When you were a child, you may have played with your papa’s farm toys. Most farmers have at one time or another practiced “carpet farming” with their toys when they were younger. It’s a comfortable feeling for farm parents to see their children practice farming with their little tractors, combines and plastic cows.
Practice makes perfect!
For the Kansas Farm Bureau Young Farmers & Ranchers Instagram contest, I’m submitting at least one #myksfarmlife photo each day. I also decided to write a post about why I chose this photo and how much it means to me. I hope you enjoy this series as I showcase my best farm photos with you! In this photo, Farm Fit Girl is playing with her daddy’s toy tractors on a rainy Spring afternoon. He is, of course, supervising. Practice makes perfect.
Farm Fit Girl comes from a long line of farmers, which is why it comes so naturally to her. Ever since she was a tiny baby, she has accompanied us out to do farm work and chores. As she grows, she wants to help us farm the land, ride big orange Allis-Chalmers tractors, feed the livestock and just enjoy her life out in the country with us.
When we are inside on a rainy day, Farm Fit Girl wants to play with her daddy’s toy farm equipment. Farm Fit Daddy is a “nervous Nelly” when it comes to Farm Fit Girl roaming around the farm, or even playing inside with his antique toy tractors.
You see, he also practiced farming the carpet when he was a little tyke with the same equipment spread. He collected the same line of big tractors, back hoes, trucks and trailers and semis that we have displayed throughout our home. It really means a lot to him that Farm Fit Girl is so interested in those tractors. Still, he’s very protective of those precious tractors and watches closely so she does not remove a wheel or a smoke stack.
While sometimes she does, he is always gentle and teaches her about why tractors have smoke stacks and wheels. Why they MUST stay on the tractor. They won’t be able to move and do their work otherwise. The older generation teaches the younger generation different farm practices with just a group of antique toys, such as equipment care, livestock management, crop rotation, and fencing. He passes down more than just his collectibles today. He is also teaching her skills for her life on the farm.
Inside our home on a rainy day, there is much work to be done. Thousands of acres of carpet to be farmed and so much fence to be built. Toy cows to be shipped to pasture in the opposite room before the lights go off for supper time. We are teaching her our way of life and she is practicing in her own way because it’s fun and she loves it.
Someday, things will change and the tables will turn. She will be the one to teach us new skills with the new times and technology. We will be the ones learning and practicing. Because practice makes perfect with each generation and each sustainable farm.
~Much Love~
Mindy