Safe Farming: 6 Tips to Avoid Accidents on the Farm

It has been a WEEK. Let me tell you. Not even. It’s been a MONTH.

 

Since I’ve started this farm, I have been very lucky. I’ve made a lot of mistakes, but not one so bad as to find myself bleeding or in extreme pain (save that time I pounded my knee with a hammer while putting fence posts in). But this last little leg of autumn has been lost on me. It got me thinking of how important it is to be dressed properly when working on the farm, even if it is our own backyard—and listen, I’m just as guilty as the next person of running barefoot outside in a kimono to let the horses out.

 

In the past sixty days, I’ve sliced my leg open with a utility knife, been trampled by a full-grown cow and been smashed in the face by my horse. There is one common denominator in these, save for the obvious injuries I suffered. I was rushing. Late. Ready to quit. And there it is.

 

In order to do any job, you need time. This time is more important than ever on the farm, because if you make a mistake—if you try to hurry the result—you will almost certainly get hurt. Maybe not the first time. But you will 100% get caught at some point along the way. Because as idyllic as farming looks, it is one of the most troublesome occupations in the world. I’m talking top ten.

 

So why am I not strung up in a hospital bed? Well, the truth is, I was well-equipped. In every situation, I was dressed properly. I was aware enough and experienced enough to know what to do with my body. I had first-aid kits in close proximity to me.

 

That being said, I suppose these things really do happen in threes, so I feel like I’m good for a while now. But if you’ve found yourself in a similar position, here is some unsolicited advice:

 

1. Wear Boots. Always wear boots. Gardening, riding, mucking. From stabbing yourself in the foot with a pitchfork to getting stepped on, you’ve got to make sure that you’re covered. If it calls for it, wear eye protection too. Same goes for gloves.
2. Overalls. Cover up. It’s tricky when the sun is bearing down on you in the middle of the hottest day of the year, I get it. But sometimes a layer of clothing is the one thing that will stop you from severing your artery—trust me, I’ve nearly done it. I’m not talking Free People overalls, which I have and love. I’m talking donning Carhartts when you’re doing Carhartt sh**.
3. Carry a knife of sorts with you most of the time. By this, I mean either a utility knife like the one here, or a switch blade. I work a terrain of 200 acres—I carry a switch blade (and bring my dog) if I so much as get the idea to enter the forest or head out for a run (because I’m a woman and I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been followed). BUT that aside, I carry a blade in case an animal gets stuck, or you know, if I do. Invest in a good one.
4. If using machinery, make sure that it is serviced at least once a season. I send in our tractors and ATVs for servicing in the fall and at the beginning of summer. Oil checks, brakes, etc. If you aren’t sure about how something operates or how to fix it, seek professional advice—don’t try to be a hero and fix it yourself. Educate yourself about PTOS: take your keys out of the tractor. Every. Single. Time.
5. Keep your children safe. Here’s some advice from American Family Insurance: “The equipment and objects on your farm may look like a fun jungle gym to a child, but in reality they could cause serious injuries. Always go over the rules of the farm with a child. On top of that, make sure to follow these safety precautions:
   1. Even if not in use, don’t let them climb on equipment. On that note, always turn off the farm machinery and take the keys with you.
   2. Kids like to explore — lock all silos and bins.
   3. Ladders are tempting for kids to climb. Make a fixed ladder inaccessible by blocking it off. If it’s a portable ladder, move it out of the child’s reach or lay it flat on the ground.
   4. Fence off manure pits and areas with water. Lock the gate!
   5. Cap abandoned wells and tanks.
   6. Lock away all chemicals.
   7. Grain bins are not play areas. Remember, they can be extremely dangerous. Make sure kids aren’t climbing in or around the bins.” Those farm pictures are cute of the kids sitting in the tractor bucket, sure. But it literally makes one second, one malfunction to seriously injure or kill your child. Set boundaries for them—kids on the farm need to understand the dangers—from entering a pen with livestock to how they move around machinery. Here at the farm, we use the words “SAFETY ZONES” which alerts our kids to get to a high, safe place if/when a tractor is moving or an animal is loose. While one of our horses would never intentionally hurt a child, they can panic and cause serious damage.
6. Don’t rush—and don’t push yourself when you’re tired. We’ve all been there—trying to wrap things up, trying to get somewhere on time. I always think of that last run on the ski hill-I never do it, never go that extra mile when I’m feeling tired. I quit when we’re all ahead and feeling good. There’s always tomorrow. There might not be if you’re rushing or your body is telling you to stop. Listen to your body—it knows what is best for you.

I could go on for miles about this, but the bottom line is safety must be practiced. So get into it.