There are many things that are difficult on the farm, just because of the nature of the business. There’s weather (and all that goes with it) — including marketing decisions, meeting deadlines for the FSA office and for planting/spraying, a work load that can bury the calendar (and plans for vacations), managing sick livestock, as well as livestock reproduction schedules — not to mention the stress and long hours of spring and fall work.

If it weren’t for the fact that American farmers produce some of the best food in the world, all farmers (based on their work loads) should weigh no more than 90 pounds.

But for all the talking we do about how difficult the farmer’s job is — and it can be very difficult — we often downplay the role of the woman of the farm, who often serves in a less noticeable role.

Her job is hard, too. Her schedule is every bit as strung out as that of her husband most times. While her husband often has a job in town, she does, too. When he comes home from that job that helps keep the farm operation going, as hers does, he comes home to work the farm for as long as it takes. Every day. Because work awaits, and there is no one else to do it.

When she comes home from her job, she also gets to work. Sometimes she helps her husband with projects outside. That might mean vaccinating, sorting or moving livestock; power washing buildings; running the hay rake or baler, field cultivator, combine or grain cart; or it might mean picking up a hammer and helping with a construction project.

If he doesn’t need her help, she has a long list of her own — meals, laundry, house cleaning, lawn mowing, running errands for the family or farm; book work and paying the bills, tending to extended family matters, associated shopping, and attending extracurricular events for the children — because there are times of the year when her husband simply cannot afford to give up the time to get to those events.

She is the face of the family, and cheers her children on from the stands and from the haven of her private prayers.

The woman of the farm is too easily accessible. She is needed by many people, and her heart expands like a rubber band to try to allow for the needs of everyone else — sometimes at the expense of her own aspirations.

Her husband will often ask, “Are you busy? Can you help me for a few minutes?”

Farm women everywhere know how that one ends.

Nonetheless, the woman of the farm is usually the one called away from her work to help manage the farm.

Her children also need her, no matter their age. They may need her just as much when they are grown, because by then they are having families of their own, and there is no one like “Gramma” to love on those growing little ones, who are a living extension of herself, too.

She is the sounding board for children in crisis, and is sometimes the one with whom they share life’s truly exciting news. And when they need her, she answers the call at all cost.

As parents age, they need their children more, too — and so the woman of the farm (then in the role of the child) needs to carve out time to be present to parents. Since all of our lives have expiration dates, making time for parents is especially important.

The woman of the farm has her own dreams and aspirations, too. But she often finds it’s hard to accomplish them when she lives on the farm and there is so much to do. Almost always, she gives up her own planned tasks to help someone who needs her. She’ll just have to find time for herself somewhere else.

Women everywhere understand Shel Silverstein’s book, “The Giving Tree.” It’s the story of her life, too — giving always, until there is nothing left to give but a simple place to sit … someone/somewhere to come home to. That’s it. But what a great gift that is to give.

And in the end, we learn that maybe it’s what our whole purpose is here on earth.

Her job is hard. She gives up a lot — maybe even herself in exchange for the happiness and well-being of her family. She is irreplaceable.

She is … the woman of the farm.

Karen Schwaller writes from her grain and livestock farm near Milford, IA. She can be reached at kschwaller@evertek.net