If you eat three solid meals a day and have clothes on your back, you should thank a farmer. These men and women put endless amounts of work into keeping food on the table and clothes on our backs. They work countless hours and days to make sure that their livestock is fed and their crops are growing efficiently. But did you ever think about who supports the farmers in this world? Who fixes their dinner and washes their clothes? Who runs and greets them at the door when they get home? Who comes out in the field at 7 am to help get the cows in? It’s time we stop only thanking the farmers.

I saw a quote on Pinterest the other day about thanking farmers, and it really hit home for me. It said, “Farming is a family business and it takes sacrifice from all.” So, let’s start thanking the farmer’s family.

Don’t get me wrong; I know farmers work hard. In my opinion, they’re the hardest working people I know. But behind every hard-working farmer, is an equally hardworking and supportive family.

Thank the farmers spouse. Even if they have a full-time job off the farm, they have a second full time job taking care of everything at home, taking care of the kids, running to the hardware store or machine shop to pick up parts, taking samples to the vet’s office or lab and so much more. They have dinner fixed at six and sit at the table until eight waiting for their farmer to come home, or they pack up the meal they made and take it out to the crop field so the farmer can take a break and have a meal in-between rounds around the field during harvest. Start thanking the farmers spouse.

Thank the farmer’s children. These kids spend their summer and winter breaks working in the field with their mom or dad for (usually) no pay at all. When fall rolls around they start playing sports and getting involved in extracurricular activities, and when it’s time for games or performances they might only have one parent in the stands or audience cheering them on and supporting them. Their kids understand that their mom or dad can’t come because they have a special job to do, and they’re okay with only seeing them for a few minutes when they go out to take them their meal in the field or when they come in at night and tuck them into bed. They understand that family vacations may only last a weekend, or that mom or dad may only be able to come for half of the week because someone needs to be home watching the farm. Start thanking the farmer’s children.

Thank the farmers hired help. Farmers put in so much effort, day in and day out, but they can’t do all the work on their own. Sometimes it takes two or three to get the cows in, mend a fence or harvest the crops. These workers may be hired and may be being paid, but when you work with someone for twelve hours a day, 365 days a year, you become more like family. They eat meals together, laugh together, get mad together, scream and yell, and that’s what families do. Start thanking the farmers help.

You probably haven’t thought about it this much, but our farmers need a lot of support and love. From now on when you sit down for a meal, not only should you thank a farmer, but thank the family that stands behind them through everything.