As a crop insurance agent, I’ve come to understand much about farmers and their relationship with money.
We all have favorite quotes, little sayings and nuggets of wisdom that are easy to write down and easier to remember. The following quotes are my 6 favorite quotes when it comes to farming and money. I don’t remember where I first read or heard these quotes, sometime during my many years as a crop insurance agent, but I stand by all of them as solid pieces of advice to think on and live by. Enjoy!
Farming is like going to a casino every day.
There’s casinos near a lot of my farmers. Gambling comes easy to many farmers because farming itself is like gambling. There’s odds, bets, risks, and the house always wins. You don’t always know what the weather or soil will do. You’re gambling everyday of your life. That’s why insurance is so important.
I never heard of anyone losing their farm paying for crop insurance.
Sadly, I’ve heard of people losing their farms because they didn’t have crop insurance. But over the years, I still hear many farmers say “I can’t afford the insurance.” Well, if you can’t afford insurance, then you can’t afford not to have insurance. It makes sense that if you plant even just 100 acres and something goes wrong, you’re potentially looking at a $100,000 loss. Can you afford a $100,000 loss?
Insurance is like a parachute. If you don’t have it the first time, chances are you won’t be needing it again.
This quote is pretty self-explanatory. That’s why I like it so much. I’ve never gone skydiving, but if I did, you can bet I’d be jumping with a parachute–and someone who knows what they’re doing. Unforeseen disasters have ruined farmers for life. Don’t jump without a parachute!
The number one reason farmers purchase crop insurance is to sleep better at night.
Farmers work hard. Their bodies need (and deserve) at least 8 solid hours of sleep every night. And knowing that your home, livelihood, and family are protected is one of the best kinds of sleeping pills there is. Those Restless nights of lying away wondering how you’ll make ends meet go away when you know the worst-case scenario can’t hurt you.
A bad day in the field is better than a good day in the office.
Farmers are a different breed. There’s something about the personalities of those who work on a farm that just live for the outdoors. They’d rather be out in the fresh air and sunlight fixing a tractor or planting corn than be cooped up in a cubicle all day. You can’t beat working in nature. And few will ever know that joy like a farmer.
It isn’t the farm that makes the farmer. It’s the love, hard work, and character.
I love farmers. They work hard and they love what they do. There’s a nature in them that says, “If I want more, I’ll work more. It won’t be given to me.” It’s a noble profession, and I believe everyone should work on a farm once in their life. If you want to build character, build a farm.