What Makes a Woman Farmer?

In light of the International Year of the Woman Farmer, I wrote a lil’ something to honor the women who do so much for agriculture.

What Makes a Woman Farmer?

Abigail Meredith

What makes a woman farmer?

No, really! What does it truly take?

For a woman to decide that it’s worth

All of the risks and heartache.

From the early morning wake up calls

To the middle of the night scares

Praying to the good Lord up high in Heaven

That the calf will make it, through tears.

Vaccinating the herd, putting out round bales,

Feeding the chickens and watching the swingin’ piggy tails.

Preparing the ground for next year’s crop,

And hoping that the tractor motor doesn’t decide to just stop.

Harvesting the bounty, preserving old traditions

Giving up the idea of clean houses and kitchens.

Homes full of plants, barns full of mice

Laundry full of dirt, and yet still it’s kinda nice.

Incubating chickens, watching the sun go down,

Harvesting the lettuce that you planted in the ground

Canning the tomatoes, baking your sourdough,

Feeding your family, and sometimes even eating some crow.

Trudging through the sleet, breaking up the iced covered pond

Feeding all the critters and dreaming of your farm in years beyond.

But that’s not all that makes a woman farmer

No, not in the least,

It takes a whole lot more to describe that wonderful, hardworking beast.

A heart that can take the loss of a creature that you poured your soul into

The grit that makes you able to get working in the morning dew

The loyalty of a cattle dog, The joyfulness of a foal,

The excitement of a new calf on the ground,

The constant drive towards a goal.

Never knowing what the day will bring, but jumping in feet first,

The best part of fixing fence will always be feeling immersed

With land, the livestock, your person by your side

One of the best feelings in the world Is knowing that you’ve tried

To make your farm a better place and making that in strides.

So what is a woman farmer? That’s the question we asked,

I guess it’s different for everyone but one good word is steadfast

A woman farmer is the epitome of Mother Nature, no really!

Because only a woman farmer can love so much, and yet also love so freely.What makes a woman farmer?

No, really! What does it truly take?

For a woman to decide that it’s worth

All of the risks and heartache.

From the early morning wake up calls

To the middle of the night scares

Praying to the good Lord up high in Heaven

That the calf will make it, through tears.

Vaccinating the herd, putting out round bales,

Feeding the chickens and watching the swingin’ piggy tails.

Preparing the ground for next year’s crop,

And hoping that the tractor motor doesn’t decide to just stop.

Harvesting the bounty, preserving old traditions

Giving up the idea of clean houses and kitchens.

Homes full of plants, barns full of mice

Laundry full of dirt, and yet still it’s kinda nice.

Incubating chickens, watching the sun go down,

Harvesting the lettuce that you planted in the ground

Canning the tomatoes, baking your sourdough,

Feeding your family, and sometimes even eating some crow.

Trudging through the sleet, breaking up the iced covered pond

Feeding all the critters and dreaming of your farm in years beyond.

But that’s not all that makes a woman farmer

No, not in the least,

It takes a whole lot more to describe that wonderful, hardworking beast.

A heart that can take the loss of a creature that you poured your soul into

The grit that makes you able to get working in the morning dew

The loyalty of a cattle dog, The joyfulness of a foal,

The excitement of a new calf on the ground,

The constant drive towards a goal.

Never knowing what the day will bring, but jumping in feet first,

The best part of fixing fence will always be feeling immersed

With land, the livestock, your person by your side

One of the best feelings in the world Is knowing that you’ve tried

To make your farm a better place and making that in strides.

So what is a woman farmer? That’s the question we asked,

I guess it’s different for everyone but one good word is steadfast

A woman farmer is the epitome of Mother Nature, no really!

Because only a woman farmer can love so much, and yet also love so freely.