Women in Ag, and Why as Men we Need to do More

[Blaithin]

Thank you Klause. If this forum had a like option, I would be using it to the breaking point!

Nothing can be more frustrating than having to try and validate women Ag events or defend ones own knowledge. Many men seem to treat women like a vagina precludes us from being able to know about more than babies and housekeeping. While I think most of this is unintentional, it can still be discouraging. I will be the first to admit, I don’t like doing farm things in front of people I don’t know well. It makes me very uncomfortable. I feel like I am being judged hugely, and there’s a giant possibility that I’m not, it’s just a feeling I get. Insecurity. I can back up my shitty old bumper hitch stock trailer almost good as gold on the first try at home (usually LOL). I won’t even attempt it in public. The old farts at the auction get this smug look on their face and have little teenager chuckles under their breath to one another when a woman can’t back up perfectly the first try... I’m worried one day I’ll be rude to them and wish that one day I’ll be there to offer to back up for them when they’re crooked as hell. The first would earn me the title femnazi, the second would just give me great pleasure.

I’m a member of the Facebook groups you mentioned that your wife is in. While they’re so big and busy as to be overwhelming, they are still great resources. I have found a couple of women in my local area on there which seems amazing. A few small town Alberta ladies who found one another in the flood of international women on the groups. I hope that one day we’ll even get together for coffee as, socializing online is a great first step, but being able to get off farm for a bit is wonderful as well. Sometimes it’s too easy to feel isolated. Even men feel this way I kniw. One neighbour farmer this year was quite happy his combine came with Bluetooth. Now he can chat away no problem all through harvest LOL

[GDR]

The key as someone mentioned is you got to be interested in whatever you do. Either sex can do anything they want if they put their mind to it.

Maybe not but Klause I suspect your family dynamics and farm life are gonna change a bunch in the next little bit. My kids rode the combine in diapers with their mom but it's not the best situation, and productivity goes down hard.


My wife is a farmer also, however because of our personalities she is generally more the helper than the take charge girl. (She's a good worker and I'm pig headed) But that's ok works for us.


Had a neighbor years ago that her husband died in a farm accident. She kept a farm of 6 quarters and a herd of cows going by herself for probably another 25yrs. But she also had a farm accident that took her life and she was in her 70's.

[chuckChuck]

Great post Klause. You have obviously put a lot of thought into this and have set a great example for others to follow.

My wife is an equal shareholder, works hard and is a valuable part of the farm.

She didn't come from a farm but grew up in both small towns and cities. She has less interest in farming than I, but the place would fall apart a without her and it wouldn't be much fun either.

We have more of a traditional arrangement and sufficient workers to get most of the regular farm stuff done. There are lots of local examples of women who are greater participants in farm work because of necessity.

It is quite a challenge to raise a family, run a farm and have a good work/life balance. Grain farming at least offers some time to recharge the batteries during the winter months. I am not sure how livestock farmers do it year round.

[Grahamp]

We live in a funny world. I agree with your post Klause but it goes beyond that. In our situation my wife is an amazing woman, we have 7 great children whom she home schools(school aged ones anyways). We are partners. I couldn't farm like I do if she didn't look after everything home related. Yet somehow her contribution is relegated to a farmers wife. House needs drywall patched taken care of, sink needs unclogged taken care of, I need picked up to move a sprayer taken care of. Never mind that I woke kids up from naps and she has to get 7 kids in car seats and drive 20 miles down gravel roads.

We are farm partners, yes perhaps we have divided the work load in a more traditional manor but it makes me crazy that her role is perceived as not as important.

[sumdumguy]

Bouquets to all you younguns who juggle farms, kids, weather events, off-farm jobs, volunteer work, fixing machinery break-downs, livestock and everything else. These are all important jobs but the most important aspect of families on farms is what you teach the little guys. The opportunity for parents to teach life-lessons on work ethic, reaction to adversity, mechanical aptitude, cooperation, team spirit, enterpreneurial decision making and independence will be valuable tools in their lives forever. We see it in our three sons and our grandchildren as even the youngest ones are looking under the atv's to solve locomotion problems. Never throw something away without taking it apart with the kids, surprising what you find. I am sure you all know this but just in case you ever doubt their aptitude, please be assured they are learning. You should see our 16 year-old grand daughter trouble shoot her car problems.

[dak7]

Great post.
A lot has changed in the last 30+ years...one of the positive changes has been more women involved in farming and agri business.
Thanks for sharing what many of us think.

[Blaithin]

Seen your post on Facebook, Klause. You seem to have gone viral!

[tweety]

Rich white people problems. Wow.

[farmaholic]

Rich white people problems. Wow.

WTF was that about?

[the big wheel]

A lot of variables in the equation.

Women now are taking charge of their own wants and desires and going for it. Not like some sitting saying poor me I want my cheque inthe mail that will fix my problems.

In today's world it's a necessity for both man and wife to be economically involved farming or otherwise.

Women and I truly believe this have a more reasonable approach to everything then men generally speaking. This is a talent that helps farms through stressful times.

Society is changing and more open. There was a time women couldn't legally do a lot of things men could. Which was beyond stupid. But of course ran by men.

I don't think we should be going down the path of giving things free just because women are women they don't need anything more than a man does to thrive.