On Marrying an Irish Farmer

1. See # 9

2. Yes, it can be smelly at times. How could it not be? From the air outside to the scent of our mud room (luckily, cleverly designed to be out of sight/smell). Farm animals create odors and that’s just a fact. However, that smell is usually only present when certain activities are being carried out on the farm.  So, it really depends on what season it is and which way the air is blowing. I’ve acclimated myself to this fact and that “fresh country air” does not affect me at all anymore. The upside? I suppose it is an improvement on polluted city air.

3. Farmers can be stylish. R looks just as handsome in a pair of wellies and a fleece as he does in his beautiful Burberry suit.  It’s nice to have variety in a relationship (surreptitious smile).

4. Indeed, male farmers tend to be “mommas boys”. Is that so bad? I rather like it especially now that I am a mother myself.  In my experience here, all the men I’ve met here who grew up on a farm consistently put their mothers/sisters/wives on a pedestal to be respected and admired through thick and thin (both literally and metaphorically).

5. Of course, isolation plays a role in living on a farm. We are miles away from the city and neighbors are a drive so things can get very lonely if you’re not staying busy. On the other hand, being alone can boil you down to your very essence and drive your consciousness to another level.  It also forces us to be more creative in the parenting department. Blah, blah, blah. Yes, it’s nearly killing me.

6. Daddy farmers are the best. Despite the long hours, if you live on a farm then dad is always right there even when he’s at work. Geoffrey frequently gets to go with daddy on the tractors and to feed the animals which, in his world, is absolutely the cat’s pajamas.

7. Today, most farmers are college educated and into diversification. R has a B.A. in philosophy and is planning to go back for an MBA. Education is absolutely necessary to be successful in farming these days. No longer are the profitable days of dairy, poultry, vegetables and cattle alone; farming is a business and diversification is key. Our farm also specializes in alternative energies, i.e. wind power and biogas.

8. Farming is extremely dangerous. This is something I hadn’t thought much about before marrying a farmer. I just waxed poetically, “oh farming… how lovely….a beautiful, slow-paced, organic life…with horses to ride and a  beautiful garden” Things can get really hectic on the farm and farming accidents occur no matter how cautious a family may be. Much to my surprise, injuries and even death are a part of the work considerations for all farmers.

9. You only marry an Irish farmer for the sake of true love.