Activities and Moments – Contemplate Agriculture Life (Territory)

“Every morning I leave the house and head to the barn I often see beautiful landscapes. It’s a misty landscape but most of the time there’s sun, the sunrise. When I get out of the house, I have the sun in my face and it’s often really pretty. This photo tells me “look, it’s not even a landscape… it’s not a sunny day with 35 degrees, it’s misty, it’s gloomy, but it’s still beautiful anyways.”  I feel lucky to be able to see and experience these landscapes, to feel them and to pause to capture them in a photo.

This photo exudes calmness and serenity. It tells me to be strong and calm at the same time, to find balance.

In this photo, I see the sun as the glass half full. The mist is like the glass half empty. What drew me in was the sun, not the mist. I know the sun will prevail. The day will progress, and the fog will dissipate. It reminds me of the importance of appreciating these small moments, as I have the chance to do almost every morning.

Happiness doesn’t require much, and I remember when I stepped outside and took this photo, I was in awe. I thought: “wow, it’s truly beautiful”. It was peaceful, there was no noise, no cars, nothing. We are fortunate. I consider myself lucky to live this way.”

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“This is a photo of the check-ups I do at sunset. After work all day, I go around all my fields and it’s a beautiful moment. I love the contact with the living things, they’re my roots, they’re strong and they’re my pride.”

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“Sunrises are moments I pause and take the time to enjoy the calmness of the moment, to appreciate the solitude, the warmth of the light, and the brilliance of the colors. There’s no one to disturb me, the phone isn’t ringing, it’s a moment of serenity before the hustle and bustle of the day begins.

Usually, I’m alone but when my friend worked with me, we’d arrive 15 minutes early, have our coffee and wait for the sunrise. We’d chat for 15 minutes before starting. For me, those have always been beautiful moments.”

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“I’m a man close to nature. Even though the tractor is a piece of machinery, it allows me to work the land and accomplish tasks that would be more challenging otherwise. I enjoy going into the fields, working the soil, improving it, watching the sunrise and sunset. As long as I’m capable, I want to continue working with my tractors and the land. For me, it’s a feeling of freedom and independence. The fact that it’s never a routine, that every day is different, is also part of my wellbeing.”

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“Taking some time for myself when I’m outside, to feel the grass, smell the flowers, listen to the insects buzzing, feel the warmth of the sun and the touch of the wind, taking time… These moments of contemplation, looking around me while I work, bring me a lot of peace and tranquility.

I left jobs in the city precisely because I wanted to change my lifestyle, to be able to recharge my batteries, and sometimes, with all the tasks and pressure of the farm, I seem to forget it. So it’s a constant reminder when I’m outside, to take time.

I get a great sense of peace from the omnipresence of nature and tranquility in my living environment. I enjoy taking the time to contemplate the beauty that surrounds me to reduce my perception of the stress caused by everyday worries.”

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“When I’m in the field, that’s my happy place. At that moment, I felt extremely powerful. I felt that I was…that very few seconds, that I was controlling all of my universe. I was on the ground, the grass was green, the clouds…I felt like I was bringing the clouds together. It was just an extremely good feeling. That feeling comes when I’m out in the fields and working with the animals and just being grounded on the ground.”

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“This photo demonstrates what is, for me, the most beautiful moment of the year, which is sowing season. The connection with the soil touches me deeply. It’s the beginning of the season and there is so much ahead of us. Everything is beautiful in spring, in my opinion. The earth is dry, the leaves start to emerge and the grass has a beautiful soft green. I am so attached to our lands and to my lifestyle. The land also has a family connection for me, as I am the 4^th generation.”

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“When my father used to re-do a building, it would have a green roof and white walls. To do things a little differently, I add a green line in the center of the walls. It’s in my head, it’s psychological but it’s a line of hope, a timeline I add to all my new buildings. All the little bits that I do… [emotional pause] It hasn’t always been easy with my partner. This line represents hope. We will make it through one day, all of us together and we’ll get there. This wall, all those tough years, well, they will be behind us and we’ll enjoy working together again.”

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“This reminds me of how important philosophy is […] for me, it’s a strong symbol of humility.

Philosophy allows me to be more patient, to reflect more on things and be more lenient in regard to problems. It makes me think every day on why I do the things that I do and how can it be done? Could it be done another way so it’s more fair, cause you know, I work with the living, with complex animals almost as complex as we are.”

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“It’s kind of the way that I manage, I’m one to bend. I like to think of myself as a problem solver, if there’s an argument going on, I like to settle it or talk to both sides. I’m happy when I can make people happy. I think that as I’m getting older, I’m accepting a bit that I’m more…that I bend, that I’m not one to push the mark or push back, I’m the one to find an easier route around something.”