I turn 44 in a few days. I have the body of an 80 year old man. My knees are shot, I hurt all over, and I expect it will only get worse. The price of organic milk is in the crapper and has been for a few years now. My herd of milk cows is worth about half what it was last year. My friends ask why I keep doing this. Its a good question, I guess.
First of all, I never did for it for the money. I do it because I love the life. I was raised in a barn and I don't really know any other way to live. The thought of not getting up at 3:30 every morning and milking my cows scares the hell out of me. I have 7 children and my 8th is due in April. I pride myself on giving those children meaningful work and teaching them the ways of their father and grandfather. They are natural born farmers and don't know any other way to live either. Its a good way to live, by the way. Dad died 2 years ago but my kids all worked with both us every day. We built this farming operation together, step by step... piece by piece . Its my turn to keep watch over the herd now and I don't want it to end with me. The small scale family farm of the north east is something worth saving. The gardens, chicken house, home butchering, canning, and breeding quality dairy cattle should always be in style. The endless hours spent working together as a family are worth more than all the money in the world.
I know its all ending. I know that my kids might well be the last generation to grow up on and old fashioned family farm that sells a small money crop but also provides all their own table needs . It breaks my heart. But it also gives me the strength to keep going.
Thats why I keep at it.