When I left my town job I was congratulated on my retirement. When I say I haven’t retired but changed jobs, I am asked what my job is. I have also seen this debated on social media “farm wife” and women in ag groups often. How do we define our roles in a farm family and business?

If you ask Kacey, he will likely tell you I’m a farmer. I’m not sure I completely agree with that. True, I am a partner in the farm. I help to make decisions on what is done. If there is something to be done with crops, cattle, or farm related tasks that he can’t do or needs help doing I jump in regardless of what they are. Being a farmer/rancher is a broad job description. The requirements vary season to season, from one operation to the next. When it comes to Lazy H Crown, Kacey and I take on what would be considered traditional roles. Not because we are each not capable of doing the other’s task. He is pretty good in the kitchen, and I can run heavy equipment. We tend to each gravitate to where we are the happiest. It makes us a great team. Where one leaves off, the other can pick up the slack. There are no expectations or limitations put on either of us because I’m a woman and he’s a man.

Not by us anyway. For instance, a well-meaning neighbor once stopped when he saw me working on a fence line that boarders the county road. He more or less took over and finished the job for me while I stood by and listened to him rave about how wrong it was that I should be expected to be out doing that kind of job. I just smirked and listened and let him do his masculine thing. It seemed to make him happy to help this damsel (not) in distress. It didn’t hurt anything for me to just let him go. I know that I’m here, doing the things I do, whatever they are, because I am capable of doing them. I enjoy them (most of the time). I CHOOSE to do them. But there are things that I don’t have the skills or desire to do. And the things I do are things Kacey is less talented at doing.

He plants the crops, while I plant the gardens.

Kacey is definitely the one here who is the “farmer”. In the traditional sense. He does the heavy lifting, the biggest part of the large or uncomfortable jobs. He plants the crops, while I plant the gardens. But I? I am his hand. Have you ever tried to accomplish anything without your hands? How hard is it? Do you get much done? The things that I do, no matter how small they may seem, are important. A farm is a business. A business cannot grow or succeed without all the details that support it being managed. The bookkeeping must be done. The relationship with the banker is much easier when you can quickly and easily find the information he needs. That’s true of any information. When a group of cattle at the ranch needs care. I can quickly and easily produce a list of who those animals are, and which pens they are in. It saves time and makes the job easier to not have to look in every pen for every animal. Especially when it is -14 out as it was last week when bulls needed to be Trich tested before going to their new homes. Meals must be made. We all must eat. Things need to be cleaned and cared for.

Whatever your role in any circumstance, make sure you are a hand. A hand that can be depended on in any situation. A hand that can manage the fine tuning. The majority of my tasks are not the biggest ones. But because I am here and doing them Lazy H Crown has been able to improve and grow. Even through the difficult times that we have had. And through all the hard times to come, the operation will be successful. Successful because of the hands. Depending on your definition, I may or may not be a farmer. But without a doubt, I am a hand!

I am a…

Lazy H Crown Cattle