I have a problem.

My name is Laura, and I think I'm a farm snob.

Yes, it's true. I am fiercely proud of the fact that I grew up on a farm. I've noticed it more and more over the last couple of years, and it doesn't show signs of diminishing. I think it may be akin to the sense of connection and pride that people from different ethic backgrounds feel. Farmers are a minority in the United States, and yet are vital to its economy. I'm proud of that almost to the point of being arrogant.

On a personal level, it amazes me that when my parents came back from my dad's stint in the Air Force, they bought 13 cows and had to purchase the 100-year-old farmhouse and the home acreage from my granddad. They didn't inherit a thing. They had both graduated from university, my dad started practicing with a local vet, and my mom taught school. Mom was from a city, and had never even seen anything born! From that small beginning, they have scratched and scraped, and put together an enviable herd of cattle (Yep, I've heard the talk around town. It's true.), a solid set of farm implements and equipment, and an incredible amount of land.

And what burns me to my very innards, is that some people still feel justified in thinking farmers aren't very smart. They just imagine that that Grade A Black Angus steak on their plate just happened by accident. Or, even more disappointingly, they don't think about where it came from or what had to go into it at all. What I wish they could realize is the sheer volume of not just peripheral, but expert-level knowledge, that a farmer has to have to be successful. Speaking just from my experience (I can't even begin to guess at what other specialties a crop farmer has), 'just' being in the cow/calf, hog and sheep businesses, these subjects are in my family's realm of expertise:

- genetics and breeding
- commodity markets
- animal nutrition, health and pharmacology
- diesel (and other) mechanics
- veterinary (dad) and vet tech (the rest of the fam)
- construction, plumbing, electrical, welding
- business and accounting
- asset and money management
- governmental bills, programs, applications and deadlines
- and a million other things I'm forgetting right now.

Just because farmers are one of the smallest minority groups in the United States, doesn't mean they're a lesser group. Just because farmers may talk a little slow, doesn't mean they're gray-cell deficient. Just because farmers drive old trucks and wear jeans with holes in them, doesn't mean they don't have the means to buy new ones. Operating a successful farm takes ambition, sweat, muscle, a high pain threshold, smarts, talent, a sense of humor, courage, gumption ... and pride. If you don't have these things, you won't be farming for long.

In thinking about it though, I guess I can live with the less-than-brilliant reputation. It's all worth it when I hear of someone buying a cured ham for $80 when I know you can almost buy an entire pig for that much. It's all worth it when I hear of someone paying $200 for a steak dinner when I know you can almost buy a quarter of a beef for that.

And it's the farmer who's not very smart? :)