Every day, farm families face the looming challenge of safeguarding children while navigating a physically and mentally demanding operation. To effectively balance farm business and family safety, producers must consider the potential dangers in every aspect of their operation.
### The Farm is a Workplace
Agriculture is one of the most dangerous occupations and the only worksite that allows children of any age to be present. Every day about 33 children are injured in agriculture-related incidents, according to the National Children’s Center for Rural and Agricultural Health and Safety (2022).
### The Dilemma
Dairy operations are unique in that most of them are family-operated and intertwined with the family’s lifestyle, according to USDA. It can be tricky to navigate the daily shuffle involved with having children on the farm – and it can become routine, which can eventually lead to less situational awareness. Producers are faced with the dilemma of finding outside childcare or working with their children in tow.
Annaliese Wegner, her husband, Tom, and in-laws, Jeff and Betty Wenger, milk 600 cows three times a day. When her twins, Lane and Sage, were born five years ago, Wegner’s role on the farm changed.
“I think the biggest struggle was adjusting from full-time farmer to part-time farmer and full-time mom. It was tough,” she says. “I felt like I wasn’t doing anything, wasn’t contributing, but eventually, I realized the importance of my new role and how temporary it was.”
### It’s About Perspective
What changed for Annaliese? It was her perspective.
“I now feel lucky to be a farm mom. I didn’t always feel this way, it took time and reflection,” she says. “I’m lucky to get to spend this time on the farm with them. To watch them grow and learn. Sure, some of my personal goals and wants have taken a bit of a backseat, but soon they won’t want to hang out with me and I will have all the time in the world to do what I want.”
After hearing from several other dairy producers caring for young children on the farm, it is clear the secret is not a perfect schedule or even hiring a babysitter to care for children. In addition to a shift in perspective, it requires mastering the art of juggling.
### The art of juggling
If having a balanced farm and family is at its most basic state, a juggling act, it would make sense to boil it down by learning the basics of juggling and apply them to incorporating children on the farm:
– The less you have to reach to catch each ball, the easier juggling becomes. Proximity is key. Don’t ever assume someone else is keeping an eye on young children.
– Juggling multiple balls is a matter of repeating the process over and over. On the farm, that can mean a consistent schedule and adapting your senses over time.
– Juggling can be frustrating. Remember to relax, breathe and take a break if needed. Some days will go as planned while other days might require trying again and again.
Instead of focusing on the frustrations, Wegner decided to practice her juggling skills little by little. When the twins were babies that meant loading them up in a wagon and pulling it through the parlor so they got used to the sights and sounds of the cows.
While she was mindful about keeping them safe and entertained, she also incorporated them in an age-appropriate manner, which evolved as the twins got older. With five years under her belt, Wegner looks past the challenge of juggling children on the farm and confidently embraces the bigger picture.
“What specific systems do you have in place to help with farm safety?”
“We always make sure someone has eyes on the kids and if one adult is passing the supervision to another adult, we confirm the exchange with one another.”
### What Does Success Look Like?
“There is no such thing as balance; no one can do it all! However, I have become a pretty good juggler. Juggling motherhood and farm life and everything else is tough and nothing is ever really perfect, but I know I am doing a good job if the kids are happy and healthy and the cattle are happy and healthy. There are always going to be chores to do at home and at the farm and we all just keep working each and every day to get it all done. I think success is having fun while you are doing it.”
“Safety on our farm is super important for our family and for the families who visit our farm. Our kids have gear on hand like high visibility, reflective vests, protective eye and ear wear. We also like to keep sets of the same safety gear on hand for other visitors to the farm who might not be as familiar with the need for safety here on the farm.”
“Chores take a little longer when I bring my two girls but they make it a little more fun. Daisy and Rose get packed along to do pretty much everything on our dairy – from changing hoses to milking. They love their cows and thank them every time they open the gates to let them leave the parlor.”
“Our family farm and creamery have served as a classroom for my three little boys from the time they were born until they headed to kindergarten. Even though my middle child is off to school at the end of the summer with my oldest, the farm will remain a place for them to learn treasured life lessons in the evenings, on weekends and throughout the summer,” says Josie Rozum of Dan and Debbie’s Creamery in Ely, Iowa.
“Even after a long day of working at the farm or creamery, the kids head to their toy closet, of course, full of farm toys, to play. They pretend a cow had a difficult labor and they don’t know if she’s going to make it. From the other room, I hear the story unfold. They talk amongst themselves about how they are going to have to stay up late with her to get her water, feed and anything else she might need. And I realize that even on the hard, challenging days they are learning amazing things.”
In the intricate dance of managing a farm and raising children, the key lies in perspective and adaptability. While challenges will always exist, embracing the bigger picture and finding joy in the journey can make all the difference. So, as farm moms and dads navigate the daily juggle of responsibilities, they are not only raising the future of their operations but also nurturing a generation that understands the value of hard work and dedication. Remember, success is not about achieving a perfect balance but about finding fulfillment in the small, magical moments that make farm life truly special.
