Monday, December 08, 2014

#194. or, Just a Farmer

  You may have noticed,

   or maybe you didn't, it doesn't really matter either way, but lately I've been filling up your timeline with a plethora of articles and links to what I deem to be important and valuable information regarding the job that I do.

  I'm in the business of agriculture.

  And that's the thing. The business of agriculture. I know some of you might imagine me strolling through a field of wheat. Under the noon day sun, arms and fingers outstretched as the golden heads of grain dance playfully off my fingertips. It's a romantic notion. But more often than not, the reason that I'm there wandering through my grain field, whether it be wheat, barley, oats, or canola, is to ensure that I'm growing the healthiest crop that I can with the tools that agricultural technology provides me with.

  Now, I have never professed to be a smart fellow. When I graduated from high school, 30-some years ago, it was with solidly average marks, which I struggled to maintain. Because of this, I tended to gravitate towards the trades courses that my school offered and that is most likely what made my high school years even bearable. And while I never in a million years intended to be a farmer, it's now the job I've spent my lifetime doing.

  Like my father, and his father before him.

  So, I do what I do with multiple generations worth of trial and error type knowledge, and when my father passed away and I was thrust into more of a decision making role, it wasn't like I was starting from scratch. While it was daunting, I still had a wealth of hundreds of combined years of agricultural expertize I could call upon, through a network of rural neighbors and family friends.

  The reason I'm laying this out there is because recently, I've taken more of an interest in defending the thing I do for a living. I feed the WORLD, damnit! At least in some small part, I like to think that. However, there are people who would call into question the practices that I use.

  I use fertilizer.

  I spray my crops to protect them from weeds and disease.

  I use genetically modified seeds.

  And I vaccinate my cattle.

  I do these things, not because I'm evil and my only interest is to purchase a new tractor or something. Rather, it's because I've done the research and made the decision, based on all the available information, that it's the safest and most productive use of the land and livestock that I've been charged with caring for.

  I want your family to benefit from the very best product that I can produce. Perhaps there are those who can do this without the tools that I mentioned earlier, but in all honesty, I can't. I can't, and still provide for my family, while maintaining an acceptable standard of living. Basically, the same thing you're trying to achieve. There are things I've tried, and abandoned because I didn't like what it did to my land. Years ago, we used hormones for cattle, but I don't do that anymore, because while it's scientifically safe, it's just not something I practice. However, I'm still going to give a sick calf medicine because I won't see it suffer in sickness, and in turn, pass an unhealthy animal on to you. It's my job to do the best that I can do. And I try to live by that.

  Yet, there are those who dispute the practices I use.

  I've spent a considerable amount of time recently, trying to decide the role I need to play in defending my profession. I think there's a lot of us in this field thinking the same thing. And while it is most definitely my fight, I think it's a fight, better fought by those in the business of agriculture, who have the benefit of multiple years of schooling on multiple levels. Those who have the ammunition and the knowledge to wield it against people that would dare to say I'm producing a product without the very best of intentions in mind.

  That being said, it doesn't mean that I can't do my part as well. I can share the knowledge of people much smarter than me, with you. So hopefully, when you're faced with a choice somewhere down the road, the decision you make will be one balanced by both sides of the debate.

  Perhaps, I can use my miniscule presence here, trying to come up with goofy stories, to occasionally remind you that when the slings and arrows are being hurled, there are still those of us, on the ground as it were, trying to make a living the best way we know how.

  But, what do I know?

  ............after all, I'm just a farmer.






18 comments:

  1. I really liked this, because I think in the debates over things like GMO's and insecticides, non-farmer type people always imagine corporations and evil geniuses behind the overhauls. It is good to point out that farmers are just regular guys doing their best to provide food for other people with no ill intent. Putting a human face on the issue is important, because most of us out here can't tell the difference between a combine and a tractor, let alone know what all goes into making important decisions about a farm.

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    1. Hey KD!

      Here's an interesting conundrum. While i'm a part of a family farm, for tax reasons, it's also a corporation. As is the case with a multitude of farming operations. Also, as you pointed out, just a regular guy too.

