Photo of Newborn Calf Drinking Milk From a Hose Will Make You Rethink Dairy (*Warning graphic photo)

[cynatnite]

27. That was only a small reason...

The work is hard and grueling. Sometimes it was harder than when I went through basic training in the Army.

My husband grew up country, too, His family raised hogs. Their boys grew up and moved out. His parents couldn't run the place anymore, too.

I didn't mind it when I was young and my body could handle that level of work. I hated the backwards thinking that came with a lot of it. Not everyone fortunately.

But I found a life outside of the crappy small farm town I grew up in. It was just ten times better and I wasn't going to age ten years ahead of schedule either from the horrible work. I wanted out.

My sister stuck with it, though. She lives in the country with horses, sheep and a few others. They raised their daughters in the rodeo lifestyle along with the rest of it. Now, her daughters are growing up. The oldest just graduated from nursing school. The horses are never ridden anymore. They're not that old, too. They have three miniature horses as well which do nothing but eat. They're not good for anything work-related. Maybe for parties for little ones, but they never do anything with them at all.

My sister is getting older as is her husband. I've told her they can't do this forever and the kids are practically grown. They're leading their own lives.

My sister and her husband hold down full-time jobs and take care of the place. They're not even happy anymore the way I see it.

But no one seems interested in changing things for the better.

Either way, you couldn't pay enough to go back to that life.