When I chose to attend Oklahoma State University I knew I would get to know a lot more about agriculture. Oklahoma State is a school known for agriculture and I know plenty of people majoring in it. What I didn't know, however, is just how much I would learn about the agricultural world...
...until I started dating a farmer.
Yes, you read that correctly. I am dating a farmer. Let me tell you, it has been interesting nonetheless. I have spent the past year and a half being immersed in this world and I have learned more than I ever thought possible.
The first thing you should know about dating a farmer is that they work constantly. I mean constantly. They work long hours, they work hard, and they don't quit until the job is finished.
The next thing you should know is that farmers are constantly checking the weather to see if their is a possibility of rain. This goes beyond checking the weekly forecast, and goes as far into looking at the totals for the year and calculating how much we still need to stay out of a drought. Oh, and also get ready to party when there's a flood. #makeitrain.
Most importantly, I think I should say that farmers are incredibly intelligent. They have to be their own handyman, plumber, financial advisor, marketing team, innovator, and salesman, all while keeping up with the farm. It should take a team to pull all of this off, but there's no team available. Just the farmer. How amazing is that?
Next, farmers are constantly checking commodity prices. Truthfully, I had no idea what this was until we started dating. Beef prices go up? Hallelujah! Thank you, Jesus! Beef prices go down? BLAME THE GOVERNMENT! BLASPHEMY! Apparently, this is actually a pretty big deal, and goes way beyond the price of your food in a grocery store.
Also, get ready to love and encourage the use of GMOs, even if you hate them now. You're never eating at Chipotle again because of their stance regarding them (and Subway too, but I still eat there because I like it) and you're going to be happy about it. That's all I can say without causing a riot. But trust me.
Farming goes beyond a man holding a pitchfork, a red barn, and a white picket fence. It's much more sophisticated than that, especially with modern technology. Contrary to popular belief, farmers are not stuck in the 1800s. It's not all cattle drives. In fact, thanks to GPS technology, my boyfriend's family owns a tractor that can basically drive itself. So magic is real?
Finally, I think farmers have got to be the most generous people in the world. Before being exposed to this world, I never realized how nice everyone was, but they have all welcomed me with open arms. I have seen more people quite literally give others the shirt off their backs and be happy about it than anywhere else in my life. This generosity is my favorite thing about the agricultural industry and I'm so happy I've gotten to experience it.
If there's one thing I've learned it's to thank a farmer three times a day.
P.S. Get ready to see a lot of cute animals too!