      It's all very difficult to put into a tidy little box. :)

      I'm glad you enjoyed it. It's been on my mind for some time.

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  2. Things are rarely as cut and dry as they look from the outside.

    But so long as no animals die in the preparation of the meat I consume, I don't need to hear about the specifics.

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    1. Hi Katy!

      I'm pretty sure, as long as you stick to Spam, you're going to be OK on that.

      Delete
  3. Haters gonna hate so fuckem all and ignore 'em. That's how I've gotten through life so far.

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    1. Hi Debra,

      There are days......oh, are there ever days! :)

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  4. God bless you, Ken. Bill and I have the utmost respect for you and what you do. You obviously have a conscience and care about what you do, how you do it, and how it affects all of us. Thank you. God bless you. Hug.

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    1. Hi McGuffy Ann,

      Thank you so much! And Bill as well! :)

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  5. I'm not a hater, but I wish there was a better way.

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    1. Hi Tracie,

      I think there's something to be learned through discussion. Neither side should be allowed to make their claims unchecked.

      I don't have all of the answers. I'm just beginning to feel that there are very specific situations where farmers are being made out to be one giant evil entity set on world destruction. Perhaps that's a bit over the top? I don't know?

      Truthfully, I'm about as laid back as they come, but if I'm starting to feel pressured, something must be up. Hopefully, at the very least, I've stirred a thought in you to consider that there is research to support the decisions that I make.

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  6. Wow! Talk about timely. I read something last week about how "we" (non-farmers) are trying to dictate what you guys do to your land, crops, and cattle. It was a great read and of course I can't find it now, but, yeah, I'm all for you guys doing what you feel is best. What the heck do I know about it? Nada. Therefore, I have no right to disagree. I leave the farming to those people that do it best, the farmers. And, honestly, I hate that you feel you have to defend yourself. People need to keep their noses in their own business - whatever that may be.

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    1. Side note: Now I have the Farmers Only theme song in my head. Thanks Ken.

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    2. Hey Elsie,

      The thing is, you do have the right to disagree. But my hope is that you make that decision based on the research from both sides of the coin. These days, there are so many who will quickly dismiss generations of knowledge because of the opinion of some activist blogger.

      I do the things I "feel" are right, not because that's the side of the bed I got out of that morning, but because I've done my homework and made the best choice that I can make. Heaven knows I'm not always going to be right, but there are far too many people depending on me to provide a product that is the very best and safest it can be for me to take those decisions lightly.


      also......you don't have to be lonely...... :)

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  7. I've gotta be honest, the spraying and the genetic modifications scare me. I somewhat understand the GM products, but could you tell me how spraying the chemicals is safe?

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    1. Hi Michael,

      I understand that you have concerns. There is actually nothing wrong with that, and having those concerns are what drives us to take the time to make certain for ourselves that the things we consume are what we want them to be.

      As for the safety of chemicals, I've asked for permission to from a blogger I know, Sarah Schultz (Nurse Loves Farmer) if I could link to her page because she does a much better job of going into the details and making it clear than I could ever hope to. Her husband has a degree in crop sciences and she's an avid defender of the agricultural community.

      Anyways, this is a link to spraying glyphosate on wheat:

      http://www.nurselovesfarmer.com/2014/11/the-truth-about-glyphosate-and-wheat/

      There's a ton of information dispelling misconceptions on her page and I encourage you to check them out.

      Thanks.

      Delete
    2. I'm not sure how to make a link in a comment, but you should be able to copy and paste the link into your google bar, or whatever you're using.

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    3. Thanks! I've bookmarked it and I'll check it out :)

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  8. Indeed, you do feed the world. Thank you! In any form of leadership, there are those who will question your practices. I think the person who should question your practices is YOU and as you said in this post, you do. That's due diligence and no matter the job, we should all do that. As agriculture evolves (as all professions do), some of your practices will change. But I trust you and hundreds of other farmers who do what they do for the right reasons, creating product that they would feed to their own families.

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