Mother’s Day a Time for Thanks
You’ve heard the saying “motherhood isn’t for the faint of heart.” Whomever coined that little nugget was probably thinking of a farm mother. Yes, of course, all mothers are amazing, incredible, life-giving and personality-shaping wonders, but we’re kind of partial to the idea that farm moms have a little something extra going on.
In honor of Mother’s Day, we sat down with one of our very own farm moms to hear firsthand just what it takes, and what it means, to be a mom balancing her family, her career and a key role in agriculture.
Vanessa Anderson and her husband Paul operate Freedom Ag, a Peterson Farms Seed dealership outside of Harvey, ND, and here’s what she had to say about mom life, farm life and how she wouldn’t have it any other way.
Jackson Triplett, Layne Triplett, Grant Anderson, Paul Anderson, Malachi Anderson, Vanessa Anderson, Louie Anderson, Bethany Jackson, Mattie Anderson, Tommy Jackson, Brian Anderson
Q: Tell us a little bit about yourself and your family.
A: I grew up on a dairy farm north of Langdon, N.D., with my eight sisters and one brother. I went to NDSU and earned a general science education degree. I met my husband, Paul, and we married in 1992. We moved to Harvey and gradually took over his home farm. I briefly taught high school science and then Head Start before staying home full time to take care of our kids and help farm. We began selling seed in 1999 and were one of the first soybean growers in Wells County as well as one of the first to have bulk soybean seed. We have five children aged 30 to 12. Three are married and we have two grandchildren and two on the way.
Q: What does being a farm mom mean to you?
A: Being a farm mom means I get to work side by side with my husband and children. We are not strangers. We have been through many ups and downs. It means you both have to and get to model good behavior because the kids are watching. It also means that they see the down side. They know we aren’t perfect. They see how we handle difficult situations and people.
Mostly, I hope, they see our faith and how it plays out with honesty and integrity.
Q: What’s your favorite thing about being a mom?
A: I love watching my kids grow into their own personalities. Watching their different ways of approaching life is fascinating. They are so similar yet so different. I love watching their accomplishments but more, so I love watching them mature into faith-filled men and women of integrity. We have been Blessed!
Q: How do you balance the demands of motherhood with your work on the farm?
A: I’m not very good at balancing the demands. I have an everlasting disaster in my house and my family has to fend for themselves for supper more often than I’d like to admit. I justify my mess by telling myself that it’s more important to attend school events than it is to have things neat and tidy. Someday I’ll get it cleaned up. Maybe.
Q: What is your role in the farm/seed business?
A: I do the book work and am in charge of inventory and seed treating. I pay bills and employees, reconcile bank accounts, invoice seed and keep track of all transactions. I make sure we have all the products in place when spring comes and track all inventory going out. I am the main treater operator and manage cleaning of the treater and warehouses. I used to run equipment in the field including the air drill but am no longer able to leave the yard for extended periods of time in spring. I still run combine from time to time.
Q: What has been your favorite part of raising children in agriculture?
A: My daughter once told me she didn’t want to live on a farm when she grew up. She felt it was too much – there are always things that need to be done and even more things that should be done. I told her I completely understand, it isn’t easy. But I also told her there is absolutely no better place to raise a family. Children learn so very much just by being present on a farm. They learn about life – the birds and the bees and why it’s ok to grieve a family pet passing but we also must remember that animals are animals, not people. They also learn real facts about where our food comes from and how it is produced. They learn to be good stewards while understanding the complications of managing a farm. I love being part of that.
Q: What brings you joy?
A: Joy comes from Church and spending time with family and friends. I am blessed to be part of a large family that enjoys spending time together. We like to play cards and games or simply visit. We don’t do it enough.
I also really enjoy my garden. Plants make me happy.
Q: What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learned as a mother?
A: Patience and empathy. My line of vision has been greatly expanded by my five kids. I have more understanding of the challenges other mothers have and how different each child is. I don’t consider myself an expert at all because I know there are so many different circumstances and issues. It makes me so much less judgmental. I have learned that mothers need to trust their instincts and be an active advocate for their children. I’ve learned to get a second opinion if I am uncertain about what I am being told.
We’ve always said a seed is just a promise. But it’s a big one! A promise of a future for the next generation. A promise of feeding a hungry and growing world. A promise to teach our kids what it means to put in a hard day’s work and going the extra mile. We think Vanessa is a shining example of that promise alive and well in the work of her family and of her little sprouts, learning valuable lessons from a great role model.
Happy Mother’s Day to all moms out there. With an extra special shout-out to the farm moms who we know are probably forgoing the traditional brunch in favor of a bumpy ride through a field full of promises.
