Standing on the Shoulders of Giants: What My Dad Taught Me About Farming and Life

Lessons Carried from Youth into the Field

We’re all human, and in some way, we carry things with us from our youth as we grow older. Farmers are no different. The experiences and lessons ingrained in us early – good, bad, or indifferent – shape how we operate for the rest of our lives.

Farming is a family occupation. Apart from a few first-generation farmers, most of us grew up working alongside our parents – and likely our grandparents too. Along the way, they planted seeds in us that made us who we are, both personally and professionally.

Growing Up in the Golden Age of Agriculture

I was born in 1975, during what some would call the heyday of American agriculture. It was a time of unprecedented exports and profitability for farmers, a golden era that gave way to one of the darkest: the 1980s farm crisis. Aside from the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression, few times in American agriculture have been tougher.

I started my education in farming early, following my dad and grandpa around from the time I could walk. I’m sure they thought I wasn’t paying attention, but even now, I can still hear my dad’s voice in the back of my mind. He had plenty of sayings and plenty of wisdom.

Farming Through the 1980s: Scarcity, Ingenuity, and Survival

Learning to farm in the 1980s wasn’t ideal, but it came with lessons that shaped me. There wasn’t always money for the part you needed or the tool that would make things easier. So, we got resourceful. We made parts. We repurposed tools. We fixed things most people would’ve thrown away.

But the 1980s left a long tail- for those who survived it and for those of us who came up during that time. It built a healthy skepticism of risk- necessary, but not always helpful since. My dad was an eternal optimist, but I now realize there were ideas or ventures I was excited about that he discouraged- not because they weren’t good ideas, but because of the financial scars he carried.

Looking back, I still can’t fathom the stress he and my mom lived through. I asked more than once why they didn’t just walk away from farming and try something else. Every time, he said the same thing:

“Because you were interested, and I wanted you to have the chance to farm.”

Little did I know, the only way I’d eventually be able to farm full-time was because we lost him in 2007.

Losing My Dad and Gaining the Weight of Legacy

Being in business with family adds a whole layer of complexity. Generational differences have torn many farms – and families – apart. My dad and I certainly had our differences, but waking up one morning and realizing he was just… gone, is a shock I still carry.

He passed in late April, and there wasn’t time to mourn or overthink. In 2008, my brother-in-law and I stepped up. Every decision felt heavy. I couldn’t let them down, not just my dad, but my mom, my grandpa, and everyone who endured the storms before me.

That pressure shaped me, for better or worse. I became so risk-averse that it held me back. I overanalyzed every decision. It’s taken years to find peace with the uncertainty that comes with farming. I still get stressed, but I make better decisions now. I trust myself more.

The Real Pressure Isn’t the Market – It’s the Mirror

Yes, markets, politics, and unpredictable weather are tough. But the hardest part? Living up to the people who built the foundation. Trying not to fail them.

There’s a quote from Issac Newton that sums it up best:

If I have seen farther than others, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.

-Issac Newton

I’m forever grateful for those giants—especially my dad—and for the chance they gave me to farm. My hope is that I make them proud. That I carry the torch without dropping it. That I keep farming, not just with my hands, but with my heart.