by Carie Moore
What is important to me as a farmer, a mother and a member of my community? I sat down last night and made a list from A to Z.
A. Attentive - to markets, costs, animals, family, safety, God, meals. I am always attentive to what is going on around me on the farm, in public, and in my life.
B. Biosecurity - just like we wash our hands and vaccinate our kids and pets, health and safety is important on the farm and for our animals’ well-being.
C. Carie - everything I do and every choice I make will affect someone or something else around me. I must be present in every situation whether at the grocery or on the farm. My actions and conversations will help or hurt people.
D. Doctor - an animal doctor is called a veterinarian. From pets and 4-H animals to large animals, families and farms have a vet that monitors their animal’s health and care. They oversee vaccines, medications, give advice, and answer any questions that people have about their animal. If animals are unable to come to the clinic, the vet is more than willing to come to that animal to minimize any discomfort or stress.
E. Environment - the water and the air we have is all we get. I breathe the same air and drink the same water as my neighbor. It needs to be clean. Soil needs to be managed properly and effectively so we don’t lose what we have.
F. Farms - are the foundation of our food system. It takes all kinds of farms, growing systems, locations, and people to produce the food you eat.
G. GMO - some of these crops are grown on my farm. They reduce our need for some chemicals and pesticides. They produce a healthier, more bountiful crop with less inputs on fewer acres.
H. Hired Help - the people you choose to work on your farm impacts your community. Employees will invest dollars back into the local economy helping your small town businesses and their families, schools, and other entities.
I. Injected-swine manure – this is recycled back into the soil as a natural fertilizer. It’s highly effective in protecting water quality in the area, decreases use of costly and synthetic fertilizers, and increases soil/crop productivity as it is a slow release which feeds the crops and microbes over time instead of large initial doses.
J. Judicious - when we use antibiotics or any chemicals on the farm, we use them as judiciously as possible. When we do use them, it was because we needed to.
K. Kids - the kids of today are the leaders of tomorrow. It’s important they look to us and other good influences as examples.
L. Leaders - these are the people who help us grow as individuals, organizations, students, and impact our future.
M. Meat animals - animals who provide us with meat (cattle, swine, poultry, sheep) also provide us with many by-products such as make up, leather, clothes, pillows, and medicines. They are multi-purpose and we get the most out of each animal to benefit as many people as possible.
N. Nematodes - earthworms and nematodes are indicators of good soil health. We want these tiny living creatures breaking down crop residue, excreting their own manure (fertilizer) and creating tunnels and pores for air and water movement in the soil to prevent compaction and to help the crops grow.
O. Organic - has a place in our food supply, but conventional farmers like myself produce a food product with equal benefits at a lower price point.
P. Pigs - are key for products like bacon and ham but also for insulin, heart valves, skin grafts and so many other human uses t0 help keep us alive.
Q. Quality - quality of food, soil, animals, and life is of utmost importance to me and what I do on my farm.
R. Ride - we love when people want to come and ride with us. It gives us one-on-one time to have conversations in real time and explain things and show people instead of trying to have them visualize.
S. Safe food - we want safe and available food for everyone. No matter where you are, or your income level, we all deserve to worry less about what labels mean, and if I will be shamed for buying one product over another. Feeding your family and being confident in your choice is all that you should have to worry about when it comes to food.
T. Truth - do you believe things to be the truth because you want them to be, or is it the truth? You want to know about an ailment, you go to the doctor. You want to build a house you go to a construction company. If you want to know about your food, come to a farmer! Or visit On Your Table Questions page
U. Understanding - more than we hope people understand the care we have for everything we have been entrusted with.
V. Visual perception - what people perceive a farmer looks like is skewed since the last images they have are from 1-2 generations ago. A lot has changed – for the better – since then.
W. Water - is vital for animals, crops, and humans. It is the basis of all living things and providing clean water for our animals is just as important as providing clean water for our families and the crops we grow. Water is also a safe and effective way to provide antibiotics and/or vitamins to animals and to dilute our chemicals we apply to our crops. Most of what comes out of the sprayers is water, very little chemical.
X. Xperience - Experience and knowledge make a good farmer. Knowing what works and what doesn’t and why, knowing to ask questions to seek information when things aren’t clear. Using prior knowledge to fix present unexpected problems is key in being efficient and productive.
Y. Yes - say yes when someone asks you to be on a local board in your community. Speak up for your neighbors, farms, families, church. If you see something being done right, get involved. If something isn’t, stand up and work with those people to change the incorrect perceptions they may have.
Z. Zoonotic diseases - are harmful to humans and animals. It’s is pertinent that we do everything we can as a population from being educated about them and aid in prevention.
This is just a list I put together from my farmkitchen table. There are many other words I could fill in for each letter, but these are what’s important to ME.
I hope you will find them useful and please contact me or OYT with any further questions!