The Gratitude Project - Day 12

I've been hanging onto these pictures for a while and now is the perfect time to post them as today I have been thinking of how grateful I am that Burke is a farm boy.  Burke's father Alan and his Uncle Alma (Alan's twin) own Hugh Adams Farms in Parowan, Utah.  There they manage about a 150 head of cattle, and several farms where they grow primarily alfalfa and wheat, although they cycle through other various crops from time to time (last year they tried out a pivot of corn just for fun).

Burke texting me love notes from the swather in the early morning.

I have learned that whenever Burke is feeling worn out or he needs to mull something over in his mind then we are in need of a trip to Parowan where he can go down to the farm for a few hours to do chores, feed cows, or (his absolute favorite) jump in the swather during the summer hay seasons and cut to his hearts content.  

When we were first married it was hard for me to go to Parowan, excited to spend some time together as a family and end up being left at the house while the guys were gone for hours at a time down at the farm.  Burke always invites me to go along, but I have learned this is a chance for him to spend some time with his Dad and brothers as well as to have some solitary thinking time.  (And let's be honest - it's usually too cold or too hot, I'm not much use around the farm and I don't want to get all dirty while visiting family!)  As I have come to realize the joy Burke experiences from being on the farm, I have become much less clingy in Parowan, knowing that he will return dirty, happy, and rejuvenated.  And that of course brings me a lot of happiness too when I see how happy it has made him.

The farm's big purchase this year - a steamer that allows them to create perfect dew temperatures and bail the hay any time of day, rather than at 2 in the morning like they have done their entire careers!  This machine is gigantic (correct me if I'm wrong Burke, but I believe it's over 60 feet long) and has revolutionized the productivity of the farm.  Amazing!

I am grateful for the lessons Burke learned as he grew up working on the farm.  Lessons of hard work, perseverance, problem-solving, flexibility, and patience.  I have seen how much his experiences have benefited his life and especially his mind set.  It makes me determined to give our children plenty of experiences to work hard as they grow up so they can learn those valuable lessons from their Daddy too.  

I also love how almost nothing gets Burke as excited as seeing innovations in the farming industry.  Last night Alan posted a video about these new developments in animal fodder and Burke was giddy with excitement.  I have to admit, I was pretty impressed too.  Check out the video below to see just how cool farming can be! (Skip the first 40 seconds - it's a still-frame for the first bit)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pL0yAuoOXZQ

I hope one day our career path leads Burke into farming avenues as I know he would be in heaven!