Coming to the country life

Welcome! Thanks for logging on and finding out more about me and the "parallel universe" I tend to inhabit, agriculture. How did I get here? Telling you that seems the natural place to start.

I'm a communicator--a talker, connector and social educator. My story has all the elements of a good summer novel: misunderstood heroes, a rescue, passion, pride and love.

I started my career in design--the only thing other than talking that I was really good at. Who knew I wouldn't love it for the rest of my life?  :)

In 1998, I was rescued-- yes, I really do believe that's the right word--from a nightmare job by my good friend Mike Danna, director of public relations for the Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation. Didn't know what it was, didn't know what they did, and for damn sure didn't know anything about agriculture. But I made the jump and wound up falling in love. Hard.  No, not with Mike, bless his heart--but with farming, ranching and a lifestyle that is at best seen as anachronistic and misunderstood, and at worst is mocked and devalued.

My first trip out to a sugarcane field in south Louisiana, about a week into the job, the producer I was to interview looked at me about two minutes after I got out of the car and said, "Darlin', you don't know anything about farming, do you?"  Busted.  Then and there I realized: there's no getting over on a farmer. They're smart people, and they've got your number, Slick.

"No sir, I don't," I said. "But I know how to tell stories, and if you'll tell me about what you do, I'll tell your story the best I know how," and that seemed to satisfy him. 

Telling those stories satisfied me, too. For 10 years until I moved to Atlanta, I worked with the farmers and ranchers of Louisiana and their families. I learned enough about agriculture to be dangerous. I also learned a tremendous amount about the people of rural communities who are very different from the folks "in town." I learned about life, death, the extraordinary dangers that come with farming and that, if you come to a producer's house for an interview, you'd better expect to sit down to a huge home-cooked meal before you go or you'll insult his wife or mama. I gained about 15 pounds my first year at Farm Bureau.

I have become a passionate advocate for the rural communities and citizens of our nation. They are some of the finest, kindest, most honorable people in the world  who, every day, do a job every one of us depends on to live. These people feed and clothe us, and provide shelter to protect our bodies. yet even today the perception of farming is negative and, if you think of farmers at all, you likely imagine an old man in overalls on a small tractor. That couldn't be further from the truth, and that's the story I make my living telling. Keep coming back and you'll learn something every time (I hope), whether it's thought-provoking, funny or weird. You might also learn more about my family or work--for me, anything and everything is up for discussion. Glad you came to visit--stop on by again soon!


Thursday, May 22, 2008

The Dichotomy of Blogging and American Agriculture

I was talking to my  friend and teacher Leisa Rich the other day about the blog. I'm like a kid with a new toy, so I asked if she'd seen it since I'd given her a shout-out, and (thankfully) she had...but then she turned "that look" on me and said, "you know, Margaret, I'm just so OVER blogs. I'm blogged out." Quickly followed by assurances she didn't actually mean ME, of course, but you get the picture.


Since I can't leave anything alone, I asked why. "People just over-communicate. I don't need to read one more person talk about going out for Mexican food and it gives them gas." Heard that, sistah. Gross.  BUT...what interested me was the "over-communication" part of her complaint. So the first thing is...if you wouldn't tell someone at a party about your gas, why would you charm--that IS used with an ironic tone--complete strangers with the details?? Keep a lid on it.

But the over-communication comment also got me thinking about folks in agriculture. For so long, producers and people in small communities have kept their efforts, stories and successes to themselves. Is it modesty? Lack of know-how? An ingrained reluctance to toot your own horn? Whatever the reason, you can't afford to keep silent anymore, and the tools--FREE tools--are at your fingertips to talk about what you do, why it's important and why people should care about you, your product and what's involved in creating it. Case in point? You're reading it.

Now, more than ever before, people are interested in where their food and other products come from. Who grows it? Makes it? What is it like living on a farm? (For some people that's like asking, "what's it like living on the moon?") Tell them. They'll never know, otherwise.

When you have something new going on at your operation, let someone in the news know. A great place to start is the Georgia Farm Bureau, which has a weekly television show, daily radio show and TWO magazines. If you don't live in Georgia, here's a tip--there's a Farm Bureau AND an extension office in every state. Help them tell your story--sometimes that just means letting them know you're here and you have something interesting going on. Other farm journals and websites abound--do a Google search and get started. Or, if you don't want to go to the trouble, call me. It's what I do. Either way, reach out. People don't understand what you do or how you do it. They don't come across agriculture every day. That makes you unique, and makes your story unique, too. Find someone and communicate with them--we're ready to listen.

at 7:40 AM

1 comment:

Carla Powell said...

I find your blog very informative and enjoy your sense of humor. I like logging on to your blog:-) Way to go, Margaret.

May 27, 2008 at 4:19 PM

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)