6 minute read
A Mother's Day Spotlight: All in a Day's Work
BY JESSIE SHOOK
Mothers in agriculture are some of the hardest working people – from raising children, to raising livestock and crops, these women have a far-reaching impact on feeding the world and raising the future of agriculture. If you ask Jordyn Upchurch, motherhood and farming go hand in hand. Jordyn works alongside her husband Chris while raising their two-year-old son Charlie at Rockin’ U Farm, in Lineville, Alabama.
At Rockin’ U Farm, the Upchurch family raise commercial poultry broilers for Koch Foods, along with a SimAngus cow/calf operation. The farm recently added a direct-to-consumer freezer beef business, while also being involved in a trucking and poultry clean-out business with Jordyn’s father.
Charlie Upchurch loves to help when working cows, including pushing cows up the alley. (Photo Credit: Jordyn Upchurch)
If motherhood doesn’t impress you alone, Jordyn is active in the day-to-day operations of the farm. “I’m exclusively in charge of the care of our freezer beef calves, feeding and checking our other cow/calf herds daily, keeping records of the cattle and the bookkeeping of the trucking/cleanout business,” Jordyn explained.
From experience, Jordyn knows the value of growing up on a farm. “My father had commercial poultry houses growing up and I always helped him with set up and checking chickens,” Jordyn said. “That was our quality time together.”
Jordyn’s mother worked as a nurse, but anytime she wasn’t at work, she was helping Jordyn’s father at the poultry houses. “I saw her love of agriculture grow through her relationship with my father and that was something I always wanted,” Jordyn said.
Jordyn found exactly that when she married her husband Chris. Chris started Rockin’ U Farm in 2011 when he built the poultry houses. Chris and Jordyn married in 2015 and have been farming together ever since. “I knew I wanted a future in agriculture, I just wasn’t sure of what that would look like until I met my husband,” Jordyn added.
You can always find Charlie in the buddy seat of the tractor with Jordyn or Chris. (Photo credit: Jordyn Upchurch)
Jordyn is grateful that their son Charlie will get to grow up with some of the same experiences and lessons she had on the farm. “Chris and I actually tend to call our parenting philosophy ‘free-range parenting,’ but within reason, with safety as a priority, we tend to let him have free range of wherever we are at the farm,” Jordyn said.
These experiences have taught Charlie independence and the value of working hard. “He has the best imagination that comes from growing up outside and learning to entertain himself,” Jordyn added. “He is also learning about where his food comes from on a firsthand basis and has learned the responsibility that comes with that.”
Charlie comes to work with Jordyn almost every single day and already has his own chores. He feeds the barn cats and has learned to brush his pony. He even helps Jordyn scoop feed for their direct-to-consumer beef calves. “You’ll always find him riding in the buddy seat of the tractor, whether it’s while we’re baling hay or feeding hay,” Jordyn said. “He loves to ride through and check the cows, and whenever we are working cows or calves through the chute, you’ll find him in the alley pushing cows up.”
Jordyn is able to balance the farm and motherhood by having a supportive partner. Chris always helps fill in the gaps.
This mother-son duo usually starts the day by caring for their cattle herds. This includes feeding, checking water, assessing health and putting hay out. By the time Jordyn and Charlie finish checking the cattle, it’s about time for Charlie’s midday nap. This gives Jordyn the opportunity to work on the books for their trucking/ cleanout business. “After nap time, we usually head out to the farm to do any catching up that needs to be done,” Jordyn said. “Every day starts with the same goals, but no day is the same and I think that is why I love this life that we live on the farm.”
By experiencing day-to-day life on the farm, Jordyn and Chris are teaching Charlie knowledge through agriculture he may not have the opportunity to learn otherwise. “I want him to learn the kindness and empathy that caring for animals bring, the responsibility and hard work, and how rewarding that can be,” Jordyn explained. “Children thrive when they are raised outdoors, with responsibilities and seeing their parents work hard.”
Motherhood and farming have many similarities. Mothers and farmers are ushering new life into the world, whether that be from seed or egg and then caring for it the best they can – hoping it grows to its full potential, be it vegetable, animal or human. Jordyn takes on motherhood and farming sharing the same care and passion. “The joy of seeing a newborn calf walk for the first time or nursing a sick animal back to health, bring out the same feelings in me as when my son took his first steps,” Jordyn said.
Charlie has the best imagination from growing up outside and learning to entertain himself. (Photo Credit: Jordyn Upchurch)
These passions within Jordyn for agriculture and motherhood are important traits for someone in this industry to have. “We take responsibility of feeding the world and caring for our animals very seriously,” Jordyn assured. “Agriculture has given so much to us – our lifestyle, our home, our friends and community; having a small part in something big isn’t lost on us.”
Jordyn also uses their farm to be an active advocate for agriculture. From their local community to outreach online via their Instagram account, Jordyn shares their story to put a face with agriculture. “So many people don’t trust real food because farmers have been made into villains by the media,” Jordyn said. “Our social media account allows me to talk directly with consumers and they can see how deeply we care for our animals and our land.”
By connecting with consumers on social media and sharing their lives, Jordyn hopes consumers will see that Rockin’ U Farm is a family affair and not a corporate farm. “Social media just helps people realize that farmers are real people, too,” Jordyn added.
The Rockin’ U Farms Instagram page is a great place to witness Jordyn and Charlie’s adventures around the farm and what everyday life looks like for them. Jordyn speaks fondly of some of her favorite memories so far with Charlie on the farm. “A special memory I have of Charlie is when he was almost two years old and he realized that he could call the cows up and they would come to his cow call/voice,” Jordyn said. “The elated look on his face when he realized that the cows were coming up for him was just so special and his cow call was hilarious!”
While Jordyn, Chris and Charlie have many more memories to make on the farm, Jordyn said that her biggest hope for the future is that Charlie has a place in agriculture. She also hopes they are able to preserve this way of life for her son and future generations. “I hope that we can continue to raise quality food for our country and that future generations can enjoy it the same way we have,” Jordyn said. “And I also hope that Charlie, if he chooses, can continue to operate our farm and be a proud fifth-generation farmer.”
To see more of Jordyn, Chris and Charlie, follow @ RockinUFarm on Instagram.
