In February, Purdue Extension Johnson County co-hosted a panel discussion that included four Johnson County farm women who shared their stories about life on and off the farm. “Harvesting Her Voice: Finding Your Role on the Family Farm” included panelist Jennifer Campbell. Campbell lives and works on her rural Franklin farm alongside her husband, Chris, and their son, Cole.
Ten years ago their full-time hired farmhand left, and Campbell easily stepped into that position in lieu of hiring another farm worker.
Campbell had always been a part of the farm in some respects. She chose to stay home while her three children, daughters Casey and Emi Lou, and son, Cole, were growing up. Every day was a “bring your kid to work day” – a family joke they shared. Chris and Jennifer’s children (the have grandchildren now too) frequently rode along in a tractor, combine, or in trucks hauling grain. They grew up helping with everyday chores.
Campbell grew up on a farm in Shelby County, just seven miles from the Hoosier Homestead farm she lives at now. The home was built in the 1800s, and has been lovingly taken care of and updated throughout generations.
The Campbells farm over 2,000 acres of corn, soybeans and winter wheat. Campbell plants soybean fields on their farm and she says the time in a tractor allows her extra time to think. That time benefits her writing talent. Campbell is an accomplished writer, blogger and author. She wants her writing to be authentic. She told herself years ago that if she was going to put herself out there for other readers, she was going to “keep it real.”
Campbell credits her mother for teaching her to bake. She laughs that her kitchen is always a mess and while she loves to cook, cleaning up is not her forte. She shares her recipes in her blogs and articles. While deep in the planting and harvesting season, Campbell forgoes the kitchen and says her family eats frozen pizza, fast food and at local Mexican restaurants. While actively working, there is simply not time for her to stop and prepare a big meal.
Campbell reflected on the term female farmer. “It is not that the term is not an accurate term,” she said. “I am obviously female and I farm, but I feel like it unnecessarily separates and highlights us as females in agriculture. The work we do does not care about gender. Farming is farming, and the people who do it are farmers – no extra adjectives needed. The more people ask about it and the more we keep answering, I feel like that just reinforces the idea we are something unique. Women have been in this role for years, just under the radar before social media. Why act like we are an exception to the rule rather than just part of the rule? I think the only way to normalize women in ag is to stop saying it and treating it like it is not normal in the first place.”
Along with writing for various farm publications, and her blog, Farmwife Feeds, Campbell wrote a lovely children’s book entitled Meet Pete. It’s inspired by Emi Lou, who cared for a calf who was born with contracted flexor tendons and could not walk.
Campbell is not a stranger outside of the farm either. She currently serves on the Johnson County Beef Board, Johnson County Farm Bureau Board and the Johnson County Farm Service Agency committee. She is also a founding member of the Friends of Johnson County Agricultural. Her Johnson County Leadership Class of 2010 founded a project that holds a scholarship at Johnson County Community Foundation for students involved in ag-related projects and trips.
Campbell enjoys any time away on the couple’s motorcycle, camping, and concerts. She is an accomplished photographer and applies those talents to capture farm life, as well as making memories on film.
Self-described as committed, Campbell is all-in on continuing to learn more about her vocation, and is passionate about spreading the story of agriculture.
To read her blog, check out farmwifefeeds.com. Meet Pete may be purchased through Amazon.
