That Bend in The Road

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 Do We Ever Know What is Around That Bend?

Admit it, 2020 was not the year we all thought it would be! I mean who thought they were playing a game of Jumanji this year and each month brought some new challenge that we all had to face! Farming is the same way! We never know what the day has planned for us, even though we get up with plans for the day.  When we started 2020 we had plans for the year and it didn’t go nearly as planned at all.

Admit it, COVID Changed EVERYTHING! Some things for the better and some for the worse.  Here at the farm, I felt both.  I run a small non-profit for Equine Assisted Activities and we rely on the services we provide plus the fundraisers in order to fund the needs of the equines and the needs of the program.  Well Covid shut us down from March till the beginning of June and when we did open we only opened half way.  We still could not hold some of our other programs and we saw over a 50% reduction in those coming for services.  Now don't get me wrong we had some successes by thinking out of the box for fundraisers BUT I myself LOVE seeing all the kids come and enjoy the farm so that was a huge blow.  However, I am choosing to look at 2021 in a more positive way and hoping to change the approach so I can see more of our riders back out here enjoying the horses and the farm. 

Then you have the farm side of things! What a change farmers had to make this year! Things were not going as planned and dairy farmers were dumping milk, farmers raising livestock for meat were being told they had no market, and produce farmers had to change their approach to packaging and selling. It was a big change and it felt overnight but we all put our heads together and farmers overcame it! Here we developed a home delivery subscription program which allowed us to get farm fresh products to more people. Now the weather wasn’t always on our side but we still managed to have an abundance of product to make some awesome bags for people. We also learned ALOT! The ability to slow down gave us time to sit back and reflect longer on the systems we have in place and how we can change them to be more efficient. 

This year started off with us losing my grandpa to cancer but it ended with us welcoming a new farmer when we welcomed our third son into the world! This year also was the year where I was named the PA Farm Bureau’s Outstanding Woman in Ag! So much happened in our farm world and in many others. The world of farming was completely changed in 2020 and honestly all of us have no idea what lies up around that bend in the road called 2021, but I want to look at it with a positive mindset.  This year threw those challenges each and every month but we overcame them regardless of what happened throughout the past 12 months. Looking in to 2021, I have set some goals to work and inspire other women in agriculture because things are changing and women are becoming voice in Ag! 

So as the clock rings over to 2021 tonight, we might have a plan for the farm for the year on ways to grow and prosper but we know that God holds the ultimate plan.  So with each day we farm we just need to use him and his guidance to make our plans work. We know that we don’t know what is up around that bend in the road with Covid, our nation, and agriculture but I know I sure love what I do when I get up in the morning (even if I can’t go to the barn everyday with a newborn)! So from me to you I hope that you and your family are able to put your story for 2020 up on the shelf and begin your new chapters for 2021 starting tomorrow. I also hope you join me in this journey through this blog because I am excited to see where this journey Goes! 

Farm with faith and family! 
Amanda 

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