Extension Communications
3614 Administrative Services Building
Ames, Iowa 50011-3614
(515) 294-9915
8/22/00
Contacts:
Paul Lasley, Extension Sociology, (515) 294-0937, plasley@iastate.edu
Lois Wright Morton, Extension Sociology, (515) 294-2843,
lwmorton@iastate.edu
Del Marks, Extension Communication Systems, (515) 294-9807,
delmarks@iastate.edu
Farmers Say Their Lifestyles Are Becoming More Urbanized
AMES, Iowa -- Changes in the nature of farming and rural life are evident in the ways that farm families spend their leisure time, according to respondents in the 2000 Iowa Farm and Rural Life Poll.
As more farm families take off-farm jobs, they have less time for leisure activities, and this is reflected in how farm families choose to spend their limited free time, according to Paul Lasley, Iowa State University Extension rural sociologist who directed the poll. Lasley was joined by Lois Wright Morton, also an extension sociologist, in developing the survey questions about how farm families spend time off the job.
As might be expected, they said, watching television is the predominant leisure-time activity. Seventy-eight percent of the farmers said they watch TV daily and another 18 percent said they watch at least once a week. Only 2 percent of Iowa farmers said they never watch television.
Reading also ranks high on the list of how farmers fill their spare time, with 61 percent saying they read magazines or books daily. Seventy-seven percent visit with friends and relatives at least once a week, and 53 percent participate in church activities at least once a week. Visiting with friends and neighbors, while on the decline in many communities because of time pressures, remains a hallmark of rural communities. Informal interaction in communities is an important measure of community spirit, said Morton, who specializes in community development.
Another popular activity is eating out. Fifty-two percent said they eat out at least once a week. Lasley noted that the trend towards eating out reflects changes in eating habits found throughout society. Smaller families, more women working outside of the home and the higher incidence of older couples without children at home contribute to more eating out.
Nearly half (46 percent) said they work on personal hobbies or projects at least once a week, and another 29 percent take up hobbies or projects once or twice a month. "Hobbies are an important source of personal satisfaction and help individuals deal with stress and hassles of daily living. Whether it is gardening, collecting, art or restoration of antiques, hobbies are important activities for large numbers of farm families," Morton said.
A Wright County farmer who responded to the poll apparently thinks some farmers spend too much time on leisure activities. "(They) just want to slop through their work so they can get out to the golf course," he wrote. "They don't want to walk or ride their beans."
Seventy-eight percent said they attend sports or other school events at least once or twice a year, but only 16 percent go as often as once a week. "Obviously this measure of community participation is related to family size and life cycle of the family. Farm families with school age children would likely be more involved in school activities than those without children at home," Lasley said.
Thirty-nine percent volunteer in community organizations at least once a month, but one in three farmers (35 percent) only volunteers once or twice a year. Forty-eight percent said they do not participate in club meetings, but 29 percent attend meetings such as Rotary, 4-H or PEO at least once a month.
A recurring comment about lack of leisure time was best summed up by a Howard County farmer who wrote "both husband and wife have to work outside the home. It makes for a stressful lifestyle without much spare time."
The survey also asked about recreational activities available. Between 40 and 60 percent of the poll respondents said more opportunities were needed across all age groups, ranging from 57 percent who said teens need more leisure opportunities to 40 percent who said married couples without children need more leisure opportunities. These data indicate that farm families generally recognize the need for more recreational opportunities, even if they are personally pressed for time to enjoy such activities, Lasley said.
"It is difficult for many to make time for recreational and community activities when they report being pressed for time to relax and unwind," Lasley said. "Perhaps that is why watching TV is so dominant; people come home from their farm and off-farm work and simply want to spend their free-time without going out."
The Iowa Farm and Rural Life Poll is funded by ISU Extension and the Agriculture and Home Economics Experiment Station. The purpose of the poll, conducted since 1982, is to ask farmers' views on a variety of rural and agricultural issues. Questionnaires were mailed in February to 4,977 Iowa farm operators selected at random, with 3,049 replying, yielding a 61 percent response rate.
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