GETTING PHYSICAL.

I was waiting for the man behind the counter to return with a chainsaw part when an older gentlemen––joyfully exhausted from a hard day's work, or a lifetime's––walked up next to me. From the back I heard, "What'ya been up to, George?"."Oh, just standing in the shade.""That pay well?""Bout as much as working I s'pose.""Well, hell, I was gonna offer to help you."And so on. Being able to witness this sort of witty banter among old-timers––old timers who hardly spend their time "standing in the shade"––is one of Hannah and my absolute reasons to be, but that's for another post. What I found interesting about this particular conversation was where it headed next.The older man, George, began bemoaning the shape of his overgrown fence row, and the fact that he couldn't find anyone to help him clear it. The man behind the counter––similar story. "I hear all these complaints about how folks can't find work....there's plenty of work, just nobody wants to do anything that breaks a sweat anymore!""When I was a kid," George added, "we would drive all the way to Eastern Kentucky to pick tobacco, just to earn a few bucks. I'd pile as many people in a truck as could fit because we all knew we'd come back with a handful of cash––grateful for the chance to earn it."And my question is: What happened to that? When did our youth decide it was cooler to work in fast-food restaurant than work in the fields (my fifteen-year-old self not excluded)? I know the pay's not worse (our neighbors offer $10/hr any time they hire), so why does our culture not embrace hard work like it used to? Why do we no longer pile our friends in a truck and drive several hours "for a handful of cash"? Living in a country in the midst of an awe-inspiring obesity epidemic, not to mention an extremely high unemployment rate, I think it's not only important we ask those questions, but imperative.Hard work is underrated. Personally, I have found some of my greatest joys in hard labor, in sweat, and in discovering my physical limitations. It's a good part of why I farm––farming isn't lucrative, it's satisfying. Physical jobs such as farming––or simply helping an old-timer clear his fence row––isn't just work, it's work and exercise. It puts you outside and keeps you healthy. It challenges your problem solving skills. It's a great way to lean how to work and to get paid to improve your community. When did we forget this?The old-timers went about their ways, but I couldn't stop thinking about it. Ultimately, I had no grand idea for how to inspire our youth to embrace physical labor again, but was willing to bet most young farmers like myself would say they're more than happy to start by just doing what they do, leading by example.- Jesse.