JAMIE BLYTHE

Farmer | Alabama

Alabama farmer Jamie Blythe unpacks the rarely seen layers of modern farming—and how women are reclaiming their deep-rooted place in the field.

What’s the most rewarding thing about being a farmer?

 
The most rewarding thing about being a farmer— That’s a really… that’s a very difficult question to answer, because there’s so many of them. Waking up every morning, stepping out of my house, hearing the farm wake up— and knowing that’s my job. To take care of it.

Let’s get started with an introduction. Please tell us a bit about yourself.

I’m Jamie Blythe. I farm in Courtland, Alabama. We farm corn, cotton, wheat, and soybeans. We have a herd of beef cattle, and we raise hay as well. I am the fifth generation on this farm, which is a really special thing to be able to say. I went to nursing school. I worked as an EMT. By the time I got to my late 20s, I was ready to come back home. And I’ve been here ever since.

What kind of education or training do you have that helps you as a farmer?

Farming requires a lot of different hats. As far as your education and your training, it’s very multifaceted. I was fortunate—I did have a bachelor’s degree in natural resources, which gave me a really good background in biology, plant physiology, soil science, and chemistry.

And you need all of those. A farmer has to be not only a mechanic, an equipment operator, a plant biologist. You also have to be a meteorologist. You also have to be aware of international markets. You need to have a background in economics and how to run a business. You realize every day what you didn’t know the day before. And sometimes, you just have to let it go, do your best and make the best decisions you can.

There’s so much that you cannot control. And I think that’s a good exercise for your personal growth— just to learn to be peaceful with it, get through the day, and know that you’ll try again tomorrow.

Now that you’ve had a chance to wear some of the clothes from the John Deere x Dovetail Workwear collection, do you have any observations to share?

 
So often, I’m doing multiple jobs during the day. If I’m worried about my clothes tearing or ripping, I can’t do my job. You have to move a lot—especially when you’re farming. Feeding cows, going up and down equipment, crawling under equipment to fix it. You need something that can move with you, that you’re not afraid to get in the gravel and the dirt.

Having enough pockets is wonderful. I can put my fence tools, my cell phone, my pocket knife, the number 13 wrench that you always need— and your grocery list, as well. Having access to all that is wonderful.

And the nice stretchy waistband? Everybody loves that. When you’re sitting on a tractor all day, you don’t want to think about your blue jeans cutting into your waist.

What kind of impact do you think women make in the field of agriculture and farming?

There’s just tremendous potential for women in farming. There’s no ceiling there. Women were the original farmers in human history. We were the ones who grew the crops, took care of the families, grew the food. It’s in our DNA— to nurture, to take care of things. We are geared toward that and I think it gives us a unique perspective. It’s more than just trying to make money off a piece of land. It’s about taking care of the land: to nurture it, to make it more productive for the next generation.