Living with the Martillas exposed me to a new kind of
lifestyle; the Finnish farming family. All farms have their differences but
after discussing with the other students about their farm experiences we all
agreed there are certain things that are similar between them.
This summer and autumn have been unusually rainy in Finland,
causing problems with the harvest and throwing a wrench in the annual flow of
work. When the weather isn’t too wet the
fathers and husbands work very long days collecting this year’s yield, often
working until midnight harvesting. They might return home for meals or for a
few hours of sleep before starting very early again the next day. I don’t know how they manage to continue
working so hard on such little rest! I imagine this is a habit formed over
decades of farming.
Mothers and children also have many responsibilities on the
property. Children have school to keep up with as well as any chores that they
have at home or on the farm on top of their hobbies. Mothers are responsible
for making sure the kids get to school, to and from their rehearsals or
practices, do their homework, go to sleep and wake up in the morning. They work
maintain the cattle while husbands tend to the fields, which seems almost as
exhausting and demanding as raising children. On top of all this they make sure
everyone is fed, the laundry gets done, the house is clean and the husbands are
cared for.
Living at work and working where you live is a trying
routine. The farm runs 24/7 and taking a vacation requires a high level of
planning and trust in the people you leave the farm in the hands of. Every season carries a different set of tasks
at the Martilla farm. The fall is for harvesting and plowing the fields before
the wet and cold weather set in. The winter is for forest work clearing
crowded, overgrown areas and relaxing when possible. Springtime is for
planting, cultivating and fertilizing the grasses. Summer is the time for crop upkeep and
producing silage (cow feed) to get through the snowy, dark winter. Summer is a
popular time for farmers to take breaks as well but they can’t last too long or
duties will pile up. On top of all this, the animals need constant attention all year around.
Finnish people value their work to a very unique
standard. I spent a couple hours on a
tractor with Pekka, a worker who helps with the harvest and builds all kinds of
structures around town. Pekka has a farm of his own, he co-owned a prominent
dairy product company, Juustoportti (which Martilla dairy produces milk for), and is a
gifted architect. Though he does not need to continue working to support
himself, he continues because he wants to.
This was enlightening to hear and I commented that perhaps it’s
rewarding enough to finish a job and feel satisfaction with end product; a barn
or cottage or a respectable crop yield that he could be proud of. The idea did
not seem to cross his mind, he simply replied that at the end of a project you
must start a new one. Pekka says he also
works to stay sharp and healthy. This seems very different to me than the American
Dream today; hit it big, work hard and fast for a lot of money, then retire to
enjoy carefree life. The Finns work very hard but at a different pace; they
take coffee breaks between their labors (when time allows) and pay attention to
detail, aiming to perfect their craft but also enjoy it. I admire this and hope that when I have a
career of my own, I would prefer to continue working because I want to instead
of stopping as soon as I have the financial means to carry out my life.
Pekka, like most Finns, was shy to use his English though it
was quite good. He spent time working on a farm in South Dakota when he was
young and it shows in his language skills. Pekka asked what kind of crops and
animals I raised at home and I told him I didn’t live on a farm. It took some explaining before he realized I
was not a farmer. I could tell he understood when he looked at me like I had
just beamed down from space. He must think Californians do nothing all their
lives. It’s moments like this that make
me really happy I came to Finland. Meeting new people, experiencing an entirely
different way of life and sharing things about my home gives me a very new
perspective on the world as well as the people in it. Many people take for granted how hard farmers
work to produce the food you eat, the clothes on your back, the milk in your
glass and the roof over your head. Understanding the importance of their work
and the pride they take in it is something that can’t be accurately taught or
told. My farm experience has given me so
much respect for the farmers of the world and their families. It also makes me
think harder about where the products I buy came from and the hands that made
them.
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| Plowing with Pekka |
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| Matti fertilizing the fields |
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