to give up on her dreams.

People tell you not to give up on your dreams, and I agree to a point. Since I was a little girl, I wanted to be a farmer or a rancher. To have a dairy farm with the sweet smell of silage in a silo and hay being baked in the field by the sunshine. Or having horses or cows grazing in the sunshine, having my silos and barns full of things for my herd to consume during the cold winter months and watching my corn start at a small wave of green in the spring and grow taller than me and turn brown and dry out so I could come along after it dried, maybe after the first snows have blown across the cold landscape and harvest it in my big silver combine. However, it was not to be. I have had an assortment of animals through my lifetime. I've had cows, horses, goats, a sheep, pigs, rabbits and chickens. I have had calves, kids, kits, piglets and chicks. I have had baby animals that I have nursed. Some have lived, and some have died laying on my chest. It breaks my heart. I know these little creatures will probably die, but the mother in me has to try to keep them alive. This spring we ended up going from 5 goats to 12 in a matter of a few days. Yes, goats are cute, especially little ones, but they are also smart and destructive. In 2019 I hurt my back and finally in 2022 I was able to get back surgery. A few days after my surgery I came down with COVID and my back never did heal correctly. I had done therapy and recently even had a shot. None of it has helped. The one doe goat we had was a new mom and never been milked, she rejected her kid so with the help of our friend and her daughter my family and I tried everything to get this goat to stand to milk her. This one particular day, my friend was milking her, and I was trying to help hold her. She gave a big jerk, and my back went out. I was in terrible pain. I had to have my family help me get my socks and pants on for a few days. I was in excruciating pain. I had to use a cane once again and walked at turtle speed. I finally made the hard decision to get rid of my goats. Not because I didn't like them, but my health said no, as well as my budget. My great-great grandfather, great grandfather, grandfather, and even my dad were farmers or had farm animals. My mother and grandmother did also. I wanted to have my kids to learn the joys of raising animals. They did get experience since they were young with the animals we had, and I hope someday they continue. If they don't at least they had rabbits and dairy goats. They have showed goats, rabbits, a pig and chickens in 4-H. I was hoping I wouldn't be the one who ended farming in my family, but unfortunately for now except for 6 chickens and 11 rabbits it has come to an end. To every farmer or rancher big or small, if at all possible, I encourage you to continue. America needs you. Your food, if it be on legs or out of the ground feeds your family and America. I tip my hat to you and your daily struggles to stay afloat in this economy and with so many people who don't understand what is to nurse a sick animal back to health, worry if wild creatures may destroy your life's investment or watch some creature you cared for die. The endless struggles of things breaking down and never finding the right part to fix it.  Most farmers and ranchers aren't heard hearted people. Some yes, are not kind to the animals they have, why I don't know. Kindness should be given to all of God's creatures even if they do eventually end up on the supper table. I encourage you to support local farmers if you buy their meats, vegetables or fruits. They need you and we need them.