A Lot to Learn!

Now that people are several generations removed from the farm, their ignorance of agriculture continues to amaze me with every passing Pennsylvania Farm Show.  This year was no exception.  On opening day, I was standing in the beef barn as cattle were being led from the wash racks to their stall spaces when I overheard a mother explaining to her young daughter that she had to move out of the way of the pony that was walking toward them.  In actuality, that “pony” was an Angus heifer calf.

I listened as a father told his son to watch for the “minefields” that were being deposited by the animals rather than using the term manure in his conversation with the impressionable child.  While it may have successfully kept the Nintendo-reared son from stepping into the steaming mounds and soiling his sneakers, the father’s terms also confused the boy about the non-explosive nature of what he was being asked to avoid as he walked through the barns.

As we face the challenges of the twenty-first century’s growing population and the narrowing interface between rural and urban areas, we need more understanding and communication between those of us who till the land and those who merely live on it.  While Farm Show makes an annual attempt to educate the non-farm public, it is apparent that the lessons about agriculture need to be delivered far more frequently throughout the year.

What do people know about their food and where it comes from?  If conversations overheard at Farm Show are any gauge, the answer to that question is virtually nothing.  Their direct contact with the people who provide their “daily bread” has been interrupted by progress.  Today, every farmer feeds 137 people.  A century ago, almost every family had some involvement with raising food or a close relative who farmed.  Rather than purchasing their food at mega food markets, customers generally shopped locally at farm markets where they could actually get to know the person growing their food.  Today, farmers’ markets are more of a novelty, but the interest in buying direct is gaining an increasing interest among consumers.  New farmers’ markets are springing up in urban and suburban centers.  This is good news for both the sellers and the buyers who take advantage of this symbiotic opportunity and are learning a valuable lesson in the free enterprise system.

As a farmer, I must admit to being relatively naïve about life in urban.  A recent visit to the Big Apple gave me a better perspective on life in the big city of New York.  There, people live in small row houses that cost more than entire farms in our area.  They shop for groceries on practically a daily basis since their cramped homes and apartments have little storage space.  Unlike their country cousins whose shopping carts are piled high with a week’s worth of groceries, these consumers push mini-baskets through narrow aisles with fewer product choices.  They rely on local markets to provide opportunities to buy smaller portions and ready-to-eat meals that fit their busy lifestyles and their cupboards.

Almost all the food eaten by New York City residents is trucked in from outside the city limits.  No livestock are slaughtered there anymore.  Nevertheless their meat cases are bursting with taste-tempting cuts with prices that made my mouth water as I contemplated the possibility of new markets for my farm’s beef tenderloins.  At nearly $30 a pound, it might be worth the extra effort to capitalize on that retail opportunity.

During my short stay in the bustling city, I fell in step with the rushing crowds as we traversed the concrete sidewalks and hustled across streets teeming with taxis, limousines, delivery trucks and honking cars.  And while visions of higher beef prices danced in my head, I kept wondering how anyone could deliver the mountains of food these city-dwellers needed every day, no matter what the weather or issues back home on the farm.  Some brave members of our farm community have discovered the financial benefits of filling these urban niche markets.  But it takes hard work and perseverance to open these avenues for direct sales of farm products to city dwellers and businesses.

On my train ride back to Berks County, I used one of the trip’s three hours in conversation with Philadelphia commuter who was on the same train.  We both were on the same track when it came to wanting to learn more about each other’s lifestyles.  I found her to be hungry for information about farming, raising livestock, growing fruits, vegetables, grain, and all the aspects of agriculture.  She was confused by what she read in the media, and skeptical of information she heard on the news.   But, she had little recourse in clearing the cobwebs in her mind since she didn’t know where to turn for the facts about farming.  She left the train with a better understanding and appreciation for the jobs farmers perform every day to raise wholesome, nutritious food for the nation.  And for future reference, she had a business card to tuck in her pocket in case she had questions that needed answers down the road.

My daughter Emilie recently participated in a Health and Wellness Expo in Washington D.C. where more than 80,000 people gathered to get more information on nutrition, exercise, and better lifestyles.  Other Pennsylvania beef producers spent the weekend helping to educate the Expo crowd about the benefits of keeping or adding beef to their diets.  The information they provided was well-received because of their direct connection of farm to consumer.  It was a long and busy weekend, but a worthwhile experience that will be remembered by both sides of the farm-city experience.

All of us in agriculture need to do a better job at sharing the message about our industry with everyone we meet.  You’ll be amazed at how closely they listen to your story about food and where it comes from.  Don’t miss those opportunities to deliver the message to city neighbors.  Carry a business card to keep the connection going.  And, at the same time, listen and learn from the people who consume the harvest of our hard work.

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