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12 Ag Families-Fall W hen I caught up with Donna Leavell she was just leav- ing cow day at her family farm. She was checking her boots and pants as she walked in the door and apologizing because you just never know what youll bring back from the farm. I explained to Donna the con- cept of this column for people to see the other side of agriculture because farming doesnt just hap- pen in a field. There are many hands involved which often go unnoticed. Most readers wouldnt have guessed that just an hour before our interview Donna was working with her husband and son holding down calves helping give shots and a few other less-desirable tasks. A farmers wife has many roles sometimes its helping with the books and other sea- sons its in a field on a combine. The ladies in this article were gen- uine and candid about their love for their family and the farms that span generations and interests. Growing up did you see yourself as the spouse of a farmer one day Donna Leavell Goodness no My parents are looking down laughing I had a garden when I was growing up and I hated it. I dont think anyone could have ever foreseen this lifestyle. I worked in banking for over 20 years and never imagined that Id be as active as I am on the farm today. Sandy Hancock Well its all re- ally my Daddys fault. He worked on a big dairy farm one year and we moved out to the farm. I started attending a different school got involved in 4-H met Kenneth and we started dating. When my family moved back to town I remained active in 4-H and as soon as Kenneth got his license we started dating again. I always loved the farm so its never been a surprise that this is where I ended up. Ashley Smith Ummm No I graduated college got a job at Vanderbilt Childrens Hospital and moved to Nashville never to re- turn. Then I started dating LeeJay. My role is mainly a supportive one. I keep the other areas of our life runningespecially during plant- ing and harvest seasons. I also take dinner to the field help move equipment and get parts from town if needed. Bailey Leavell No I was raised primarily in the country but never on a farm. When Foster and I started dating it all came so natu- rally. I fell in love with the farm and always looked forward to seeing things come to life. What challenges go along with being a farming family Bailey Weve certainly seen a lot of those challenges in the past few months as Foster and I have become parents. This is not a 9-to- 5 job with a predictable sched- ulehe doesnt get to have off days if hes not feeling well. Even when everyone was snowed-in this year the farm was still run- ning and Foster was out there tak- ing care of his cows and plowing roads and driveways. Its also fi- nancially frustrating. If you have a bad year you dont get paid. A lot of people have second jobs in ad- dition to farming to pay the bills and I know my paycheck has been a security blanket for us a few times. Donna The farm owns you you do what it says and when it says it. Its so difficult to makes plans for vacations reply yes to a wedding or even plan a family meal. Weather can make things very unpredictable and there are times that you just cant make it happen. Farming is a big gamble too. You never know when the prices of commodities will rise or fall. We operate by the mindset of finding a price where were mak- ing a profit we can live with and then sell without ever looking back. Sandy It was always very diffi- cult to plan events with certainty. I know that Kenneth missed a lot of regular activities like church and school functions and that was sometimes disappointing to him. For me the greatest challenge is seeing the hard years regard- less of the hard work and endless hours. Its difficult for me to see his disappointment. Kenneth al- ways worked for the fire depart- ment as well sometimes it takes the entire family. Ashley For several years it was very hard for me to get used to the number of hours LeeJay worked. During busy times not seeing him for days and days at a time was a huge challenge espe- cially after we had kids. Farming is so unpredictable and so is our schedule. Mother nature controls so much of our life. What triumphs do you cherish as a farmers wife Ashley Going hand in hand with my greatest challenge Ive had to learn to go with the flow and accept that God will provide for us despite the unpredictability of farming. Ive developed a deeper trust and understanding of sufficiency. That has been my greatest triumph. Donna We are very fortunate to run a family operation. I see a TheOtherSideofAg Wives edition BY KRIN MIMS DonnaandRichardLeavell BaileyandFosterLeavell AshleyandLeeJaySmith SandyandKennethHancock