Every farm operation is different and has differing needs as well as differing methods.That should always be the first realization when these sort of discussions come up.

 Around here, the same size and rotation operations can have very different philosophies and equipment load. Management capacities are like what we see described on this site many times about tractor drivers. Some are steering wheel holders, others are operators.

 But over all, if you take time to look at a bigger picture, there are no rules stating that to be a "farmer", you must put in long hours and be dog tired and broke all the time. Farming can also be an 8-5 work load. It just depends on the owner or manager's philosophy and what they want. Sure, some areas harvest can go a bit longer and maybe a weekend or two, but again, one neighbor has a combine operator change at 6pm, and in windrow season, an operator change at 4-5am. It has nothing to do with finding that help, it has everything to do with management, image and your people skills. Some people around here have operators taking vacation from their "jobs" to come help during harvest or other busy times, others cant keep an employee more than 6 months. Guess which operations take weekends off and work around other's schedules.

 We used to put in longer hours and never knew what it was like to go to the county fair or have a weekend at the beech. Then through certain circumstances about 10 years ago, some equipment line up changes were made and now here we are in the middle of wheat harvest and I shut the combine down at 6 last night. I'll make my way to the fair this year too as I had forgotten it even existed.