Purpose Driven: Chores, Chickens, & Life Lessons
By: Peg Balducci
Summers on the farm.
As I sit down to write this article, my mind goes to many fond childhood memories of being together with my family. Most of the time, we were working, whether around the home or on the farm. We did everything together! It didn’t really matter what job or task we were doing; the important thing was that we worked together and enjoyed each other’s company (most of the time😉). Teamwork!
Summers on the farm included many days of walking in the pastures (probably barefoot), playing in the creek, searching for arrowheads, catching fireflies at dusk, and stargazing. But along with these enjoyable pastimes, there was also a ton of hard work.
Growing up in the 70’s and 80’s in a large family on a farm required lots of teamwork. Those of you who grew up in a large family probably know what I’m talking about. There were always a ton of chores: cooking, cleaning, washing dishes, mowing grass, feeding chickens, gathering eggs, gardening, canning and freezing fruits and vegetables. I could go on and on! However, the most dreaded day ever was…butchering day.
For many years, my family raised chickens to have our own eggs and to have chicken in the freezer for the winter. Getting them to the freezer required the inevitable butchering day. I remember many times when my great-aunts, Mary and Annie, would come over to help Dad and Mom get it done. My siblings and I would sit around the table and watch them break down the chickens one by one. I was on the edge of my chair waiting to see how many egg yolks (undeveloped eggs) they would find inside the cavity of the chickens. They always saved them to make homemade noodles the following day—fascinating! Also, did you know that if you squeeze a dead chicken just right, it makes a slight squawking sound? Who knew!
Once my sisters and I became teenagers, we had to start helping—albeit not very willingly. Chickens were no longer fascinating! If you’ve ever butchered, you know the process is not a glamorous one. Just try to imagine wrangling four teenage girls out of bed at 7am on a Saturday, only to face a pile of dead chickens lying on a picnic table lined with recycled feed sacks. Not pretty!
Our first responsibility was catching and holding the chickens so Dad could do something to the chicken that I will not describe. Then, we dipped them in a large caldron of hot water and plucked off all the feathers, including pin feathers. It was completely gross and disgusting, but we got them squeaky clean. Then, Mom and Dad cut up the meat and packaged them for the freezer. This process required a well-laid plan and all hands-on deck from start to finish—a valuable lesson in teamwork for sure. And, I must say, we were all much happier when the last chicken was packaged up and ready for the freezer.
Looking back now, I recognize the exhaustive effort required to raise a family and manage a household. If only I had a more willing heart. The life lessons that my parents taught me continue to impact my life. Everything we did—even the dreaded butchering day—taught us respect, good communication, collaboration, and the value of a safe environment. All of these were vital back then and are still vital today, whether in my personal life or my interactions with my team at Nussbaum.
Just like my family on the farm, all of us at Nussbaum are on the same team! We may not love every task assigned to us, but that’s when we must put “we” above “me.” Purpose Driven is a team activity! And any assignment can teach us valuable lessons in teamwork if we have the right attitude.
Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! Psalm 133:1
