The Visit

Hello All. I must apologize for the absence over the last few days. School, 4-H and several opportunities to mow the lawn finally caught up with me, and the blog was pushed to the backburner.

Today some friends of ours stopped in to say hello, which got me thinking about what this simple act can mean on a farm. In areas where neighbours can be as near as across the road to as far as five or six miles away, stopping in to check on each other has several uses.



Same as it was then



The use my mother generally puts visits to is called chin-wagging. This is an affliction that many agricultural women have, especially when they are all in the same place at the same time. Social lives can take a serious hit when anyone lives one a farm, whether it's because they just can't find time to get away, or, well guess that is really the only reason. Regardless, farmers and farmer's wives tend to be a talkative bunch when they get together, and a Saturday drive to the neighbours to look at their new bull can frequently turn into lunch, supper and late night coffee. All this talk can sure where on a young man's ears, but it is interesting to hear the opinions and positions of the different people in the industry. Talk topics can range from cattle, to tractors, to new trucks (and old trucks), the crazy city cousins, the dog, the horses, whether the crops will escape a coming hailstorm, how much rain is needed, how much sun is needed, the coyote population, the price of fuel, grain and cattle, what will be seeded, what will be harvested, how many bushels can be expected, when the vet was out last, why he was out, the prognosis and cost of his visit, and so on and so forth. As you can see, having a simple conversation on a farm, one that lasts twenty minutes to half an hour, is almost impossible unless one of the conversers is in a hurry. 

A popular place to visit

Another purpose of visiting the neighbours is to secretly (in theory it's secret, but since everyone does it at least once a year to somebody, it is really just the elephant in the room) evaluate the neighbour's cattle or crops. These visits are innocent enough, and really just gather information about what the neighbour may be doing better than you. Somehow or another, if a farmer is proud of what he is growing or raising, he or she will want to show it off. It could take a few minutes or three hours, but eventually there will be a trip in a truck to some pasture or field and a conversation to follow. 

Finally, the main purpose of visiting is to reinforce friendships, and a sense of community. While we may all be spread out over a few townships, we all belong in the same community and we want to keep that community strong and viable. Having good neighbours can be a blessing, but treating neighbours well is rewarding socially and can be helpful in a pinch. Some studies have shown that visiting bachelor farmers once in a while can prevent them from feeling lonely or forgotten, feelings which can lead to severe clinical depression. We all have busy lives, and can never seem to get anything done entirely, but the visits to and from the neighbours are always a valued treasures occasion. So, next time you're in the area, kick off your boots and come on in!