So two weeks ago, a few of my friends and I attended a concert in town. While there, two of my friends, Stefanie Neuhaus and Lindsay Bowman and I were talking and enjoying the concert when an unknown college student, a male, approached us.
Yeah, this is going to be good.
The college student, who unfortunately still remains nameless, began small talk. He asked us where we were from (Texas, New Mexico, and Colorado), and where we were attending college (Texas Tech and University of Arkansas). Then, it got interesting.
Male: "So what's yall's major, are yall in a sorority?"
Stefanie: "No, we are agriculture majors, we were on the livestock judging teams."
Male: "WHOA, so yall are like.....farmers..?!?"
Emily: "Yes, we grew up on farms."
Male: "So yall could like drive a tractor, or work with a cow?! No you girls are lying?! No way!"
(we were figuring out he much not have had much agriculture experience)
Lindsay: "Yes, that's correct, we work with animals."
(the male is seeming very very shocked at this point)
Male: "Wow, never would've guessed that. But that's cool, I respect your decision to be poor for the rest of your life."
At this point, a few of our male friends noticed the "absolute shock look" on our face and came over to see what the problem was. Our unknown friend then wandered away.
Note: he actually came back to inform us he "could've came across the wrong way", but the conversation was very short.
Either way, the three of us girls got to thinking about the common misperceptions of agriculturalists. I've wrote about this in some of my blogs before, but some people I believe still view farmers as a "different species". Here's a few pictures of Stefanie, Lindsay and I proving we can be more than just farmers.
Stefanie and I interned on Capitol Hill, in an office, working on legislation all last summer.
Then came home to tend cows and fulfill roles as care-taker, nutritionist, and the occasional veterinarian.
Farmers and ranchers feel the importance to stay at home and tend to animals and crops. But, we also travel the nation. Here's Stefanie and I on the boardwalk in Ocean City, Maryland.
But, when it comes to taking care of our animals, we'll do anything. Last winter, Stefanie bundled up in the snow to make sure her lamb crop was safe from the frigid temperatures.
in cold weather,
and even in hot weather when work just has to be done.
As far as the "I respect your decision to be poor", well all we have to say about that is life on a farm is rich.... in memories and passion. In the end, we're just ordinary people....
....with an extraordinary passion for livestock.
It never ceases to amaze me the misconceptions people have about careers in agriculture. Thanks for doing what you do!
ReplyDeleteI agree, being involved in farming is absolutely incredible and I'm sure none of us would swap it for the world. Sure there are the rich farmers and the poor farmers and the inbetweeners. But really, a farmer is a farmer and that's all there is to it. "enjoy being poor..." how rude! :O
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