Hi! My name is Jill Berning, I am a working farm/ranch wife. I just want to share my story to hopefully help inspire all farmers’ wives. I work at a local feed yard doing books from 7 am to 4 pm Monday thru Friday and every third Saturday from 8 to noon. Since my husband is a farmer I need to work so that we can have insurance, I am sure that is familiar to lots of farm families. I work in a field that relates to the farm which makes it helpful at work and on the farm.

My husband (Rod) and I have been married for 26 years and have two children, now four since our daughter (Shaelee) married in January of 2015 and our son (Chandler) married in September 2015. Busy year!! Chandler who is now 23 is back on the farm and his sweet wife (Stephanie) works at the local library and helps on the farm when she can.  Shaelee lives 15 miles away and works at a bank. Her and her husband (Derek) have a manure spreading business and Derek helps out on the farm during harvest. We are a tight net family that prays together and works together not always an easy feat! Rod and I are trying to make “the family farm” a peaceful place. When we were first married he farmed with his Dad and Uncle and it was extremely stressful causing a lot of conflict for us and his family. It was a struggle at first for Rod and Chandler but they have seemed to work out their major differences.

 Every morning on the way to work I spend that half hour in prayer. Always starting with the three men in our lives, praying for safety, kindness, and a good working environment. That seems to help. Rod and I also start our day out with a daily devotion. That starts our day on a good note, it’s funny how our readings on most days relates to what is going on in our personal lives. If we miss a day or so it effects our relationship and our attitudes so that is a ritual we try not to miss. God works in mysterious ways.