Some may like to think that only men can farm, but Kay Peters, of Le Mars, Iowa, has a different point of view. Peters grew up immersed in farm life, but did not actively work on a farm until she married her husband, Jim, 31 years ago. Now, she loves the hard working, agrarian lifestyle they lead.

Now empty-nesters, the Peters raised three children and enjoy the quiet farm life they have carved out for themselves in rural Iowa. Peters asserts that each person tackles a different aspect of farm life: her preference is "to do more of the paperwork," while her husband handles "more of the heavy work." This arrangement, however, is not without its exceptions.

Peters affirms that she has "the great opportunity of running the combine" during the fall harvest. Farm equipment, like John Deere tractors, has come a long way in technological efficiency, and Peters contends that "equipment has gotten easier to run over the years." Because of the machinery's ease-of-use, combining is a joy for her and one of her favorite fall fieldwork activities.

Peters has no intention of slowing down. She and her devoted husband are "kind of young yet so we have a few years of farming ahead of us," she says thoughtfully. Hopefully, many more years indeed.