My farmer

Leigh:  "So what did you do today?"

Tony:  "Pulled weeds in the pumpkin fields"

Leigh:  "Pulled weeds?  All day? In a field that you aren't even farming?"

Tony:  "Well no, for about 3 hours this morning and then again in the afternoon.  So not all day."

Leigh:  "You use a machine right?"

Tony (with a puzzled look on his face): "No, I pulled weeds, in the fields by hand.  There aren't machines that can get in between the crops to pull them.  I wore gloves though."

Leigh:  "So let me get this straight, you spent the day pulling weeds, by hand in a field that you aren't even farming."

Tony:  "Yes.  If we don't pull them, then the seeds from the weeds will spread resulting in more weeds and impacting more crops."

I used to think that I knew what hard work was until I saw and heard what my husband does day in and day out. Farming is not for everyone.  The job is hard, very hard. My husband is tired and his body aches. With the humidity and heat, he can only work a few hours before having to retreat inside for rest and even a cold shower (just one of several for the day).  Very few people would get up, day after day, and go out and do what Tony, his dad and his brothers do.  But they do it, day in and day out.  Tony loves being outside and working with family.  Even though the work is hard, he still has a smile on his face.

It is hard for me to believe that Tony has been working on the family farm for over 4 months now.  Some days are long, really long.  He leaves before 6:30 am and isn't home before 9.  Other days, he works "regular" 8 - 5 hours.  What is amazing to me is that I have not once heard this man complain.  Complain about equipment breaking down, complain about pulling weeds by hand for 6 plus hours a day, complain about sitting in a tractor seat for over 9 hours, complain about mother nature destroying fields and fields of crops...  I could go on but I won't because Tony doesn't.

Very few of us really know what hard work is.  I mean, we think we work hard, but have you ever shadowed a farmer to see what he does on a daily basis.  I have and let me tell you, each and every one of us should pause and thank our farmers.  I am lucky and blessed because the love of my life is one.  I hug him a little harder and say an extra prayer at night now for him and all the other farmers out there.