A Right of Passage

I needed to get a few acres of hay baled on Saturday. Before I baled, the hay needed to be raked into windrows. Atticus was happy to take on this job and get a little tractor seat time. He is always willing to jump right in, no matter what job we are in the middle of. Like most young boys, though, driving is his favorite job. He has driven tractors around the farm, but mainly under my supervision. Saturday was the first time I was able to turn him loose in a field on his own. Later, I was in the field starting to bale while he was raking. It was a proud moment for me. My heart was full as I looked across the field from my tractor to his. I saw a 13-year-old boy learning responsibility and work ethic, character traits that transcend farming and will prove beneficial wherever life takes him. I also saw the next generation working alongside me, learning to participate in and have an appreciation for this lifestyle we are so blessed to have the opportunity to live. It was a good day.