The farmer, the American staple. Without farmers we would not have the delicious fruits and vegetables we have available to us every day. Without dairy farmers the only way we would get milk is to buy a cow and milk it ourselves. Without cattle farmers we would have a lot more vegans on the planet, as most of us have no idea how to slaughter a cow, let alone cut up its meat into anything useful. We are happy to go to the local market and pick up our goods, already packaged and waiting. Some of us are shopping right before we make dinner, not giving a second thought of what it took to get that food there on the shelf.
Let’s face it. When we think of the average farmer, be it dairy, livestock, or fruits and vegetables, we think of someone with very little education, working 20 hour days in the hot sun, having little time for anything else and making very little money. We could not be more wrong. Do you know how to cultivate an orange or apple from seedling to an orchard full of ripe delicious fruit? Do you know what to feed a cow so that she can produce the best grade milk for consumption? Do you know what the cows and chickens are grazing on, and is it safe for them to be eating that? Are they eating something that can be transmitted to us through their eggs or their meat? The farmer knows.
The truth is that agriculture is a huge business. The farmer needs to know exactly what needs to be done to produce the best product for the consumer. He also needs to be keenly aware of the weather situation and the conditions around his farm. He is the master of your food. Think about the next time you are cutting into an orange or putting a prime cut of steak on the barbecue.