My Farm Boy

Two very happy little boys to have their daddy home.  Precious reading time with their farm dad.

When we left Tony a week ago, he was suffering from a nasty outbreak of poison ivy.  I could tell he was uncomfortable but he wasn't complaining or even upset.  He seemed content, almost happy about his tangle with the nasty poison ivy beast.  His response was that was what happened when you moved logs in the spring.  It was his initiation back into farm life, his "right of passage."

Having him gone all week has been hard.  Yes, it was hard wrangling 3 kiddos on my own but that wasn't really it.  I love my husband and I actually enjoy being with him, hanging out, goofing off and knowing that he is always there with me.  He is my better half, my partner in crime and keeps me sane in my insane life.  It was only 5 days but it felt like forever.

He and Emily conspired against me with a big surprise.  Tony was not suppose to come home until today but he made a surprise visit Friday evening. What a gift to hear his voice through the screen door.  I was surprised and so grateful!

The man that I left a week ago has already changed.  They are small changes only seen by those who are closest to my farm boy.  I see, feel and hear the contentment in his voice, his actions.  He is happy, truly happy.  I asked him what was so different about the last week.  Two things he said really hit me.  "I got to spend time with my mom and dad and it was nice to be back home with them.  I love the freedom of being outdoors."

A very simple answer...

Simple answers that will lead us to what I am hoping will be a simple life together focusing on what is important.

Lesson on our mooing friends

Just got back from a very busy and productive weekend down in Vincennes.  I could share stories about our meeting with Emily's new school principal, her first baseball practice, the boys' tractor rides and adventures on the farm or finally seeing our new home, but I find myself wanting to talk about my mooing friends who I spent so much time with this weekend.  I received quite the education on cows, heifers, steers and bulls.  Did you know that a cow is a female who has had a baby and a heifer is a female prior to being pregnant?  Did you know that a steer is a castrated male and a bull has all his parts intact and rules the field?  Yeah, I didn't.  Important terminology people when referring to the mooing animal.  Thankfully, I have a wonderful brother-in-law who is patient with my MILLION questions and spent the weekend educating me on his cattle.

Troy's cows, kinda beautiful in a cow kinda way

Big take away - Cows and heifers pee out of their butts.  Yes, it sounds harsh, but that is where their parts are located (made sense to everyone down there but me).  Strangest thing I have ever seen and I am sure that is only the beginning.  Man, this city girl has so so much to learn.

The perfect send off gift

So Tony leaves on Monday.  Today, he closed out another chapter in his life with Interactive Intelligence and working full time in the IT field.  I am proud of him, so very proud of him and I love seeing the happiness in his eyes about being able to work with family and to be outside every day.  

I have been racking my brain as to what I can do to prepare him for the move.  How can I help him?  How can I support him and make this new life easier and smoother when I am not going to be there for 6 weeks?  

Well, I can't make meals for him.  I can't scratch his back or rub his shoulders in the evening when he comes home after a long day.  I won't be able to give him a big kiss or hug or even share a laugh in person.  

Then it dawned on me, I know what I can do to make sure he is ready to go.  I bought him underwear, yes, 14 pairs to be exact.  Did he really need it?  Probably not, but now he can last almost 3 weeks without running out of clean underwear.  Wife duties done!  Not glamorous, not overly sentimental.   Buy hey, that is us in a nutshell.  We are practical, down to earth folk.

Date night and a yummy dinner at Mama Carolla's.

So What is a Farmer's Wife

The Hinkle Farm

So I was thinking that since I have a month or so before my new job title is official, I might want to see what it is that I am suppose to do or be as a farmer's wife.  I thought it would be fun to Google it (I mean Google is the answer to everything right?!).

Below is a list that I have compiled and I have taken the liberty of answering yes or no as to whether or I not I currently have those skills.

-Can operate heavy machinery (tractors, spreaders, combines dump trucks, and backhoes) - No
-Drive a stick shift  - No, I mean, do they still stick shift vehicles?
-Isn't afraid of a little hard work - No, bring it on!
-Can drive a truck and trailer - No
-Can deliver seed to the field when the planter is getting low - No
-Knows how to haul an anhydrous tank (this is not an easy feat, if you get going too fast that thing will swerve all over the highway) - What is this?  No
-Can build fence - No
-Can move pigs and cattle with the best of 'em - Don't know if I will need this quite yet but it is a possibility and the answer is No
-Can work cattle and hogs - No
-Won't complain about not having cable TV - Possibly
-Won't complain about living on a dirt road and never having a clean car, or a dust free house - Possibly
-Knows how to garden - Yes, but kill everything I touch
-Can cook - YES!!!
-Can cook and feed masses with little to no notice - I think so
-Has the ability to remove dirt, and grease stains, and make whites white again when doing laundry - Not really
-Will drop everything to help move equipment to the next field - Yes, but I have no idea how to move equipment
-Understands that there will be busy times of the year - Yes
-Is prepared for her and her children to see her husband just a few shorts hours in a 7 day week during planting and harvest.  No
-Prepared to be unprepared when it comes to making plans with your husband.  i.e. it will always depend on the weather. ooh being flexible, really will have to work on this.
-Can successfully fix anything with duct tape - no
-Knows her way in and out of a hen house, gathering eggs, etc. yeah, no, I have a fear of roosters and chickens.
-That their entire living and existence is built upon the success or lack of success of one farming season especially when starting out.  Not really and I am scared to death

So, for all of you people who keep asking me if I am ready to be a farmer's wife and prepared for what I will be encountering on the farm, you have your answer.  NO!!  I guess that is what this blog is for and why I will be chronicling my adventures.  What a wild ride this will be to say the least but I am grateful for the opportunity and can't wait see what is in store for me and my family.