"Agriculture is a man’s world”—and other Farming Myths

Artist extraordinaire James Grasdal is putting the finishing touches on the 13^th book in the Superman Duffy comic series— MYTHCONCEPTIONS. Which, you may have guessed has a little something to do with common “myths.” 

I love myths! So for this year’s A to Z Blogging Challenge, I’m going to “bust” as many of them as I can—every day (except Sundays) on the blog, throughout April.

Not familiar with the A to Z Challenge? Get the details here, and then hang on, because I’m about to blow your mind with my myth-inspired posts. 

P.S. Comment on the blogs throughout the month for a chance to WIN a complete set of the Superman Duffy comics, including lucky #13, MYTHCONCEPTIONS.

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“Agriculture is a man’s world!”

Ha. I hear this myth a lot from people who don’t really understand the agriculture industry. But anyone who knows my grandma knows that farming is definitely not just a “man’s” world.

Sure, my grandma spends time in the kitchen—nobody whips up a batch of delicious MONSTER COOKIES like Grandma (the recipe is in the Superman Duffy comic TASTING MY STORY)—but not only does my grandma know how to work all of the machinery on my grandparents’ canola farm, she also has studied chemistry, and graduated from an accounting program. (That’s not even counting her hands-on experience!)

But just like any business, my grandparents split up their roles, so no one person is doing too much. I have no doubt Grandma could run a combine if she had to. I’m not so sure how Grandpa would fare in the kitchen, though! <grin> 

Okay, so we’ve busted that farming myth, but here are a few others that might surprise you:

MYTH: Organic means better.

FACT: Nope. When it comes to nutrition and safety, food is food. Organic farmers may have different rules, but all producers have the same goal—to produce safe, quality products while caring for the land. And contrary to popular myth, organic farmers still use pest and weed management methods (including the use of specific pesticides) to keep their crops safe.

MYTH: Agriculture is a large contributor to greenhouse gases.

FACT: Innovation is busting this myth all on it’s own! The majority of farmers now practice no-till farming, which means that this year’s crop is planted in last year’s straw. This minimizes soil disturbance preventing erosion, and reduces the amount of fuel required to grow a crop. Plus, as machinery continues to improve, fuel efficiency goes up and emissions go down. That’s good news for everyone.

MYTH: Farmers are just in it for the money.

FACT: Not so! Most farms are passed down from generation to generation—and most farmers continue to farm because they love the lifestyle (all that country fresh air! And the quiet from  light and noise pollution). And most farmers take pride in managing their farms to protect the soil and the environment so that, should a child/grandchild wish to retain the family name. That’s why my grandparents keep farming too.

MYTH: There are no jobs in agriculture.

FACT: Total myth. Without even thinking too hard, I can list off a number of farming-inspired jobs—agronomists, vets, mechanics, tradesmen, marketers and transportation professionals, to start. But don’t take my word for it—watch for the 14^th Superman Duffy comic this year—it’s all about careers in agriculture.

MYTH: Most farms are owned by corporations.

FACT: Nope. Like I said earlier, most are family-owned, passed down through generations of farmers. There are good farms and bad farms, just like there are good businesses and not-so-great businesses—size has nothing to do with it.

MYTH: Farmers aren’t concerned about the environment.

FACT: Absolute hogwash. Farmers rely on the environment to help grow healthy crops, and are always looking for non-invasive or more efficient tools to produce your food.

Okay, I know, we’re just scraping the surface here, but I’ve gotta jet—there are thousands of blogs to visit during the A to Z Challenge, and I still have to prepare my “B” post where I’m going to bust some myths about….BUGS!

~ Chase Superman Duffy

P.S. Don’t forget to comment on this post, or share it on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram for a chance to WIN a complete set of theSuperman Duffy comics. A grand prize winner will be chosen at random on May 1, 2016.