A humourous, anonymous quote for what typically is considered a more serious concept is, “Family ties mean that no matter how much you might want to run from your family, you can’t.” It’s good for a chuckle, but the true definition runs much deeper.
In many farm families, ties to the land, the farming profession and each other go back three, four or even more generations. In the world of agriculture, family can be defined as blood relations, others connected by legal contract, a loyal worker who has been a fixture in the operation for many years and others with whom the principals have worked for a long time. The bonds are strong.
In North Louisiana, Ronald Rawls farms about 5,000 acres, including 2,500 acres of cotton, with his sons, Neal, Ryan and Chad, who joined the operation as fourth-generation growers. Read more details about their farming practices on page 12.
One of the long-term goals for continuing their farming tradition is getting the next generation of Rawlses involved. “The biggest priority in 20 years is that this is still a family farm,” Ronald said.
A popular farm family tradition for younger kids and their parents is the coveted invitation to “spend the day out in the fields” bouncing along the turnrows in a pickup truck. My little brother, Wes, enjoyed riding with Dad and going to the farm trailer where he screwed the tops on Mason jars full of Kool-Aid while Dad made bologna sandwiches to deliver to the field for everyone to share at lunch time.
As an aside, a friend of mine who worked on his uncle’s farm said bologna sandwiches were their lunch staple, too. A twist to the story was that his uncle liked to make up a big batch at night and put them in the freezer. In the morning, he picked out however many he needed and threw them in an ice chest with the hope — his uncle said — that they would still be a little cool by lunchtime.
Although this practice possibly makes sense, my friend said there was just something weird about eating a previously frozen bologna sandwich. But, strange as it may seem, frozen bologna sandwiches were eventually accepted as a lunchtime tradition in this particular operation.
In the end, when you weave a tapestry of family ties, traditions and rides on the turnrow, it shows the closeness of farm families is palpable. A sense of belonging, the importance of a good work ethic and knowing someone always has your back are the threads that hold it all together. Nourish that bond and never take it for granted.