So God made a farmer...and I wrote a blog post.

As I type this Monday evening, I realize that last night's buzz over Dodge/Ram Trucks' "Farmer" Super Bowl commercial has continued on across blogs and social networks throughout the day. By now you are probably well-aware that the ad is part of their "Year of the Farmer" campaign, that Paul Harvey's narration was from a speech he delivered at the 1978 FFA Convention, and that his speech had been used previously in similar videos. So instead of rehashing what's already been written and said, let me give you my personal take.

My Twitter timeline started blowing up after the commercial aired during the second half of Super Bowl XLVII. I tweeted out a few related thoughts and was overwhelmed by the number of re-tweets, "favorites", and new followers they garnered me. Ditto that for my farm's Facebook page. What really made me smile, though, were the messages I received from people who told me they thought about me and my family when they saw the commercial. What a great feeling!

Thought of @gilmerdairy when I saw this. Best Super Bowl commercial. google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j…
— Phyllis Olive (@PhyllisOlive) February 4, 2013

As I've thought about this through the day, it's really driven home the point that I may really be the "Face of Farming" for some folks. Whether we've ever actually met or have only conversed via social media, their perception of modern agriculture is shaped at least in part by my willingness to share and discuss what happens on my family's dairy farm. That realization gives me both enthusiasm and a heightened sense of responsibility to continue doing what I love: farming and telling you about it!

If you are a farmer or rancher, there's a pretty good chance you've received similar feedback. You're the first person that comes to mind when someone thinks about agriculture, so stand up straight and proud and keep up the good work! And if you're one of the folks that took the time to acknowledge me, my family, or another farm family somewhere in the good ol' USA, thank YOU for deciding somewhere along the way to get to know us and listen to our stories. 

There's an old saying that "it takes all types", so God made a farmer.  I'm mighty proud He made me one, and I'm thankful you've given me the opportunity to tell you about it.