I have often been inspired by people around me, not great people that speak great things but ordinary people who do what they can, the best they can. This has been especially true through the light of the corona virus and the affects that it has had on so many around the world.
Coming from an agricultural background I have great respect for where my food comes from and how it gets to me. Being involved in this process from a young age I thought that everyone knew how the food supply chain worked, however, as I grew older, I realized that many of peers did not understand or have an appreciation for this process. Many of my peers knew that food came from the store and when they needed food that’s where they went. Their parents didn’t preserve food like my mom did, and they did not have an appreciation for the amount of effort that was put into a year’s supply of food.
When I was growing up people would often say that if something bad ever happened, they would just come to my house. For a long time, I didn’t understand why, but now I do. My mom grew a large garden every year and every year canned and froze a lot of food. I thought it was normal but I don’t know anyone who put up food like my mom. Every year she canned over 800 jars of fruit and vegetables, everything from applesauce and jam to green beans and spaghetti sauce. She filled freezers with more fruits and veggies and the meat from one of our steers or hogs.
Now with this pandemic, people are changing how they have been sustaining themselves. As restaurants shut down and people are told to stay at home more people are cooking for themselves and trying to stock up on food. I think we all have taken for granted how easy it is to get food in this country and with shelves empty at home and at the grocery store more attention has been given to the food supply chain than has been in a long time.
I think this may be a good thing, steering people’s attention back to agriculture and the farmers and ranchers who work endlessly to make sure this country is well fed and cared for. Maybe this will inspire a new generation of agriculturalists, or maybe just inspire people to grow their own gardens and learn how to preserve their own food like my mom did when I was growing up.
Whatever happens agriculture is essential and we will find a way to persevere. No matter how hard things get, we will do our best to keep food on everyone’s plates. Hopefully this little scare will give people a greater appreciation for agriculture. Maybe now is the time to really tell our story and connect more with the consumer than we have in the past. Right now, is when ordinary people that I know are still caring for their cattle, sheep, planting crops, and doing what needs to be done. These are the people that inspire me to keep going, not the people that post fancy quotes, or tell everyone that things are going to be ok from a comfortable seat on their couch. It’s the people that are still out there, doing their jobs that inspire me to keep doing mine. Agriculture is essential, a lot of other things are not!