From country songs to home décor, farm life is idealized across the board. And it’s true—living on a farm can be the life of your dreams. You’ll be a bit more self-sufficient with each bushel of corn or other crops, and you’ll fall into your mattress each night with a secure sense of satisfaction. Still, despite its appeal, there’s more to know about running and living on a farm than your favorite Luke Bryan song lets on. You might know how much of a crop makes up a bushel, but do you know how to maximize the kernels or number of ears of corn you produce on each acre? Here are just a few important things you need to know about living on your own farm.
You’ll be putting in a lot of work.
This much should come as no surprise: living on a farm involves a lot of hard work. Even with the help of farmhands or your family, you’ll need to be ready to push your body to its limits. Each acre of land needs to be maintained, each kernel and seed needs to be utilized, and every animal needs to be fed and cared for. You’ll have plenty of early mornings, and while your body will become more durable as it gets used to the work, your spine or other body parts will ache, and sleep will be more important—and more welcome—than ever when the day is done.
The work isn’t just physical.
The manual labor that comes with life on a farm shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. Depending on your familiarity with farming, though, the mental effort just might. Tools like an estimated corn yield calculator can help you anticipate your crop yield, including the average number of harvestable ears, the number of kernel rows per ear, and the number of kernels per row. Calculations and mathematics might not be the first thing you think of when it comes to farming, but they’re just as important as the physical labor—and they aren’t the only mental tasks you’ll face. You’ll be considering treatments, tools, and methods to maximize your corn yield (or the amount of any crop you’ll find) and make your farm as successful as possible.
Taking care of yourself is as important as taking care of the farm.
Avoiding sleep deprivation is key to life on a farm, alongside other priorities, like eating well and staying active (both of which are made easier by farm life), and monitoring your mental health. Sometimes, when you’re working with them during the day, counting sheep might not be enough to get you to fall asleep.
Consider investing in a luxury firm mattress to transform yourself into a sound sleeper and find some relief from the pressure on your spine and the rest of your body. Compare mattress styles based on your usual sleeping position to find the best mattress for your needs—and the rejuvenating night of sleep you need. Whether you want a plush mattress to fall to or a firm foam for extra support, there’s a perfect mattress for every stomach sleeper, side sleeper, or unique sleeper position you might prefer.
There’s no right way to run your farm.
If you talk to long time farmers, you’ll hear no shortage of “best” ways to run your farm, from maximizing the number of kernels, kernel weight, and other grain yield components to the ideal number of acres and use for each piece of land. In reality, when it comes to your farm, you have the freedom to figure out what works best for you. For some farmers, that might mean investing in a mattress that will keep you well-rested and pain-free through the night, getting you ready for a brand-new day of managing each acre. For others, it might mean calculating their projected corn yield in various circumstances. Each type of farming has methods that are tried and tested, but if you find something works better, you have the freedom to try it for yourself.
You’re probably well-aware of the physical work that goes into running a farm, and you might even know that your old mattress won’t cut it after a long day wandering acres of corn. But you might not know how to maximize your grain yield and kernel weight or compare the different strategies of treatments and tools to make your farm the best it can be. From the mental effort of mathematics to a much-needed mattress, there’s a lot you need to learn about living on a farm.
