Chores were done, the kitchen was clean and two paragraphs of a feature story separated me from relaxing with my family with a big bowl of popcorn, when my phone rang.

It was my oldest son. He had gone to meet some kids to study and when I saw his name flash on my phone, I knew he wasn’t calling just to say, “I love you.” He told me his car quit and he needed someone to come get him. Luke to the rescue!

I texted Luke and said he was about to be sent on a “J.W. Rescue Mission.” Sitting in the bleachers, watching his girlfriend play basketball, Luke texted me back and said he would take care of it.

It was then that I heard my father’s voice saying, “You know, in a few years, you’re gonna have a lot of good help on this farm.” When he made that statement, I was knee-deep in diapers, baby bottles and Little Tikes toys. I remember thinking to myself, Yeah, right; like that will ever happen!

Now, 12 years later, I realize the wisdom in my father’s statement. It doesn’t matter what the trouble, how difficult a situation is or how exhausted we are, having four kids to dig in and help out makes even the biggest mountain seem like a molehill.

Later that evening, while I sat in my warm house and watched Kentucky nearly get beat by Mississippi State, I knew that whatever the situation with J.W.’s car, those two boys were going to find a solution. Why? Because they had been given the opportunity to work, not only on our farm, but on neighboring farms.

Their lives have been enriched by knowledge from not only their father, but from several area farmers for whom they’ve worked and learned beside. Tricks of the trade, simple solutions to small problems, shortcuts to make something work – they’ve watched and learned from other men. But it seems this could very well come to an end if the Department of Labor doesn’t continue to hear from the squeaky wheel of agriculture.

For months now, we’ve been protesting the DOL’s proposed changes that would restrict our children from performing certain tasks on the family farm and keep them from being employed on other farms. While we flooded D.C. with our concern over these changes, so much so that they had to extend the comment period, they are now in the middle of discussing these changes for a final proposal slated to be released sometime this summer.

The battle isn’t over yet. We need to remain vocal on this subject, not only for our families’ sake, but for those who don’t come from a family farm and want to make agriculture their home.

Make sure you visit with your Congressmen and let them know how you feel, and ask them to keep this on the front burner. Otherwise, the agricultural landscape will be changed – and I’m afraid it won’t be pretty or productive.

The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of Farm World. Readers with questions or comments for Melissa Hart may write to her in care of this publication.