Somewhere in the world, an alarm beeps. People stretch, yawn, and complain about being up too early. Little do they know that some humans, even kids, are up much earlier than they are, even for a selfless reason, such as getting food onto those people’s tables. Farm kids play a crucial role in getting food from the ground to the stores.
For most people, when the word “chores” comes to mind, people think of folding laundry, doing dishes, and mopping the floors. For the other side of the American population, when chores come to mind, they think of plowing fields, milking cows, or feeding chickens. Most likely, the people who think of the second option, are either farmers or somehow involved with agriculture.
Lots of kids across the country help out around farms, whether they live on farms or not. Many of those young people put in hours before school, to get the job done. For the American population, the average wakeup time is 7:20 am, according to World Population Review, though for farm kids wakeup time is much earlier, sometimes even before the sun is up. Some chores in the morning consist of feeding animals, milking cows, and preparing for the day ahead. Ag kids also have lots of chores that need to be done after school: watering vegetation, pulling weeds, and other laborious tasks.
The different chores that farmers do vary between seasons. In the fall, the main chore is harvesting the crops to prepare for winter. In the spring, the main deed is planting crops. There are, of course, other chores between seasons, but those are the largest and most important. Kids don’t necessarily do those chores specifically, as those tasks are extensive, and usually performed by a paid adult, though the ag kids may be of assistance to the adult.
Even at school, kids can focus on agriculture. Duane Pliscott, a teacher at Cannon Falls Schools teaches classes on skills used in agriculture. Some Ag kids take Mr. Pliscott’s classes, and some don’t. A plus side of Mr. Pliscott’s classes is that even kids who don’t farm and know nothing about it whatsoever can take those classes.
Cameron Addington, a senior at CFHS, is an experienced farmer. He recalls that he always enjoyed going to his grandparents’ farm. It is a special place for him and his cousins to interact.
Addington is the president of the Cannon Falls School Future Farmers of America (FFA) chapter. He has won numerous awards with FFA, such as placing third in a national public speaking contest after becoming the Minnesota state champion (Knocking out the Competition). Addington says, “I got ‘involved’ in agriculture through my family. My mom grew up on a dairy farm outside of Zumbrota, and my dad does a lot of media/communications work with agricultural companies. Additionally, I have friends and extended family involved in farming and other agricultural sectors like milk trucking.”
Another farm kid from Cannon Falls is Lily Hovel. She is a seventh grader and raises Toggenburg dairy goats, call ducks, chickens, and bunnies. Her grandparent’s farm has 100 head of cattle. She has 3200 hogs, which her dad hauls for a living, and her grandparents have a couple hundred hogs. Her grandparents’ farm is practically like a family farm to her and she does chores not only at her own house but at her grandparents’ as well. “I do chores at my house and I do chores at the family farm.” In addition, Hovel shows animals for local fairs such as the Cannon Valley and Goodhue County Fairs. “I show my goats, bunnies, chickens, ducks, and a horse.”
It is hard for agriculturally involved humans to imagine people not knowing where their food comes from, but sadly, some do not know. When asked the question, “Where does milk come from?”, some respond, “The grocery store.” In big cities like Chicago, New York, and Boston, there are fewer farms, and more stores to buy food, so residents may lack that knowledge. That is why it is important that small-town residents know where their sustenance is coming from; so they can educate their peers and appreciate those who work so hard to get food from the earth to their table.
Farm kids have a very bright future. Harvard University did a study, that showed that minors who are given chores will turn out to be more successful as adults. Even though “kind parenting” may be associated with not giving children chores, in the long run, it will be beneficial to them.
Whether farming means taking care of animals, or even taking it to the next level such as Cameron Addington, there is a place for everyone in the agricultural world. It is very important to share knowledge of agriculture, so everyone knows where their food comes from and who helps get it. It is key that people recognize the importance of farm kids, and how hard they work to get food into stores. From the biggest city to the smallest town, and everywhere in between, everyone deserves the opportunity to have that knowledge.
(This article is published in the Torch, the Cannon Falls Middle School newspaper)
