Day in the Life
Rachel | Field Representative at Maola Local Dairies
Maola family farmer Rachel is a prime example of a woman who can balance it all. She is a mom, runner, farmer, and field representative at Maola Local Dairies. From motherhood to fitness and everything in between, she proves that moms can be rockstars at home and in the office. This former “stay-at-home mom” has always been working. Managing and working on her family farm while also experiencing the journey of motherhood is no easy feat, but one that Rachel says made her who she is today.
Being a farmer and a hard worker go hand in hand. You have to be resilient and flexible. You need to accept change and adapt to it quickly because things are always changing on the farm. This is something Rachel learned at an early age. Rachel has been working with dairy cows for as long as she can remember, managing a multitude of responsibilities. “Growing up on a farm does instill a certain level of work ethic in you,” she notes of her work in the dairy industry.
Why running
Running is a great way to stay fit and healthy, but it was not always that outlet for Rachel. It wasn’t until high school that she started running on a team, starting out as a track athlete, and balancing her work on the farm and at school with track practice. Although she insists she was not a star athlete, running provided a level of self-discipline and motivation that Rachel needed. “It’s an individual sport and seeing what you can do yourself, by pushing yourself, becomes a competition internally.”
After spending four years of high school on the track team, Rachel put away her running shoes and dove right into farm work, and eventually a huge life transition – motherhood.
Running Motherhood
A mom of four boys, there was never a dull moment as Rachel worked at home on the farm and raised her children alongside her husband. After the birth of her fourth child, she knew she wanted to get more active, and decided to re-introduce running into her life.
Rachel chose to begin training for a 5k to get back in shape. She knew it would be a challenge, but as she learned earlier in her life: running is a sport all about self-improvement. With that motivation, as well as the desire to be healthier, she slowly ran further and further, until she was ready for her big run- the Pittsburgh half marathon.
Rachel says that one of the best parts about running is that it can be done anywhere–you don’t need special equipment or a formal track. All you need is yourself, a road, and the right nutrition. When training for the marathon, chocolate milk was Rachel’s drink of choice to refuel. “When I started training for my first marathon, that’s when I first heard about athletes going for chocolate milk. So a lot of times when I would come back from my morning run, I would have a glass of chocolate milk.”
Completing such a run helped Rachel realize she could do it all with the right balance. She could be a mom, stay fit and active, and even involve her family in her love of running. Her four sons each run track, something Rachel is extremely proud of. Trophies and photos of runs line the walls of their home, showing that Rachel is a true inspiration to her family.
Not only is Rachel active on the track and with her sons, but she also now works full-time as a Field Representative for Maola Local Dairies. In her role, she is responsible for maintaining relationships with our family farmers to ensure the quality of the farms Maola milk is made on. She finds deep meaning in her work, finding it easy to connect with something she has been so passionate about for her entire life. Her family also makes Maola milk, as she still helps her husband operate a Maola family farm. “As both an employee and farmer for Maola Local Dairies, its doubly rewarding to work with our farmers to accomplish our shared goals.”
Balancing fitness, motherhood, work, and self-care, Rachel is truly an inspiration to others and proof that with self-determination and motivation, you can accomplish anything in life – one step at a time.
