A Narrative Inquiry Exploring Young Adults in Production Agriculture Story of Hard Work

Abstract

Higher education educators are transitioning to more student-centered learning approaches, including designing educational material and actively teaching. Further, young adults ages 18-26 typically make up higher education classrooms. Young adults in higher education are at a fundamental phase where they make decisions that affect their education and career. More specifically, young adults with a background in production agriculture can be at a crossroads when it comes to returning to the agricultural operation or determining different career paths. There is a sizeable research emphasis on the stress, work-life balance, and mental health of owners or operators of agricultural operations. However, there is very little research regarding the impact working and living in the agricultural operation has on the children or young adults of the farmers or ranchers. This study uses a qualitative narrative inquiry approach to examine young adults who grew up in production agriculture and their relation to hard work. Story episodes served as the unit of analysis, where the story episodes occur within the small stories of each participant that then live within the meganarrative. The meganarrative describes how young adults feel pressure to return to the agricultural operation, may feel guilty for leaving, and have poor work-life balance. However, above all, they have a deep sense of appreciation for production agriculture and their work ethic gained from working on the farm or ranch. Higher education educators can use this information when designing education material. Further, this information is helpful for agricultural industry with topics such as succession planning.