Farming these acres is my job. A job I chose. A job I chose and grew to love. Being a woman farmer is what I am all about. A woman who farms not a farmers wife. I am the farmer. The grower of food. 
And I am still a relatively young woman. In the peak of her working life. This is not my retirement or anything, I am not old enough for that – not by a long shot – this is my job. This is not a hobby or just something to pass the time. This is my job of work. It is a small enterprise on purpose. I like to fly under the radar. My food revolution is spreading by word of mouth. My job has impact. I feed people. I invite people to come and experience farming. This is my job. 
It is not 9 – 5. It is unpaid. I am self employed with horrible pay. But I did not design this work to make money from the outside. That would be another kind of job. I designed my career to create a self sufficient life, to train myself to live within my means, to feed people all summer long and put some away for the winter. And to write about it. To create a lifestyle that feeds itself and feeds me and enables me to save a little for travel and clothes and boots (and the hairdresser though she gets paid with eggs as often as not!). And to document the progression in written and photographic form. The work and the documenting in this blog are my job. I am amazingly lucky to be able to love my job. Though I did not love it at first.
But is a job that makes no cash a lesser job than well paid work? Am I of lesser value to society because of the lifestyle I have chosen? Am I still a force to be reckoned with? 
I start work at 7.45 every day. This is what time I walk out the door dressed in work pants and a warm top and boots. By then I have had my coffee, done the washing, made the beds, planned the dinner, swept the porch, cleaned the kitchen, hung out the laundry and answered my messages. Just like any working woman. By 8am I have arrived at work. List in hand. And we proceed.
At 12 we have lunch, we go on a break, then the unpaid workers take time off until 3pm, while I do paperwork and planning and food (which is part of my job), write the lists on the boards then garden or mow then we reconvene at 3 and work again until 6. Then showers, dinner at 7 and clean-up. I am a farmer so this is my day. (The hard part is being the farmer and managing a house as well – but many working women struggle with that problem.)
In the evening I do the pictures for my blog, catch up on messages, personal or otherwise. Do housework then later in the evening I rest. 
This is not an extraordinarily heavy or hard day. Many, many women have harder days. I am not over working and I do not need to take it easy. Maybe when I am 60 or 70 or something I might take it easy but I am a long way from that. This lifestyle is not something I am doing because I cannot work any longer – this is my job. If I chose to leave the country and go back to my former life I could get another well paid job very easily. So I am not farming because I have nothing else to do. The farming,growing good clean food, hosting/teaching young people, the photography and the text – they are my job. It is intensive for about 10 months of the year and in the other two months I travel and write – travelling is an important part of my learning to farm and live better and this is when I have some downtime. 
I have chosen this job. It was planned and organised though evolving. Sometimes I do overtime, but usually it is only a 9 hour day. And if you factor your job and travel time in I bet most of you work or have worked a 10 hour day too. I am not elderly neither do I need extra rest. I am still young. I do not need to take it easy. I am young enough to work all day at full steam with ease because this is my job. I will not wear myself out. I am fit and healthy. I am peaking physically. I am a woman we peak for a long time. The animals and plants and earth and pasture and I are a team. We work together. We are roaring along – not always easily, the lessons are brutal but always we move forward. I planned it this way. I love it. I thrive on it. We manage a kind of symmetry, creating a small ecosystem of our own. The animals and gardens and I. I am a part of a whole. A pivot, true, but part of a balanced whole. The animals and I, and John on the weekends and our resident workers in the summer all contribute to this whole. We are a team. We have our systems and rhythms.
I determine my net worth by how many people I feed a year – how many meals I grow – how many plates I fill – how many hot dinners from my fields and gardens, how many salads and plates of scrambled eggs, how many days the animals feed from pasture and food raised on the farm – how many smiles they elicit: not on how many dollars I feed into the bank. I feed the people who go out and put dollars in the bank – I am part of their chain – their ecosystem.
Just because it is unpaid on a small farm does not mean that it has lesser value than a paid job off the farm back in Europe. Just because it is unpaid and menial does not mean that I should not work as hard as I can and give value for my presence every day. Just because it is unpaid and not in the news does not mean that it is not a serious and valuable contribution to the clock workings of the earth. And just because it is unpaid on the Plains of Illinois miles from anywhere with not a soul watching does not mean that I can laze about on a Monday. Whether I feel poorly or not. On a Sunday afternoon maybe. But Monday is a work day. Monday to Saturday. Work Days. And oh when the sun comes out late in the afternoon then BAM – Miss C is back on board.
There. Said. Jumbled. But said.
Hope you have a lovely day.
celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
288 responses to “This is my Job”
It’s a really amazing life style, without money in this would may not be a worst thing compare with those war or terrorism.
