A creak in the hardwood floor, the aroma of apple crisp wafting from the kitchen, catching a glimpse of the crack in the ceiling plaster, coming across an assortment of farm tools lying around, or the sounds of kids making tractor noises as they play in the next room over — these are just a few things that come to mind when I think of farmhouses. While the creaks and cracks that come with many older farmhouses may be met with a mix of emotions, I prefer to think of them as a reminder of all the love and life that’s taken place within those walls.
The homes found on family farms are the heart of the entire operation. This is where the farmer rests up after tiresome days and refuels with lunch around the dining table. This is where many farm business meetings take place and important decisions are made. The farmhouse is where tears, joy, highs, and lows are all experienced. And this is also where fond memories are made between farming spouses, where children are lovingly raised and taught life lessons, and where families and friends gather time and time again.
Maybe it’s the late nights of field work, or perhaps it’s the beckoning of the fall season and all things cozy, but I, for one, am in constant adoration for the farmhouse. Despite varying in architecture and surroundings, a farmhouse brings about a lot of the same feelings of warmth and nostalgia to all who spend time within its walls.
The author dairy farms with her parents and brother near Hawkeye, Iowa. The family milks approximately 300 head of grade Holstein cows at Windsor Valley Dairy LLC — split half and half between a double-eight parallel milking parlor and four robotic milking units. In the spring of 2020, Molly decided to take a leap and fully embrace her love for the industry by returning full time to her family’s dairy.
