Is Farming in Her Future?

For the Laymon family in rural Ohio, farming is a family affair—but the four teens take the reins.

Wyatt, 13, takes care of the feral hogs, chickens, and ducks. He gets paid for every dozen eggs he collects. Autumn, 15, milks the dairy cow, manages the farm’s horses, and cleans the stalls. She also has her own set of roping calves and spends her time off the farm competing in rodeo. Will, 19, is away at college nearby, though he spends summers on the farm helping with construction projects and working for his dad’s tree-cutting service.

For the Laymon family in rural Ohio, farming is a family affair. But the four teens take the lead.

Wyatt, 13, takes care of the feral hogs, chickens, and ducks. He gets paid for every dozen eggs he collects. Autumn, 15, milks the dairy cow. She manages the farm’s horses and cleans the stalls. She also has her own set of roping calves and spends her time off the farm competing in rodeo. Will, 19, is away at college nearby. He spends summers on the farm helping with construction projects and working for his dad’s tree-cutting service.

And then there’s Grace. The 17-year-old tends to the flock of sheep and manages the family’s gigantic garden, where they grow a huge assortment of fruits and vegetables. In a nation where most people give little thought to where their food comes from, Grace has a close relationship with her food and the land.

“I feel like a lot of people who haven’t grown up here don’t realize that if you go to a grocery store and buy a box of raspberries, that’s like at least four months of work right there,” Grace says.

Her parents have set aside a portion of their land hoping their kids might one day build houses for their future families on the property. But as Grace gears up for college, she’s contemplating what comes after: Will she return to her family’s 187-acre farm in Mount Vernon, Ohio, or say goodbye to the farm life? At a time when it’s harder to make a living farming than it was in the past, many young people are leaving rural farm counties in search of more-lucrative prospects elsewhere. It’s a difficult decision, especially those who feel that farming is a way of life.

“People are working other jobs . . . and trying to farm at night,” says Johnathan Hladik, Policy director of the Center for Rural Affairs, who’s a sixth-generation farmer himself. “If you want to come back, you’ve got to know that it’s going to be your second job.”

And then there’s Grace. The 17-year-old tends to the flock of sheep and manages the family’s gigantic garden. They grow a huge assortment of fruits and vegetables. Most people give little thought to where their food comes from, but Grace has a close relationship with her food and the land.

“I feel like a lot of people who haven’t grown up here don’t realize that if you go to a grocery store and buy a box of raspberries, that’s like at least four months of work right there,” Grace says.

Her parents have set aside a portion of their land hoping their kids might one day build houses for their future families on the farm. But as Grace gears up for college, she’s contemplating what comes afterward. Will she return to her family’s 187-acre farm in Mount Vernon, Ohio?  Or will she say goodbye to the farm life? At a time when it’s harder to make a living farming than it was in the past, many young people are leaving rural farm counties. They search for more-lucrative prospects elsewhere. It’s a difficult decision, especially for those who feel that farming is a way of life.

“People are working other jobs . . . and trying to farm at night,” says Johnathan Hladik. Hladik is the policy director of the Center for Rural Affairs, who’s a sixth-generation farmer himself. “If you want to come back, you’ve got to know that it’s going to be your second job.”

Grace is the first one up in the morning, so she often does the bulk of the morning chores. All the animals—cows, chickens, goats, and sheep—need food and water. Stalls need cleaning. Fields need weeding and mowing.

Grace’s parents, Jay and Chrissie Laymon, have homeschooled their children off and on since elementary school, but Grace spent her senior year, last year, attending Mount Vernon High School. She joined the swim team and shot photos for the school newspaper. She took an agriculture class and came in sixth in the state in a biotechnology competition. Her farm chores were done in the mornings and evenings, weekends and summers.

Grace is the first one up in the morning. She often does the bulk of the morning chores. All the animals—cows, chickens, goats, and sheep—need food and water. Stalls need cleaning. Fields need weeding and mowing.

Grace’s parents, Jay and Chrissie Laymon, have homeschooled their children off and on since elementary school. But Grace spent her senior year, last year, attending Mount Vernon High School. She joined the swim team and shot photos for the school newspaper. She took an agriculture class and came in sixth in the state in a biotechnology competition. Her farm chores were done in the mornings and evenings, weekends and summers.

The work on the farm varies from day to day depending on the season and the latest big project. And some days, Grace wakes up and things need fixing—whether it’s a broken tractor or a greenhouse torn down by a storm.

In addition to the daily chores on the farm, larger tasks and projects need attention: constructing new barns, rotating the animals into different pastures, and baling hay. Everyone pitches in to help with the hay—even the neighbors. It’s an intensive process that can take days from start to finish.

“We might start at five in the morning and go until midnight,” Grace says, “then we come back the next day and do it again.”

None of it is easy work. But it’s taught Grace and her siblings valuable and practical skills.   

“I’m really glad that we’ve given them this lifestyle to grow up in,” says Chrissie, Grace’s mom. “I think it’s taught them a lot of really important life skills . . . even if it comes with sweat and dirt and complaining because it’s hard work.”

The work on the farm varies from day to day depending on the season and the latest big project. Some days, Grace wakes up and things need fixing. It might be a broken tractor or a greenhouse torn down by a storm.

In addition to the daily chores on the farm, larger tasks and projects need attention. Projects can include constructing new barns, rotating the animals into different pastures, and baling hay. Everyone pitches in to help with the hay. Even neighbors help. It’s an intensive process that can take days from start to finish.

