One of my favorite pastimes include sitting around the table and watching the Winter Olympics. We would watch as the athletes gracefully skate across the ice, flip backwards on skis, or run and jump into a bobsled that will reach speeds of 90 mph.
However, the Olympic athletes are not the only ones cashing in on the fun. For years, people have created their own “Olympic” sports with everyday items. That is especially true for those in the agriculture industry (remember Farmer Derek’s great obstacle course?). It takes a lot of creativity and hard work to create the Farm Winter Olympics.
One Ag Instagramer, Danielle Wainwright with Clover Valley Farm, has racked up quite a following online. Over 13,000 accounts follow her journey as she and her family raise Wagyu and Angus beef cattle in New Jersey. Wainwright has dedicated her Instagram to teaching others about the agriculture industry while also inspiring those within it even though she was not raised on a farm.
Wainwright says, “I found my love of agriculture in my teenage years and loved it so much, I went to college to get an agriculture degree [dairy science] to be a farmer. I just happened to marry a fourth-generation dairy farmer. Together 10 years ago, we started our first-generation beef and hay farm. I love being able to be a role model for women entering this male dominated industry.”
Farm Winter Olympics
When it comes to starting your own Farm Winter Olympics, it takes a lot of planning, but the reward is worth it. The creativity and inspiration that goes into turning farm chores into Olympic events needs to be celebrated.
When asked what inspired her to start an the farm Winter Olympics, Wainwritght said, “We love sports of all types and we are an extremely competitive family. Seeing the commercials for the upcoming Olympic events got me all excited to watch the competitions. And hey, who am I kidding, I’ve daydreamed of what it would take to become the best of the best in that field. Ice skating is one of my favorite sports to watch from the winter Olympics and my first reel was me living that dream, only I was wearing barn boots and my coveralls.”
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Inspiration can strike at any time on the farm — especially doing farm chores. Those in the industry know the type of physical strength it takes to complete the chores on the farm.
“Chores are physical. Not at all on the same physical level as an Olympian, but it takes a lot to be farm fit — with most items we carry being 50 pounds,” Wainwright says. “Some reels are for fun. Our little side pond being frozen was a fluke thing, and was just begging to be played on.”
However, Wainwright credits a lot the inspiration to her community on the platform for coming up with fun ideas.
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In her third Olympic event, Wainwright hilariously shows the joys, yet downfalls of “tobogganing”.
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Wainwright is not stopping there. In an teaser for an upcoming sport, Wainwright told AGDAILY that she plans on utilizing frozen cow pies, curling inspired.
But most importantly these reels are done with ag education in mind.
“With all the reels I make, I try to show this industry that I love in a fun inviting way,” she said. “I’m constantly viewing my day as a farmer and seeing how I can educate and entertain ‘edu-tainer’. We are a family farm, so if the boys are around, they are being included. If it’s just me farming by myself, it’s me and my tripod and the farm.”
