Everyone should work on a farm... 🌾
There are life lessons you can only learn there.
Mitch Hinrichs
February 26, 2024
Five Life Lessons From The Farm
Read Time: 4 minutes
Whether or not you work in agriculture your whole life is unimportant.
But there are life lessons learned from the farm that should be part of everyone’s learning journey.
And the good news is that there is plenty of farm work to go around.
Plus, who knows? You may find a hidden passion in farming and ranching.
Regardless of your passions, working on a farm, even just for a summer or on the weekends, will positively impact your life and career.
Farmers prioritize their tasks
They have an endless task list, but if they don't complete the most important ones at the right time, they don't reap a harvest at the end of the season.
Some tasks are more important than others. And certain tasks have to precede others. There is a specific order and timing to farming successfully.
Farmers are extremely eclectic
They are jacks of all trades—from agronomist to mechanic to accountant to sales—all before lunch. If you have ever been around a farmer, then you know they are ridiculously resourceful and solution-oriented.
So many of us have become narrowed and specialized, lacking the eclectic exposure to necessity. Spending time on a farm expands our resourcefulness, gets us back into our bodies, and teaches us how to problem-solve on the fly.
Farmers act in the present but think long-term
For them, having a long-term plan and vision is a necessity for their success, not a luxury.
But they must implement that plan day after day.
They zoom out to see how the work today fits into the broader vision of the farm, but they don’t get stuck in the clouds because there is work to do now.
Farmers follow through when they don't want to
If you spend an entire season on the farm anywhere in the world, there will be days when the weather does not cooperate.
However, there is work that needs to be done regardless.
This is probably the most valuable lesson I have learned and the most noble trait I see among farmers.
They must show up every day, no matter the weather or circumstances.
Whether they feel like working or not is unimportant because if they don’t show up to do the work, it doesn’t get done.
It all hinges on doing the work, especially when they are least motivated and when the circumstances are most unfavorable.
Farmers realize that there is a season for everything
They know there is proper time for every task and they can't rush the seasons.
In the spring, they must plant. And harvest in the fall.
They can’t force Nature to change that order.
No farmer would dare try to plant a crop in the fall that is supposed to be planted in the spring.
Likewise, there is a time to work, and there is a time to rest.
In the winter, there is less work and a (slightly) slower pace, so the farmer learns to rest, recharge, and plan for the next season.
But when spring comes around, best believe the period to rest is replaced by activity and diligent action.
Agricultural Gap Year & Getting Paid to Learn
For those of you in high school or college or at a dead end in your current career, it may be time to take an agricultural sabbatical.
In my early 20s, after dropping out of college, I was able to find a “gap year” which rekindled my love of farming and agriculture.
While I traveled and worked on farms in New Zealand, I met many other young people my age from Japan, Germany, Australia, and other countries who were encouraged by their families and culture to take a year off from their studies to explore the world.
I have learned since they were actually getting paid to take gap years through programs encouraging cultural immersion.
WWOOF - World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms
I ended up on the WWOOF platform, a network of farms worldwide that hosts travelers and agricultural enthusiasts.
The terms are simple: 10-15(ish) hours of work per week in exchange for food and accommodation; as each farm has different criteria, WWOOF does have terms and conditions to discourage exploiting this “free labor” arrangement.
I stayed on 10 farms in New Zealand for about a week each over the course of three months, which was enough to rekindle a long-lost passion of mine.
But I have met many people who have stayed months or even years on farms in exchange for 10-15(ish) hours of work per week.
Since my travels, I have recommended WWOOF to many others, but I always advise doing your due diligence on the farms you send applications to.
I’ve heard some horror stories about hosts taking advantage of the “free labor.”
However, it is one of many ways to get involved in agriculture if you are brand new, especially if you want to travel and explore simultaneously.
But you can also find WWOOF in the United States if you want to volunteer part-time or on the weekends on a local farm near you!
If you want to learn more about getting more involved and active, here are 4 questions to ask yourself if you are new to farming and agriculture.
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