Filed under: July 2019 | Tags: change, confidence, hay making, horse farming, horse training, Small Farming
July 11, 2019
Everyone tells us that change is good. I continue to believe that change is bullsh*t! I do adapt, but I hate it. It takes me out of my comfort zone. I don’t want to “try something new”, I like the old stuff and the old ways…but change does help us grow in knowledge and experience. I grumble, but I do it.
This is Abby’s second time raking hay. She is learning many new things. Her world is full of change. The first day that I hooked her to the hay rake, she was a nervous wreck. It rattled and banged behind her. The dry hay made a swishing sound that she couldn’t see. I kept a firm hand on the lines reassuring her, that everything was okay. Knight, her teammate, walked along paying no attention to the “rattling, swishing monster” coming right behind them. This soon gave Abby confidence.
This photo shows the horses making their first round. By the time we got to the other end of the field, Abby couldn’t have cared less about the hay rake or the job at hand. Her frothy sweat dried by the second round and she settled in for the day. The next day there was no fear in her eye. She exhibited nothing but confidence. She knew her job and seemed to enjoy doing it. I guess she trusted me not to put her in harm’s way. She did trust me, but I think she verified that trust, by keeping one eye on Knight.
In life, I too get concerned about new things. I think I have actually broken out in a frothy sweat a time or two! I wanted to resist, but settled in and made the best of it. Pretty soon, the new became the old and change became the norm. I don’t have to like it, but I can control how I react to it. I just think about God on the lines, my “teammates” walking beside me, adapting as we go…and the quiet, confident voice of my wife, telling me that everything will be okay…. And you know…it usually is.
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RicelandMeadows 
Gotta love a draft’s calm demeanor! Has she checked in foal?
Comment by Jacklyn Krysa July 11, 2019 @ 10:40 amThank you for your educational post. I found your blog through watching Rural Heritage videos. The way you work your teams into your farming operation is refreshing. My wife and I are retired, but we still live on our small farm in Southern Illinois and we are fans of small farms. Agribusiness farming destroyed so many communities and businesses. Too many mega farms are poisoning our land with overuse of chemical fertilizers and herbicides, etc. We like the smaller tractors, equipment and the draft horses are our favorite. I apologize for rambling, but like you, we are not a big fan of change, especially when it is destructive or detrimental. Will be watching for your next post. Have a blessed day.
Comment by Mike Ladd July 13, 2019 @ 11:21 amHello to you Mike and the Mrs. Thank you for your nice comments. I agree that going slow and staying small is good for many. Like you say, the commodity market and agribusiness has ruined rural economies all across our nation. Once everything becomes a commodity, profits for small producers are gone. Gone too are any money he had to spend in the local community. The hired man and boys were gone, the local parts store and hardware are gone. Mom and Pop stores are history, replaced by a gas station that sells milk and bread…still the mom and pop format, but owned by big corporations far away…so the money leaves the local economy. Another thing gone is neighbor farmers helping each other get in a crop or share a piece of pie. It is my hope, that by sharing what I know with others, there may be a resurgence of our almost forgotten lifestyle. One thing for sure, I can be a resource for folks wanting to learn, because us old dogs still have a few tricks! Thank you again for your comments and support!
Comment by ricelandmeadows July 15, 2019 @ 9:20 pm