For some, farming is a way of life and how families earn a living. But working on a farm can also teach children valuable skills and life lessons they can take just about anywhere to apply to school or a future career. Corydon Central seniors Bailey Orme and Ava Weber are interning with Fessel Farms this year and are growing in many ways. Here are some of the life skills they are learning by working on a farm every day.
Developing a strong work ethic
There are chores that have to get done and someone has got to do them! On a farm, you cannot pass off your chores to the next person, you have got to do them regardless of the weather outside, if you’re not feeling like it or if you’re tired. Bailey and Ava said, after interning on the farm this year, they know if they keep working hard they will see it all pay off down the road.
You can’t do everything by yourself
If there’s something big to get done, everyone pitches in. No matter what your role is, people help out until the job is done. Recently, Ava and Bailey had to help run fence checks. Even though they had never checked electrical fences before, they watched others do it and helped out where they could. Doing things with a “teamwork mentality” is essential in the workforce and we know they will make great leaders in the future.
Time is valuable
There’s no time to waste on a farm, so knowing that a job needs to get done on time and be right is a crucial skill to bring into the workforce. When Ava and Bailey are at their future jobs, their employers will see the girls rolling up their sleeves right away and getting the work done!
Always looking to solve a problem
The first thing you learn on a farm is problem-solving. When things break, you have to fix it or look for another way to do your work. And you have to problem solve with everything, not just equipment. Ava said they had a baby calf not during milk from its mom. Well, calling a vet is expensive, so they had to try different home remedies to get the baby calf to take its milk. Problem-solving is a daily task on a farm and in life.
How to accept the things you cannot control
Farmers make the most of what they have and it can be had to relinquish control. Bailey said she continually has to work on having patience, doing things she isn’t always the best at, and being flexible about what others want her to do. This teaches them to always do their best.
How to enjoy the simple things
All the hard work and the long days on the farm make life’s little rewards sweeter. From a beautiful sunset to finishing a project from start to finish, it’s the little things Bailey and Ava are learning to appreciate. And these days, it’s incredibly important for us all to have this skill.
No matter where Bailey and Ava go to for college and what degrees they pursue, we know they are equipped for the workforce and will make a difference in the world.