And on the eighth day, God looked down on his planned paradise, and said, “I need a caretaker.” So God made a farmer. And through the years, young boys became men and those men became farmers. VST became one of those strong, brave men to farm. I was lucky enough to be the farmer girl that stood by his side caring for our 40 acre vineyard for 6,385 days.
God said, “I need someone willing to get up well before dawn, repair a tractor, work all day at a real job, race home, eat supper and then pull a disc a past midnight to get ready for irrigation water.” So God made a farmer. In his infinite wisdom, knowing the farmer needed help with the more delicate matters in life, he made his wife. Because her muscles could not perform heavy tasks, (even though she wanted to believe she could), he created this wife to prepare delicious meals, launder the clothes, grow the garden, pay the bills, help kids with their homework, and order supplies, while waiting up for him on very long nights as he worked on. She provided optimism and encouragement during the darkest of storms, when his muscles were so tired, he thought surely couldn’t go on. Yin and yang- opposite forces gave rise to each other as they interrelated. Together, a force to be reckoned with.
God said, ” I need somebody willing to sit up on a September night with a year’s crop of raisins on the ground while holding onto his weeping wife while saying, ‘Maybe next year.’ I need somebody who can shape a knife blade from an old piece of metal, fix a spray-rig with duct tape, or weld a raisin shaker out of scrap and discarded parts. One who’ll finish his 40 hour week by Tuesday noon, and then, painin’ from ‘tractor back’, put in another 72 hours.” So God made a farmer. He made his wife to irrigate in 105 degree weather, while walking down a dusty avenue kicking up dirt as fine as cake flour. A wife that could chop weeds with the best of hired hands, because they couldn’t afford one. A wife that was all in, all the time.
God said, “I need somebody strong enough to repair the broken-down fork-lift and move raisin bins, yet gentle enough to teach his sweet daughter to drive and his young sons how to become men. To care for the vineyard’s tendrils of spring, the growing bunches of summer, and the drying grapes of autumn. A man who would stop the word for an hour to sit on the porch and laugh with his mom and dad.” So God made a farmer. He made his wife to bake the best apple pies and have dinner ready at 6 PM sharp. A wife that could work the fields along side him, but also join him for a Waikiki sunset surrounded by his arms. A wife that could stand up to nature along side him, while they accepted everything thrown their way.
It had to be somebody who’d plow deep and straight and not cut corners. Somebody to seed, weed, feed, build, repair, disk, plow, and plant, while laying down the grapes to deliver a raisin crop. Someone smart enough to be a doctor, and wise enough to know what he didn’t know. Someone who loved ice cream anywhere and any time. Somebody who’d bale a family together with the tender yet strong bonds of sharing and love. Who’d laugh, and then sigh, while replying with smiling eyes to his God who was so proud. Standing tall, this farmer and his wife loved God, Family, Country, Neighbors, and each other. God made a wife that was just for him and he for her. God made quite a fine man. God made a farmer.
****Together, we farmed our little spot of paradise on earth for seventeen years. I’m grateful that God let us.
For everything obvious, and things not so obvious, be thankful there are men and women that work physically and mentally challenging jobs every single day as farmers. Without those that toil in the heat and till the soil, life would be much different for all of us. Happy Father’s Day to all the wonderful Dads out there!
PS–Eat Raisins. Nature’s best sweet treat. Thank a farmer!!!!