“We might start at five in the morning and go until midnight,” Grace says, “then we come back the next day and do it again.”

None of it is easy work. But it’s taught Grace and her siblings valuable and practical skills.   

“I’m really glad that we’ve given them this lifestyle to grow up in,” says Chrissie, Grace’s mom. “I think it’s taught them a lot of really important life skills . . . even if it comes with sweat and dirt and complaining because it’s hard work.”

The Laymon family farm is located in the “Corn Belt”—an area of the country extending from Ohio in the East through Nebraska and the Dakotas in the West that’s dominated by large corn-producing farms. Many of the Laymons’ neighbors run corn and soybean operations.

In a nation once dominated by farming, it’s now an industry in decline. More than 4 million farms have disappeared across the U.S. since 1935. Meanwhile, output from farms has nearly tripled since 1948 as new technology in agriculture has enabled big farms to get even bigger.

The Laymon family farm is located in the “Corn Belt.” It is an area of the country extending from Ohio in the East through Nebraska and the Dakotas in the West. It is dominated by large corn-producing farms. Many of the Laymons’ neighbors run corn and soybean operations.

In a nation once dominated by farming, it’s now an industry in decline. More than 4 million farms have disappeared across the U.S. since 1935. Meanwhile, output from farms has nearly tripled since 1948. New technology in agriculture has enabled big farms to get even bigger.

As a result, farmers who run small- or medium-scale operations have become increasingly unable to make ends meet by farming alone. Jay and Chrissie work second and third jobs. In fact, most farmers in the U.S. earn off-farm income, and according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, small-scale operations depend on it.

“When you think about your food dollar, know that the farmer is making just a tiny, tiny, tiny fraction of that,” says Hladik of the Center for Rural Affairs. “It’s really just a labor of love.”

As a result, farmers who run small- or medium-scale operations have become increasingly unable to make ends meet by farming alone. Jay and Chrissie work second and third jobs. In fact, most farmers in the U.S. earn off-farm income, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Small-scale operations depend on it.

“When you think about your food dollar, know that the farmer is making just a tiny, tiny, tiny fraction of that,” says Hladik of the Center for Rural Affairs. “It’s really just a labor of love.”

The Laymon farm makes most of its money selling hay, beef, and eggs. So the family took out a loan to pay for special haying equipment, knowing it would make them more money and save time in the long run.

“As I’m getting older, my parents are filling me in more on the business side of farming,” says Grace, “and how to not go into debt over farming.”

The Laymon farm makes most of its money selling hay, beef, and eggs. The family took out a loan to pay for special haying equipment. The equipment will make them more money and save time in the long run.

“As I’m getting older, my parents are filling me in more on the business side of farming,” says Grace, “and how to not go into debt over farming.”

Working on the family farm was everything to Grace growing up. But then she got the idea that she wanted to move to a big city one day to experience something new. Though now, ever since the pandemic, she’s settled back into the idea of eventually returning to the family farm.

“I was so dead set on leaving,” Grace says, “and then we got stuck here and I was like, maybe I was wrong, maybe this is the right place.”

Teens on farms everywhere are feeling this same push and pull as they face the decision of whether to go back to work on their family farms or move to cities or metropolitan areas in search of other work.

Working on the family farm was everything to Grace growing up. But then she got the idea that she wanted to move to a big city one day to experience something new. Ever since the pandemic, she’s settled back into the idea of eventually returning to the family farm.

“I was so dead set on leaving,” Grace says, “and then we got stuck here and I was like, maybe I was wrong, maybe this is the right place.”

Teens on farms everywhere are feeling this same push and pull. They face the decision of whether to go back to work on their family farms or move to cities or metropolitan areas in search of other work.

Between 2010 and 2020, more people left rural America than moved to it, according to data from the most recent U.S. census—and many who left were around Grace’s age.

“In migration data, the kinds of people most likely to move to a big urban place—especially to a city—are young adults,” says Kenneth Johnson, a demographer at the University of New Hampshire. And “the people most likely to leave rural areas are young adults.”

Between 2010 and 2020, more people left rural America than moved to it, according to data from the most recent U.S. census. Many who left were around Grace’s age.

“In migration data, the kinds of people most likely to move to a big urban place—especially to a city—are young adults,” says Kenneth Johnson, a demographer at the University of New Hampshire. And “the people most likely to leave rural areas are young adults.”

Grace is attending the College of Wooster this year, about an hour away from the family farm. She’s planning on majoring in environmental science and hopes to come back to the farm one day to apply what she’s learned, after seeing what else is out there beyond her family’s fields.

But for now, she thinks she’ll sell all or some of her flock of sheep to help pay for books. Even when she’s away, however, she won’t forget where she came from.

“Farming is something I think about all the time, even when I’m not here,” says Grace. “It’s not some costume I put on for five seconds and then take off—it’s part of my life forever.”

Grace is planning to major in environmental science. She hopes to come back to the farm one day to apply what she’s learned, after seeing what else is out there beyond her family’s fields.

But for now, she thinks she’ll sell all or some of her flock of sheep to help pay for books. Even when she’s away, however, she won’t forget where she came from.

“Farming is something I think about all the time, even when I’m not here,” says Grace. “It’s not some costume I put on for five seconds and then take off—it’s part of my life forever.”