I've always respected them for what they do. I didn't grow up on a farm, and never really had much exposure to it until I moved to the country. Today I spent 6 hours planting soybeans for the neighbor farmer. My first time ever running a tractor. Made me really think about the work and sacrifices they make to put food on our tables.

I grew up on a small farm and all my close cousins were dairy farmers. They all planted corn, beans and milo for their own feed. The rest of their acreage was pasture and hay fields used for baled hay.

Lots of friends that raise beef to this day. They are some of the most dedicated hard workers in our society.

Please be careful on the tractor k snow. My best friends father was killed by a tractor earlier this week. I’ve farmed all my life and it’s no easy job. One of my earliest memories is of my great grandfather getting killed on a tractor. Eric

I've helped them out around the farm quite a bit the last few years, and it amazes me how many ways to die there are on a farm. One of their sons has a nasty scar on his arm from an accident. The other son was run over when young, but lived. Seems like every farming family has stories like that to tell.

Thank you for your respect, most of us aren’t right in the head to put up the bs we do, one accident story when my grandfather was in his 30 he was a driver for the ambulance crew and grandmother was on the crew a call came in they responded and it was a friend of his that fell off the back of the tractor and was ran over by the disk, they picked up the pieces, my grandfather had enough when he saw that and walked back to town about 10 miles away.

Older friend of mine in his 70s died a few years back. Got off the tractor to open a gate and the tractor ran over him. He was able to call his wife but was dead when she got out there.

This guy was born a farmer. Bought his first tractor with money he saved at 9 years old. Still had that tractor and about 80 other international last time we were talking tractors. He was under 10 when he was helping his dad log and a lim broke loose and killed his dad in front of him back in the woods.

Even the most experienced still make fatal mistakes.

I lost an eye building fence when I was a kid but I still don't understand the accidents by machinery. I had a father that worked 30 years in underground utilities plus farming. When I was a kid I was trained to look out for danger around you. Wish he would have pushed the safety glasses more.

I think a lot of the machinery accidents come from complacency. "Its just a quick job" gets a lot of guys hurt.

I definitely wore earmuffs, its no wonder most of the old farmers around here are deaf.

I remember my Ag economics professor once saying (1976) that farming is the only business that takes a million dollars in investment to net $30,000 a year. He forgot to mention the hard work part....or the years you have to borrow to get that 30,000.

Fourth generation farmer here. Planted corn all day today. It’s a way of life but a good one. Got to respect the land, Mother Nature, and everything entailed in the operating. We use anhydrous ammonia and I’ve got quite a few stories about the dangers of that stuff!

Some ppl don’t respect the farmers , even a few on this site! I just don’t think they completely understand what goes into a working farm. Easy to sit on the sideline and point fingers I guess.

Thanks for the gesture K snow

Growing up in South Dakota, did my fair share.
Baling hay, and hauling beans corn to elevator.
At time's I miss it.

It's a shame but the days of the small farms that used to be everywhere are gone. There was no better place to grow up and really learn about life then on a farm. A few of the farmers that I know, either they work off the farm or there wife's do in order to make ends meet. But no, they won't quit.

Agree skippy. My dad and I use to knock on a door to go rabbit and quail hunting very few times got turned down. Most places now are not worth the stop as all wildlife habitat is gone. I’m not blaming the big farmer. He has to do what he has to do. Back when I was on a wildlife area now conservation area I would plant corn with my 7100 jd corn planter and watch the China birds go down a entire row of sprouting corn and pull out and eat seed. Was cool and that was my job but I can relate to the farmer that had to spend $ to plant again. So I can see both sides. Done rambling

A lot not only work for income but primarily for health insurance. I'm a hobby farmer and to big a chicken to pull the safty net plug of my job with retirement, health and short term disability insurance.

Been involved in farming my whole life. Wish the ag industry would move away from being dependent on government aid but the industry is choosing to lobby for more and more. News about government assistance is right up their if not more important than the weather or the markets.

Thanks, that was a very nice post K snow. Planting corn here in not so good conditions

I have TONS of respect for livestock farmers. Literally zero days off. Some of these old cow men I talk to in Nebraska are nowhere close to rich and keep going til they cant. When we would try to find one old farmer to ask about turkey hunting, our best bet was to look outside, because he wasnt in the house. Worked daily til he died at 96.

Have a father in law who works cattle and hogs daily in his late 60’s. He is finally getting caught up on all the surgeries hes been needing for years to repair damage that work has done.