A Tribute to a Farmer’s Wife

“And on the 8th day, God looked down on his planned paradise and said “I need a caretaker.” So, God created a farmer. And on the 9th day, God looked down on his planned paradise and said, “That farmer needs help”. So, God created a farmer’s wife.” - Baxter Black

When I was drafting the wording for the “Farmers Feed Families” election sign, I wanted to acknowledge and pay tribute to just how much the Wives of Farmers are as much an integral part of the farming operation as the Farmers themselves. I know this from living next door to a cattle farmer and his family for twenty years, my personal observations and speaking to the Wife of the Farmer over those years. I was going to include a picture of a local Farmer and his Wife on the sign to visually acknowledge this fact, or a photo of what is known as the “American Gothic” of a Farmer and his Wife holding a pitchfork, but decided against either of those ideas, instead settling on the word “Farmers” which I believe is somewhat inclusive of the Wife of a Farmer notwithstanding the term “Farmerette”.

I have the greatest of respect for Farmers and their Wives, in particular, those original farm families that endured the difficulties of clearing the land of trees, building the barns, drive sheds and out buildings, planting and harvesting their crops with horse drawn equipment, taking care of and feeding their livestock, chopping the firewood for the stoves to cook and keep their houses warm and raising their families year after year.

In addition to all of the above, the Farmer’s Wife would harvest food from their gardens, prepare the meals, do the washing, hook up farm machinery, give advice to her husband, be the family nurse attending to injuries that her husband and children sustained while working on the farm and literally kept the home fires burning.

When on occasion, I am on my tractor in the fields or walking their land or in their barn, I think of that Farmer and his Wife knowing that this is the very land that they cleared and worked to support their families, and that is the reason why with a deep respect for those original owners, I have restored their barn and will keep it in good condition as a tribute to and a reminder of that original Farmer and his Wife.

I obtained pictures from a family member of the original Farmer, his Wife and their family who farmed the property that I now live on. The Wife of that Farmer, Margaret (“Maggie”) Fowler, can be seen behind a team of horses below in the picture pulling a hay binder in the field that was still being cleared of trees, such a hard life for the Farmer and his Wife in those difficult times. Dedicated to the Wives of all Farmers, in particular, the Wife of my neighbour Glen Bell, Shirley Bell, now passed, and the original homesteaders of my farm the Fowler family.