My sister and I were recently invited to visit relatives on their farm north of Frankfurt. As soon as we arrived childhood memories were back. For over 20 years I haven’t been in a stable and reflecting upon the weekend I realized how many life lessons I took from these days on the farm:

1.Plan for the future

As a farmer you have to plan way in advance. You have to prepare the fields in spring, nourish them over the summer and harvest in autumn so that the animals have food in winter. The same holds true for your on life. Setting up a dreamplan for the year helps to focus and plan ahead so you can harvest the fruits of your development later.

2. Have multiple streams of income

But not everything goes according to a plan and for farmers the weather is a big factor of unpredictability so to secure the income have multiple streams available. So if one source of revenue is becoming a very small stream in one year have other sources to compensate therefore.

3. Enjoy the small pleasures

Being on a farm surrounded by all those animals is such a great pleasure you loose the feeling of time and you relax. Wonderful just to feed the calves, cuddle the dog, watch the milk process, ride on a truck, watch cats play, have great talks, let the farmer explain their work, wonderful and enlightening.

4. Work ethnic

Working on a farm is hard work and it amazes me how dedicated and disciplined you have to be, to work 7 days a week, 365 days a year. The great thing is you see the results right in front of you e.g. when you milk the cows.

5. Appreciation of milk

When you go into the supermarket and buy 1 liter of milk it costs you around 0.90€ and the thing is done. But when you see the cow milking process than this is only the last step on the farm. First you need a cow who just recently had a carve, you have to take care of the cows health, you have to secure the food chain of the cow (if it is summer or winter) and you have to milk the cow twice a day, every single day. And this is only the process I was able to see on that one day.

These life lessons came to my head. What were your reflections while visiting a farm? Please leave a comment

Huge milk cow

Thanks for explaining all those farm processes Harald

cow stable

Tabea, Irene, my sister and me in front of the famous “Alsfeld” town hall

Alsfeld “Fairy tale house”

Cuddle the cow

Breakfast impression

Alsfeld is such a lovely city with all those old buidlings

Enjoying the farm life

My sister on the new truck, amazing that technology available in those trucks