More details are coming out about a New York dairy farmer who shot 51 of his dairy cows and then committed suicide himself. This is a horrible tragedy that has occurred. We may never know all of the details, but hopefully we can all learn something from the story. It may be easy for us to speculate and pass judgment on a man who was obviously in pain and not thinking clearly. (If you would like to read more of the story, you can find an article here.)
Many of us have recently found ourselves falling on hard times. With an end to the current economic downturn out of sight, families are finding that they have to make the tough choices.
Personally, my family has been affected by the current economic situation. The company that my husband works for has cut back on projects and therefore has cut back on the number of hours and days my husband has been working. This week we made the choice to sell our family dairy cow.
I am sure that there are many other people out there who have it far worse than my family. Thankfully, my own position is stable and I am able to work some extra hours here and there to help make up some of the difference of what my husband is not bringing home.
Help is out there if you find yourself in need. Specifically, in New York State, we have Farm Net. Farm Net is an organization that offers many different types of support services to New York farmers. They help with financial planning, estate planning, business transfers, as well as crisis services, counseling, and stress management.
You may never know if someone else is in pain or need. Sometimes all it takes is a kind word or gesture to turn someone else’s day around. We need to reach out to one another; you just never know when what you say or do will have an impact on someone else’s life.