One of the difficulties of being a woman farmer is the scarcity of comfortable, long lasting, affordable work boots. Most work boots are made for men, most have steel toes, and they are very expensive.
I have been wearing work boots for fifteen years now, and I have a brand I love. They fit right out of the box, and they last a long time. Sneakers and “cute shoes” just won’t work on the farm. I must admit, I used to wear little slip-on shoes when it was really hot. One evening, a flighty heifer changed all that. She got spooked by something, came down on my foot, and mangled my little right toe. While the pain was intense and it took a long time to heal, I did have the interesting ability to accurately predict any incoming weather system for at least two years! The farm is full of learning opportunities.
My boots see a great deal of use. I wear them daily. I’ve put thousands of miles on some of them. In addition to the miles walked around the farm, I find it therapeutic to walk back country roads. When the girls were at home, we walked miles and miles talking over life. My boots get stained and paint-splotched and stepped on. But, they are what I reach for no matter where I may be going.
My current pair of boots has been ready for retirement for about 6 months now. All that time I have been searching for a suitable replacement. From time to time, the brand I like is suddenly no longer available. This is completely disheartening. My feet are short and wide, making a good fit something of a challenge. I’ve bought other boots, only to have them cause blisters, hurt my feet and back, or wear out far too quickly.
But, I found them online last week. Oh, it was a day of rejoicing! I even got to order them from a company with a great name….SAFETY GIRL! I found the name amusing and the deal unbelievable.
They arrived yesterday. They are beautiful. It is hard to believe that my current boots ever looked so nice.
My current problem….I am almost afraid to wear them. I know that as soon as I put them on, they will begin the slow, sad descent to…
my “poor, old work boots” that need replacing!
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