Want to support rural development? Think childcare

For farm families, it isn’t uncommon to have one parent working off the farm. For years, I commuted an hour to my job. Subtracting gas money, vehicle expenses and daycare costs, I wasn’t netting much. But having a full-time job means having health insurance and other benefits that we would not be able to afford on just the farm’s income.

I’m thankful I now have a career where I can use my abilities and experiences without a lengthy, everyday commute. But to make it work, we’ve needed someone else to watch the kids during the day.