Kelli Reichert | Lindenlink Reporter

*Photo courtesy of www.channels.com*

Everyone knows that the Super Bowl was this last Sunday. But why were you watching? Was it the rivalry between the Baltimore Ravens and the San Francisco 49er’s, Beyoncé’s show-stopping performance or were you only watching the game for the commercials?

I come from a significantly smaller town than St. Charles. The population sign that sits right on our city limits reads 858. I graduated with only 15 people in my class and over half of us grew up on farms. Once the Dodge Ram commercial aired, my Facebook news feed instantly blew up with posts about how “God made a farmer”. Posts continued: “It’s about time someone talked about us!” along with “Farmers are the backbone of America!”

Farmers are often overlooked for the services they provide. If you honestly think about it- agriculture is everywhere. Because of farmers, we are able to enjoy the luxury of fruits, vegetables and more importantly for the people where I grew up, beef.

My father is a farmer, his father was a farmer and for generations it has always been the same. Back home, we aren’t afraid to put on our mud boots, carry a bucket of feed or start up a tractor. That’s life and it’s what we do best.

Being a farmer may seem like an easy way out: no college to pay for, no boss telling you what to do, no set hours to work- but let’s really think about that.

Farming is not a hobby. And although they don’t need to attend a class about Harvesting 101, they do have to know what they’re doing. Just like any job today, farmers also have to know and be well-equipped with the latest technology. It’s also true that farmers wouldn’t have to graduate with a significant amount of college debt. But then again, a farmer doesn’t have a fixed salary or hourly wage to fall back on. Most farmers in Missouri rely on cattle sales or the fall harvest to reach a yearly income, but unfortunately the price of corn, beans, wheat and the price of cows, pigs and horses are not guaranteed. Farmers can hit rock bottom in a matter of no time with the frequent fluctuating prices and demands.

Because farmers are typically considered entrepreneurs, it is also safe to say that they do not have a boss. They don’t have anyone telling them to get to work on time. But the truth is, farmers can’t call in when they feel a cold coming on. When it’s five below zero, a farmer can’t sit inside and watch his favorite TV show. A farmer has to be up early to feed their livestock. They have to stay out late driving a combine to finish harvesting a corn field. And, there are even nights when a farmer has to leave his bed in the middle of the night to check on a newborn calf that came into this world in below freezing temperatures. So no, farmers don’t have set hours or someone bossing them around, but they have to work hard to keep their career’s going.

My opinion?

The Dodge Ram advertisement should be among the best commercials for Super Bowl XLVII. Paul Harvey couldn’t have delivered that message any better. The narration of the commercial perfectly portrayed several ways that a farmer is need in this world. Almost anyone could understand what it’s like to be a farmer, or like me, a farmer’s daughter. I’d just like to say thank you to Dodge Ram, and more importantly, thank you to all farmers from every state across America.