The Farmer's Daughter USA

Hi, I'm Amanda! My family farms corn and soybeans in Southwest Michigan. I'm also a practicing attorney.

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I live in the country, but a million miles away from the farm.

December 10, 2018

The farm and I are a million miles apart.

When I chose a house to buy in Indiana, I wanted to at least feel country. And while I’m in a subdivision, I think I did pretty well. There is a corn field at the end of our road. Tractors regularly travel down the nearest main road. And it’s blissfully quiet out here. 

It wasn’t until harvest started that I realized just how far away I am from the farm. 

When I lived on the farm, I spent weekends in the combine. I regularly cooked dinner and delivered it to the field. I knew how many acres were left daily. I chatted with our truck driver. I saw dad bring home corn and soybeans right from the field.

I lived the farm on a daily basis, even if I didn’t work there full time.  

Things are much, much different now. Mom stills sends me daily acre totals. And plenty of photos. I visit every couple weeks. Yet I haven’t even seen the combine this year. I have no idea which field they’re working in. I feel totally separated from all of it.

Don’t get me wrong: I love my life and I feel incredibly blessed. And I’m still passionate about agriculture. It’s just that I feel disconnected from the daily grind.

And yet the situation gives me a greater appreciation for how people even more removed must feel. Most people don’t have a direct link with farm-family members. They might see equipment on the road, but they have little awareness of the current work being accomplished. They’re able to exist in a world completely separated from dirt, tractors, and crops. 

In all honesty, this is close to my usual experience with animal agriculture. I drink plenty of milk and eat more than enough cheese. But I don’t see what those farmers do on a regular basis. I don’t fully appreciate the toil and costs of making that dream possible. 

So it’s safe to say I have a new-found empathy for our non-farm counterparts, especially for people who have absolutely no agriculture connection. I understand better why we need to reach them and have conversations with them. We can’t expect anyone to trust us or our industry when such a lifestyle feels a million miles away.

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Filed Under: Farm Living, Lifestyle Tagged With: farm families, farm family, farm living, new adventure

Hi, I'm Amanda. My family farms corn and soybeans in Southwest Michigan. I'm an attorney and I'm passionate about agriculture!

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May 1, 2023
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Healthy Soil’s Big Impact t.co/xBO5tCKP17

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March 29, 2023
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The Farmer's Daughter

1 week ago

The Farmer's Daughter

And...go!

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2 weeks ago

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2 weeks ago

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thefarmersdaughterusa

I'm Amanda. My family farms corn and soybeans in Southwest Michigan. I'm an attorney by day, and "agvocate" at night.

Amanda Zaluckyj
Consumers are feeling the pinch, and so are farmer Consumers are feeling the pinch, and so are farmers. The increased costs for #plant23 stem from higher seed, fertilizer, chemical, and land costs. Farmers are also paying higher interest rates. And keep in mind that #plant22 was also more costly than pre-COVID times.

#agriculture #hardtimes #plant23 #plant2023 #sustainableag #economicsustainabilty #usagriculture #usfarms #usfarmers
I don't know who needs this today, but here's Misc I don't know who needs this today, but here's Mischa with the sadest puppy-dog eyes and adorable belly rolls. 😍😍

#Mischa #dogsofinstagram #dogs #bellyrubs
Food labeling matters. Here's why. #food #foodlab Food labeling matters. Here's why.

#food #foodlabels #foodlabelsmatter #knowyourfarmer #knowyourfood
Just in case you're not sure why I miss my straigh Just in case you're not sure why I miss my straight hair. It randomly failed to curl last week. This was the beautiful result. 😍

#cancersurvivor #chemocurls #farmersdaughterstrong #bebrave
Don't let anyone tell you that farmers (yes, even Don't let anyone tell you that farmers (yes, even conventional farmers) don't care about soil health. The truth is, farmers are *obsessed* with it.

#farming #agriculture #healthysoil #soilhealth #sustainableag #sustainableagriculture #modernagriculture #modernag
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#farming #modernagriculture #corn #cornplanting #plant23 #plant2023 #plant #farms #sustainable #sustainableagriclture #themoreyouknow💫 #usagriculture
Perspective. Last week I was in the cancer center Perspective.

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#agriculture #usagriculture #farmers #usfarmers #farming #farmfamilies #sustainableag #sustainableagriculture #sustainable #sustainability #farmerscare #homegrown #localagriculture #knowyourfarmer #shoplocal #madeintheusa #madeintheus #americanagriculture
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