The Invisible Work of Farmers
October 12 is National Farmer’s Day, a chance to stop and be grateful for the people who nourish us in ways we often overlook. In a world of supermarkets and fast delivery, it is easy to forget that every potato, every ear of corn, every glass of milk has a story, one that begins with the hands of a farmer.
Farmers rise before dawn, work in every season, and rely on the unpredictability of weather and soil. They labor in silence, often unnoticed, yet their work sustains the world. Gratitude helps us pause long enough to see their sacrifice and resilience on #NationalFarmer’sDay.
Family Roots in Farming
Although I never lived on a farm, farming runs through my family history. My mother grew up on a farm in northern Minnesota, in a place called Lake George. She picked potatoes, milked cows, and carried the weight of daily chores that rural life demanded. Later, the land where she lived became a hunting and fishing destination, but her roots were firmly planted in the soil of the north.
Her story is one of thousands. Each farming family contributes to a web of nourishment, community, and tradition. Gratitude for farmers is gratitude for our roots.
My Potato Story
I admit it: I have never had to pick potatoes for survival. My Mom was part of the big post-WW2 migration to the coasts, and I grew up in Silicon Valley. But one day, visiting my sister in Alabama, I realized I had never even tried. She had sweet potatoes growing in her garden, and I thought it would be fun to dig a few up. Dressed in shorts and flip-flops – not exactly farm gear – and armed with a pitch fork, I got my first lesson. Within minutes, tiny fiery ants had attacked my feet, sending me fleeing back to the porch, laughing through the sting.
That brief encounter gave me a tiny glimpse into the challenges of farm life, and it left me deeply grateful. Farmers endure discomfort, unpredictability, and exhaustion daily. My mom told me the warmest place in the winter in Minnesota was between the milk cows, but you had to make your way through the snow drifts to get to them. My marketing career truly felt like a blessing compared to the bite of ants and the weight of harvest.
The Dependence We Forget
Most of us are disconnected from the source of our food. We shop in aisles where everything is neatly packaged, rarely thinking about the fields where it began. Or we order our food delivered and never see it raw. Yet without farmers, the shelves would be empty. Gratitude closes the distance between us and the land. It reminds us that meals are not conveniences; they are miracles of soil, seed, water, and human labor.
When I sit down to a meal, I try to pause for gratitude. I am grateful not only for the taste and nourishment but for the chain of people who made it possible. Farmers are at the very heart of that chain.
Farmers as Teachers of Patience
Farming also teaches patience. Seeds don’t grow overnight, and harvests depend on tending and trust. Farmers live in tune with the rhythms of nature – planting, waiting, weeding, watering, hoping. Their work is a lesson for all of us in slowing down and honoring life’s cycles. Gratitude allows us to see farming not just as labor but as a spiritual practice: sowing, waiting, and receiving with humility.
The Spiritual Harvest
Beyond physical nourishment, farmers remind us of the spiritual rhythm of planting, tending, and harvesting. Their patience teaches us to trust the process, to respect the seasons, and to honor the cycles of growth and rest. Gratitude turns farming into metaphor: what we plant in kindness, we later harvest in joy.
Honoring Farmers Today
As climate changes, as small farms struggle, and as younger generations move away from the land, it feels more important than ever to honor farmers. Gratitude can become action, by supporting local farmers’ markets, choosing foods thoughtfully, or simply acknowledging the unseen work behind what we eat.
Farmers may never know each of us personally, but through gratitude we honor them anyway. We honor the calloused hands, the tired backs, the long days, and the quiet faith it takes to keep growing food for a world that often forgets to notice.
On this Farmer’s Day, I give thanks for the hands that till, plant, and harvest. Gratitude connects us back to the soil, reminding us that every meal is more than food, it is a story of endurance, love, and life itself and it is as old as time.