Friday, November 20, 2015

Farm Fridays #2

Farm Fridays are upon us again!! I know this is only the second Farm Friday we've had since I started it last week, but I have to say that I've really begun to get excited for the farming and agriculture postcards that have really come pouring in!  It's so neat to receive postcards from other farming families and hear what these strong women have to say!

This postcard was a cute donation I received to add to my blank postcard collection.  The cute little pinto miniature horse is just adorable, is it not?  I just kind of want to go "Awwww! How cute!" to it even though I know it's not real and it definitely can't hear me.  Though, I do already talk to myself, so there's that.



Mamie, from MN, writes
 "One of the main things I learned growing up on a farm is that of responsibility. My dad taught me that the animals eat before we eat.  They're counting on us.  I have passed that value on to my daughters as well."  

I was happy to see this postcard come in with this piece of advice on it.  I know when I was younger, and even now, I had problems with friends that were having a party or wanted to get together, and I couldn't go because I had animals to take care of.  Now, I wasn't blaming the animals.  After all, we had them because I wanted them and I understood that I was the one that was mostly responsible for the care. But my friends didn't understand so well.  They'd always ask why I wasn't able to go, or why I couldn't stay out late.  I always tried to patiently explain to them that the animals got up early and I needed to be able to get up just as early for them, having a regular feeding schedule was healthier for the animals, and that the animals were their responsibility.

"Well, can't you just get your parents to feed them or something?" they'd ask.  Well, yeah, I could ask my parents to do that for me and they'd be happy to.  Once or twice.  Or for a special event/circumstance.  Not every Friday or Wednesday when you guys got together.  These animals were there in my backyard because I wanted them there.  If my father had a choice, they wouldn't have even been there.  He wasn't, and still isn't, much for the livestock. :) I knew that going in to the agriculture industry and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Granted, I was born into agriculture and livestock, but if I hadn't been interested in it, we wouldn't have spent time and money finding me chickens to raise and show, a market lamb for my FFA Project, or investing money in breeding and training horses.  My grandfather was raised on a farm and he instilled quite a few of his teachings and beliefs in my mother, who in turn, instilled them in me.  Whether it's a dog, a fish, or a horse, they're at our house because of us and it's our responsibility to care for them in the best ability we can achieve.  Caring for my animals and livestock have taught me so much in just being a better human being and a productive member of society.  I know how important it is to keep those teachings and traditions going in the younger youth.


The USPS has had quite an adventure this past year with all the different stamps they've released and these new postcard rate stamps have been interesting.  Previous to this set, the postcard stamps were of a single image of a turquoise and teal hummingbird that was geometric in shape.  I wasn't sure I was really that big of a fan and I really have to say that I like these quite a bit better.  The bird on this particular stamp is the Red Knot is a medium sized shorebird that calls the tundra home.  It's found in the Arctic Cordillera and is a member of the sandpiper family. Which makes sense.  I would say it kind of looks similar to a sandpiper.  What do you think? We'll have to see which other birds we get on the stamps!

I really liked this Farm Friday and I hope you guys did too!  Is this a teaching you've had in your family?  Yes or no, let us know!  Until next Friday!

Happy Mailings!
-Jessa


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