Farming '90, 1990-03-21, Page 21FARMING ‘90, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 21, 1990. B5.
Entering work force not always easy transition
Continued from page B4
colleagues found himself strugg
ling to hang on to what was not only
for him a way to make a living, but
a way of life.
Then on February 5, 1984 he
stoically offered his assistance to
the men who came to load his
machinery and livestock and take it
away.
Without a source of income to
help meet his debts. Mr. Charles,
for the first time in his life found
himself faced with the frightening
prospect of finding employment.
The adjustment was hard and not
without its difficulties and the first
job did not last. However, the
second position he held was more
satisfying and he found himself
enjoying the work. But the problem
of debt still plagued him and for
two years he struggled to get
ahead. But by October 1986, it was
clear the battle was lost - he owed
$200,000 on the farm that had cost
him only a seventh of that 10 years
a-earlier and Mr. Charles declared
bankruptcy, a decision that cost
him a great deal psychically.
Yet. in the four years that have
passed he has rebounded well,
adapting financially and profes
sionally. Due to conflict he made a
career change about three years
ago and is now a member of the
Teamsters’ Union and has a com
fortable, reliable income, without
the burden of being the one
responsible for keeping it afloat.
Most importantly he is happy.
For Mr. Winn the transition into
the urban workforce has not been
quite as satisfying. ‘‘Since 1 quit
farming I have had a hard time
working for someone else,” he
explained. ‘‘I went to work in a
factory for five months and quit
three times. I'm not a clockpunch
er. 1 have had three jobs in the last
year. 1 see myself as fairly intelli
gent. that’s not the problem. I’m
just not easily employable.”
Presently employed as a farm
machinery salesperson, however,
he does admit to being a little more
settled stating his employer is
the best he’s ever had and that as a
salesman he is probably as close to
the freedom of being self-employed
as he'll ever get again.
“I have to be realistic. I will be
46-years-old this year, which
means I've got 19 years to go until
retirement. Chances are probably
slim that I’ll ever be self-employed
again.”
Mr. Winn did enjoy some mini
mal success as an artist, but he
says with three children to put
through school, again he must be
realistic. “If I accumulated a small
amount of money I would just
paint, but for me painting is a
hobby. You have to make $50,000
for it to be anything else. Besides I
don’t think of cash when I paint.”
Mr. Winn has also made what he
describes as prudent decisions in
buying real estate. ‘‘I have never
lost money on property and that
type of investment has provided me
with equity. I finally feel like I’m
starting where 1 left off.”
Lots of businesses today are
finding it difficult to keep going,
but what makes it so heart-break
ing for farmers is as Mr. Winn
points out they lose everything -
their home, their job, and their
self-esteem. But both Mr. Winn
and Mr. Charles credit their wives
with helping them through this
devastating time.
“She dealt with it more realisti
cally than 1 did, going out and
getting a job and becoming very
successful at it,” said Mr. Winn,
whose wife is now a design
consultant for an established com
pany. “She gave 110 per cent to
keep the whole thing together.
Very few women would have
tolerated the things she had to; I
was a lost soul for three years, but I
finally realized that 1 have a lot to
be fortunate for.”
Mr. Charles also credits his wife
with standing behind him through
the ordeal. She too has joined the
work force and become successful
in the field of interior design.
‘‘I always remember my dad
coming up to me after they took it
away, and saying I know this
happened and it’s terrible but you
have a happy, healthy family and
you’ve got to be strong and
remember that.”
Some personal changes in their
lives have occurred as a result of
their professional change. “A lot of
other farmers said I was a fool and
it couldn’t happen to them,” said
Mr. Winn. “Since then it has, but
in the meantime I have made very
good friends who have never cared
whether 1 had money or not.”
Neither man can see himself
returning to farming. “I always
wanted to live on a farm and I still
do. I like to help my father and
brother, but to be honest, I don’t
really see any future in it,” said
Mr. Charles.
“1 wouldn’t say never, but if
you’re going to farm as a married
couple today,” said Mr. Winn,
“you both have to be totally
dedicated and 1 don’t see us that
way now.”
“My feeling is that no one has a
God-given right to farm. It’s a
privilege and I see a lot of farmers
today supplementing their income
with off-farm employment in order
to stay on their land. Anyone in
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farming today has to realize that. It
is a privilege,” finished Mr.
Winn.
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