My grandpa was a farmer before his death. I’m pround of him, and will miss him until the day I die.
Do what makes you happy! I Do. I live on a farm, in South Africa. I don’t farm, but I do repair the human body. I get paid in eggs, shoes, whatever is needed! Love it….. (midlandshouseofhealing@gmail.com )
That is pretty cool to be paid the old fashioned way – wonderful.. c
A fantastic mission, admirable, inspirational, and absolutely filled with great value. All the more for your dedication to giving and sharing and educating. May there always be wonderful food at your table, memorable company to enjoy it with you, and may you always love the journey.
Oh thank you! What kind and generous words.. have a lovely evening.. c
a nicely down-to earth account of your work. I have only one question, as always when the subject is the wonderful Animal Beings……’ What happens to these precious Beings that the smiling visitors don’t see?’ ….. Will they still be smiling when they see the slaughter ( torture and murder) of those lovely, cute, furry, sweet Animals?’
Good question and yes everyone is very aware that the animals who are designated for slaughter will be dealt with swiftly, with respect and only by professionals at the Amish facility who handles this aspect for me. I also think that if everyone knows about this side of meat production we would all eat a lot LESS meat and I think this would be a good thing. c
Having witnessed just one slaughterhouse torture, I have no need to check out any other, Amish or not. Have you witnessed, first hand, the slaughter of any of your dear Animal Beings? If you have not, then you are not qualified to speak about your work. If you have, then how are you reconciling what is in your heart and soul with what you are doing?
I remember as a kid going to help my uncle on his farm this was a very good time for me because unlike today’s many big farming businesses he respected his animals and they intern gave us a great way of life and I respected him for his honest and good way of earning a shy living but honorable. This is a great post that you put up gave me the sight into what farming has lost today. Farming should be respected it is what gives us sustenance so in turn we owe them respect.
Yes, and like you said it is a great way of life for sharing! It seems that many people have memories of farms from a previous generation. This too teaches us something. c
What a wonderful life u live. ..hats off
and hats back on again – we don’t want any sunburn.. c
good job
Beautiful one there
Thank you and welcome! c
[…] to work (for work is an intrinsic good) for a value/reward/compensation besides money? [Like this woman does.] Many, if not most, (especially the young) people I have this conversation with cannot […]
Sometimes it is not about money; but bigger reasons that may only make logical sense to that person. Example, I started a show called Raw Orange which is my site on here that gives you links to the show, but everyone I know, even some of my closest friends are not seeing the bigger picture of why am I applying so much time to this channel with the “hopes” that one day, maybe I can survive off it. The point is to many it don’t make sense because they don’t see the benefit financially, but the dream is much more than a dollar sign; it starts with a passion and idea
Yes – the passion about an idea is what makes our lives tick – well done you!! c
It is a worthwhile job! And you are doing nothing an awesome role! 🦄
Reblogged this on Smile Circulation and commented:
And what a great job it is too!
“Just because it is unpaid on a small farm does not mean that it has lesser value than a paid job off the farm..” I like the positive attitude that comes out in this write-up. You are doing a great job Cecilia. I myself have a passion to farm and write about farming. I have found someone who gives me the inspiration to stay focused.
A passion that feeds you is a joy! What do you grow on your farm?
Am growing onions, just began, look forward to grow pepper, tomatoes and watermelon. My aim though, is to make money.
You can make money from food it is all in the marketing – good luck!! c
It’s wonderful to see another persons view and experience with farming! I grew up on a farm, my parents still farm (beef) we have 100-150 head of cattle, sometimes pigs and chickens, my family hays in the summer to have feed for the cattle all year. We have a wood stove to heat the house than we need to spend a lot of time gathering, splitting and piling firewood for the summer. My dad is usually busy outside from 6 am to 10pm and needs help from time to time. Very interesting to see how different it can be! I love that you added pictures. 🙂
That is a lot of cows. I only have 12 acres so not as much to do.I have help come in all summer. Interns, farm stays and woofers – usually all young and strong – I am lucky. 6am to 10pm is a terribly long physical day – your Dad works very hard. c
Yes he does! That is great you have help 🙂 what is a woofer? One day when I am settled with a home my partner and I want to have a few cows, pigs, chickens, garden, hunt and try to be self-sustaining and healthy like my ancestors! 🙂
There is an international site call the Wwoofers – the people who want to work sign up and the farmers sign up and people find each other. It is great – I have all kinds of people come to stay and work for food and a bed and the experience that comes from farming..
Wow that’s amazing! I wonder if that is available in Manitoba, Canada!? I know with us kids all moved out my dad might want extra help but can’t afford to pay someone.
YES! It is a world wide organisation. Go to wwoofer.com you never know.. c
Thank you!