I thoroughly enjoy farming. It's a good life. Unfortunately, the pay isn't so good, especially when one is just starting out. Because I would like to live slightly above the poverty level, I took the sage advice of my dad and got a part-time job in town earlier this year. I've had town jobs before. During my high school years I worked at the public library, and during the first three years of my post-secondary education I worked at the library at my school. But, those were student jobs. I've also had temporary jobs doing janitorial work, or working for another farmer, and I have a tiny lawn-mowing business in the summers, but those don't amount to much experience with "normal" jobs.
Now I have a real grown-up job and I'm beginning to realize that town jobs* are weird. Allow me to enumerate the reasons behind this conclusion.
1. Vacation Time
I didn't get paid vacation time this year (because I had just started the job), but I did take off a week to go on vacation and all I had to do is ask the boss, make sure no one else was gone at that time, and mark it on the calendar. That's it. No finding someone to keep an eye on the farm and feed the livestock. No planning it just right to make sure to be gone during that one-week window when everything can be put on hold for a while. No mad rush in the last few days before vacation to get everything done. Going on vacation is downright stress-less with a town job. (Of course, I still have the farm, so all of these things still apply to me, but still...can you see my point?)
Next year I'll have two weeks of paid vacation time. I can't even wrap my mind around that.
2. Holidays and Weekends
Saturday? Sunday? Victoria Day? Labour Day? Canada Day? Thanksgiving? Christmas AND Boxing Day? ALL off? I'm speechless.
(And let's not forget about those jobs that pay extra to those who work holidays and weekends).
3. Coffee Breaks
I first encountered coffee breaks when I worked at the college library. I was forced to just stop working after a set amount of time and not work until the coffee break time was over. What is this nonsense? We only take coffee breaks on the farm if we're between two jobs and have a moment to sit in the shade and chew on some rhubarb or something. Now I sit at a table for 15 minutes each morning and read the newspaper until the break is over. Not that I don't enjoy coffee break, mind you. It's just such a strange concept.
4. Bonuses
I got a Christmas bonus with my last pay cheque. It wasn't extravagant, but I certainly didn't expect it. I mean, when I get a bonus on the farm it's because the price of cattle (or canola, or hay, or whatever I'm selling) jumped just at the right time. With a town job, you get bonuses just because you work there. I think that's how it works anyways. It's very confusing...and nice.
5. Quittin' Time
My boss has had to tell me a few times to stop working and just go home. In town, quittin' time is quittin' time. If there's work left to do, I have to leave it for tomorrow. On the farm, I don't work late every night, nor even most nights (unless it's a busy season like harvest), but we don't get to just quit because of what the clock says. We go until the day's work is done (or until Mom calls us for supper).
What about you, fellow farmers? What are some weird things you've come across in your town jobs. And for those who don't work on a farm, what do you like about your town job? Let me know in the comments below!
*Please note that when I talk about town jobs, I am generally referring to non-shift work, punch-in-at-9, punch-out-at-5 types of jobs.
