Waking up to the loud sounds of an alarm clock at 6:30 am in order to have enough time to get ready and get to school is something I never would have thought I would do. Listening to dogs barking, seeing the deer they see out in the fields and hearing the occasional cow crying is something not everyone gets to hear each morning. But that is what a typical morning is like living on a farm outside of the small town of Valparaiso.

My daily schedule is similar to the average teenager, but after I get off work, I drive 30 miles to get home, and my chores are not the same as everyone else’s. Some of my chores include mowing approximately two acres of land for five hours, feeding the cows, and burning trash.

Depending on the season, I also help load alfalfa bales or drive the truck while family members load them on the trailer. I don’t only do stereotypical farm chores, like any other student, I have to keep my room clean, do the dishes, clean the bathroom, and occasionally do laundry. My days keep me busy between school, work, and chores.

Free time on the farm can be fun and relaxing, like playing family games of football, basketball, and having archery competitions on the front lawn. Living on a farm comes with its perks. Being able to drive ATV’s and UTV’s when you come home from school is not a usual thing for most students. Having a pond in the backyard of your house to fish in is pretty cool too.

After a long day, the best part is sitting down on the couch with family, watching different shows that everyone loves, snuggling up in a soft and warm blanket, and looking out the window and the trees blowing in the wind and listening to the dogs barking at a coyote in the distance.