Most farmers have very little spare time. Those who are farming on a full-time basis tend to run large businesses and are managing a lot of land, livestock and maybe even staff.

Similarly, those who have off-farm employment are confined to farming when they aren’t at their day job. This usually means early in the mornings, late in the evenings, and over the weekends.

A key focus for most farmers is therefore labour efficiency. There is a need to maximise every hour that is spent on the farm.

When completing a farming task, how often are we thinking about the next item on the to-do list, or even worrying about somewhere else that we need to be?

Remember, the most common reason that young people enter the industry is because they simply enjoy the day-to-day work involved in agriculture. There are very few farmers who are in it purely for the money.

Enjoyment

It begs the question, when a lot of the work is done in a rush, does it take the enjoyment out of farming?

It is very easy to lose sight of this when farming is so busy. And asides from time pressure, there are plenty other factors that can take the pleasure out of farming, from bad weather, to financial difficulties, to uncertainty about the future.

Advice

My two cents worth is to take a few seconds to admire your surroundings when working outside.

Occasionally have a think about your farming memories. Remind yourself that it is a privilege to work on land that has perhaps been in your family for generations. Take pleasure in seeing your crops grow or livestock thrive.

Unfortunately, in today’s society, the good work of farmers is often under-appreciated. Don’t fall into a similar trap by not appreciating your own farming.