2025 Fall Farm Outlook Lincoln Daily News Oct 2025 Page 23 handed down from generation to generation, you have to have a love for learning, experimenting, and trusting your instincts. As I sat with a cold coffee cup pondering on this newfound revelation, I was finally able to connect the dots as to why there were so many ads for financial help, educational classes, taking care of family and yourself, estate planning, taxes, and investments. And that is because being a farmer doesn’t mean all the work is done by just planting seeds, watching them grow, washing machinery and harvesting. It is a year-long commitment that can be overwhelming and stressful if one doesn’t look ahead, plan, and rely on others in this ever-changing profession. Science, chemistry, vision, and understanding of land masses, soil, chemicals, tools, machinery, climate, and its changes to the environment are all crucial components in making this job successful. This is NOT an easy way to make a quick buck, does not come with insurance or benefits, and is dependent on the weather, economic/political times, the farmers’ health, the ability to make good sound decisions, managing the overhead and the knowledge to keep the equipment running. I did manage to understand about 30% of the whole lot, which isn’t saying much because I included the ads in there! But what I did manage to learn was that farming is not for the faint of heart and even though I married into the profession, it is a passion that only a true farmer and love of the land can appreciate. That Saturday morning was the most productive yet as a farmer’s wife. I not only got the house cleaned and dinner in the crock pot but also learned a valuable lesson. Being a farmer's wife is an honor, and I don't need to know everything my husband knows or does. The best way that I can support my husband is not to feel like I have to be as proficient as he is regarding farming terminology and techniques. I don’t even have to understand the difference between herbicide, pesticides, and fungicides. Thank goodness!! I found out that Saturday morning that no matter what my level of farming knowledge currently is, or will be as the years go by, I am still immensely proud of my husband, the farming life, and the farming community. I’m not only proud just because he is a farmer, but because he is my true best friend, a person that I can always be myself with while sharing an unconditional love that was built because of years of our own past experiences, lessons learned, and ultimately God’s timing. So, no more magazine surfing and pretending that I remotely understand everything that goes into the farming life. I have accepted that I am going to enjoy the ride with my husband because just like he is more than just a farmer to me, I am also more than just a farmer’s wife….and it is fun! [JA Hogdon-Ruppel]
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