Faith, Family and Farming

By Megan Marley

Farming is a demanding, year-round occupation, reliant on hard work and the providence of God. There’s a special connection between working the land and working out your salvation, as Saint Isidore the Farmer could tell you.

Saint Isidore was born around 1080 near Madrid, Spain. He was a hard worker for landowner Juan de Vargas and even more diligent in his spiritual life. He had a great devotion to the Eucharist and attended daily Mass before work. His wife, Blessed Maria Torribia, was his match in holiness. Together, the couple prayed, worked hard and did works of mercy; Isidore would often bring home poor guests, and Maria kept a constant pot of stew going to feed them.

Isidore had a gift for miracles. One time, a jealous co-worker complained Isidore was shirking work. The landowner went to investigate and found Isidore at prayer while angels plowed the fields for him! Isidore’s prayers are also said to have rescued their son from drowning in a well, and restored the landowner’s daughter to life. In art, St. Isidore is portrayed as a peasant with sickle or staff, or with angels plowing. He is the patron saint of day laborers, farmers, agriculture, the National Catholic Rural Life Conference and many cities in Spain and South America. Isidore and Maria’s joint feast day is May 15.