Teaching Tuesday

Teaching Tuesday!

Teaching is like therapy for me.  I love being in the classroom (hence the reason I am returning this fall).  However teaching isn't just about delivery information to someone.  It is about the relationship you build as you help someone learn a new process, skill or knowledge set.  There are so many things about teaching I love.  I am going to use this feature to TEACH you a little about what I love...Family Farms...

(My sister, cousin, & I at my Grandparents farm in GA with my Granddaddy.)

Agriculture is what my life thrives on....I love the fact that my husband is a full time farmer.  We raise sheep, beef cattle and dairy cattle plus we have a few horses.  Let me clarify...because for many out there you might think we have a few head of each.  We raise about 50 head of sheep, 300 head of beef cattle and milk 115 head of dairy cattle.  We are a family farm and proud to say that we are American Farmers. 

America's farmers are the world's most productive. Today, each U.S. farmer produces food and fiber for 155 people in the United States and abroad.  That's a lot of production for a small percentage of the population. 

The number one question I get when I talk about farms is aren't all farms factory farms now??  And the answer is NO NO NO!!! I am not a factory farmer and neither are the majority of farms in the U.S.  You might view us as a corporation because due to taxes and liability we are Nance Farms, LLC, but we are family owned and operated just as most American farms are! Today 98 percent of all U.S. farms are owned by individuals, family partnerships or family corporations. Just 2 percent of America's farms and ranches are owned by non-family corporations.

These two simple facts are the two most important facts farmers and their families need American Consumers to know.    I realize that many times in the media we (Farmers) are betrayed as the bad people, we use chemicals on our crops and antibiotics for our animals. 

 And yes we use fertilizers on our fields to help our land produce better crops, however we also leave behind plant matter to decay to improve our soils and no longer have the erosion issues of a generation ago. 

And yes if we have a sick animal they receive antibiotics just as you do if you go to the doctor.  Healthy animals produce faster, better, and more meat and milk for consumers. 

We are teaching the next generation to grow up and become stewards of the land and environment.  We spend our days working and our nights researching the last news about our industry.  I can't believe how many people don't realize that to be an American farmer you must have:

 

Faith in God, confident, and a desire.  I hope you all have learned a little about Family Farms in America.  If you have any questions please feel free to ask!