubborn and a
What exactly is being farm girl flexible? Here goes. It's my explanation, somewhat. I've pulled examples from those women in my life who epitomize farm girl flexible, and I've even tossed in a few of my own examples.
No matter what flies at you, it's manageable.
Multitasking is an art. How does one develop this trait without having children? Just work in the field or harvest crops. Or, work with your dad and grandfather. When you're manning a tractor there are about nine things going on at once. You have to first of all, adjust the radio, because who can concentrate in dead silence? Then you have to pay attention to where you're driving, how the implement behind you is pulling, is it dragging, is it plugging, is it doing what it's supposed to do? Are you driving on the right edge, are you going straight? If any of these things goes wrong it could be catastrophic. It's a lot like having four or five programs open on your computer all at once. I feel bad for kids/wives who run tractors with auto steer. How do you stay awake when the tractor drives itself?
Planning, what exactly is that?
There is no planning when you farm. You can sort of plan, but know that the minute something else pops up the farm trumps your plans. Planning meals also falls into this category. Farm gals know the best foods to prepare are dishes that are just as good reheated as fresh. Eight times out of 10 they'll eat it from the fridge or a foil covered plate in a warm oven. Food is fuel, so it's important to prep the right stuff. You have to be flexible when it comes to planning around them, or waiting on them. When they say, "I'll be home between 7 p.m. and midnight," this translates into: I can't do what you asked me to do or what I said I would do, but if you could leave me some food before you go to bed I'll see you tomorrow and we'll do it all over again. Flexible gals do whatever, and they don't bitch about it.
Directional diva.
Farm girls often have to run things to the field, run to the parts store, or help move equipment. This can often mean with little, if no direction. "Go to that field that I call north 40 and bring the box of filters and don't forget the rubber seals". A farm girl not only gets the right filters, but gets extra seals, and can likely drive to the ambiguous location - with her eyes closed.
Ability to read sign language.
There are two aspects of this. One is the sign language used in close proximity. Like, when farm girls are backing up equipment and farmer is flapping his arms and hands like a mime in distress, the flexible ones just take a breath and pay close attention. Nine times out of 10 there are no incidents, unless you count calling that farmer every name in the book under your breath. The other scenario is sign language in distant proximity. When you're on one side of the yard or field and he's on the other. Reading body language is essential. If farmer is jumping up and down and throwing his hat, proceed with caution. When he's just standing there trying to get your attention, move that direction because he obviously needs something.
Sleep is a recommendation, not necessarily a guarantee.
During peak seasons there is no such thing as sleep. Farm girls have the uncanny ability to store beauty sleep, much like squirrels store nuts. We can go days on four to five (or less) hours of sleep because when they're needed they show up. No matter what time it is. The really good farm girls can catch a nap standing up at the stove while stirring gravy for even a few moments.
They pray, they have faith, and they support.
Farm girls are the backbone of all great operations. The farm and family come first, they come second. They pray for rain, they pray for no rain. They pray for safety, they pray for bin busters. They pray for the troubled soul of their farmer who worries about everything, and can control nothing. They have faith that God will provide. They have faith everything will be OK, no matter how bleak it looks. They support their farmer, and they keep their family together. Because they know sometimes in the middle of harvest a good laugh, a good meal, or a good shoulder is all the family needs to make it through.
Behind every farmer is a wife, a daughter, a mother, or a somebody who will ride on the tractor seat arm just to be there. They will climb in a pickup to check fields, or semi truck headed to the elevator just for the few stolen moments. They recognize when things aren't going well. They listen. They celebrate when things turn out better than anticipated. They get up in the middle of the night to welcome a baby calf in their kitchen during a bitterly cold night or snowstorm. They take a sandwich out to the tractor at 10 p.m. They move equipment in the dark. They empathize with their farmer as he drags a tired body into the house after a 16 hour day. Some farm gals do all this, and still work a 40 hour week.
They don't demand, they just do. They do it because they want to. They realize that "it's not all about you".
That's being farm girl flexible.
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