By Marie Morris
Whether it be small talk or a general conversation where I am asked what I do for a living, and I tell them I am a dairy farmer, I often get a very puzzled look in response.
I’m not sure if it’s because I am a young woman who doesn’t fit the “typical” dairy farmer image, or if it’s because I am “just” a dairy farmer, not something more elaborate. Either way, after stating my occupation, this typically leads into several questions about what I do, the lives of dairy cows and general farm interests.
As a dairy farmer, there are many joys that I get out of my career, but there are a small handful that easily rise to the top of my list. Those being:
1. Educating consumers on where their food comes from.
2. Every day is made up of the same chores, but no two days are the same.
And 3. Taking care of these wonderful creations and believing in tomorrow as a farmer.
I am in my fourth year serving on the board of trustees for my county Farm Bureau. One program that I am heavily involved in is ag literacy and public education on farming. Over the past few years, myself and a group of other Farm Bureau members have visited numerous local schools, libraries, public events and after-school programs. At each of these, we target a younger school-aged group of children, and sometimes their parents, and we read a farm-related story, do a coordinating craft and then allow time for questions.
It is so overwhelming to me the intelligent and curious questions the participants ask. Most of the time, they genuinely do not know even the most basic facts on farming, where their food comes from or how it’s produced. To be able to explain this to them step by step and tell them everything that is involved to get it from farm to table is so rewarding. Being able to make that connection for them, and for them to get to meet and talk to real farmers and understand that what their families are consuming is safe and was produced in a way that did everyone justice, is so incredibly rewarding.
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