I had the privilege of interviewing Jared and Lexi Floyd of Brownfield, Texas, this spring. As I was visiting with Lexi, farm wife to farm wife, she shared with me something she wrote two years ago. She recently posted it again, stating, "Still true. Still hard. Still going."
"Every day I watch this man pull out of our driveway. Every day I worry what the day might hold. I worry that the wind blew too hard during the night. I worry the storm we got the evening before rained where we didn't need it and left the other parched fields starving for a drink. I worry today will be a good day and then the next three will be terrible. I worry he feels more defeat than he does triumph. I worry people don't understand this "9-5" is actually a "5-9". I worry we put our faith and effort behind false prophets who are supposed to put their faith and effort behind the American Farmer. I worry that I'll be putting another plate of food into Tupperware because it's 8:30 and he's still not home to eat dinner. I worry he's had to make 50 hard decisions before lunch--those decisions not only affecting today but affecting the rest of our lives. I worry when he falls silent, yet his mind is speaking louder than ever. I worry that Mother Nature isn't going to give us a break. I worry that we can't hold on for much longer. I worry his faith is going to give out. I worry because I am sick of tired of watching someone with so much perseverance, determination, and skill to feel like he can no longer do what makes his heart happy all due to factors beyond his control. Farming in the South Plains of West Texas is not for the faint of heart. But all of my worries are calmed when this farmer comes home and tells me "It's going to be alright." #SaveTheAmericanFarmer"
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