Farmers

The other day I flew a friend down to Indianapolis from Chicago. I couldn’t help but notice all the standing water in the rich Midwest farmland that sprawls between these two areas. It made me think about what these “businesses” have to deal with. Now I don’t profess to be a farmer, although I did raise some chickens as a kid. However, I do find it interesting to compare a farmer’s view to those of us that work in other businesses.

Every year we expect things to be better. A pay raise and/or a promotion. A better job. A new deal to close. Revenue and earnings graphs that look like hockey sticks. We just expect every year to be better than the last. We budget that way. We plan on it.

Farmers have to take a different view. Too much rain in the spring and crops are washed away or drown. Too much heat and/or not enough rain and they wither and die. Maybe an insect infestation. Even when everything grows well and the harvest is strong – well, that creates oversupply and lower commodity prices.

My point? The farmer takes the down years in stride and deals with the challenges. He sets aside for a bad year and in a bad year he works just as hard, and usually harder. There are no gimmicks. Always up before dawn, putting in long days.

I like farmers – they take the good with the bad, they play the hand they are dealt, they believe in hard work and seldom complain, they take good care of their equipment and they do something good for society.