It’s unbelievably hard work.
24/7/365
No sick days, no personal leave days, no holidays
My grandma was worked to her death on a small farm by the time she was 55.
They raised almost everything themselves
They had field crops, vegetable gardens, chickens, ducks, dairy cows, a few pigs
Heated entirely with wood they harvested from their own land.
And its incredibly stressful. They are always at the mercy of the weather and the weather generally doesn't want to cooperate. There's a big difference between having a little vegetable plot in the back yard and trying to support yourself and your family through farming and it takes a special kind of person to do it.
That's how I was raised.
Cows (1 dairy, and a couple beef), chickens, pigs, 1 acre garden, and crops to feed the animals. We had 4 beehives, and we heated our rather large house with wood we cut and split ourselves.
We built every building on our land ourselves (except for the house) using lumber purchased from a lumber mill.
I learned how to work. :)
God bless your grandma—COPD is an occupational hazard for farmers. Hard work is often healthful work. My grandfather did the same and lived to near 96. My aunt on the other side of the family did the same and lived to 106. Work hard and eat healthy. People pay to work hard in a gym. I have offered many the chance to workout hard hauling hay for free. I’ve had one taker and he didn’t last long.