Farmers have a long history

Pictured above: Map of ancient Mesopotamia
and its physical characteristics.
The rich soil in-between the Tigris and Euphrates
rivers provided ideal circumstances for ancient farmers.

Last week's blog post about GMO's  (genetically modified organisms) was written to inform people, with the example of golden rice, that there is no need to be concerned. GMO's pose many great health benefits. It is the idea of something modified that makes people uneasy. Modern day techniques in agriculture are much different than what the people of ancient Mesopotamia used. In fact research shows that people were farming 11,700 years ago.
GMO history is relevant to the argument of whether we should be eating "organic/all natural" food or genetically modified organisms. Believe it or not, as those farmers were domesticating plants and animals in ancient Mesopotamia, they were modifying the agriculture that helped them survive. 

Pictured above: Ancient art depicting herdsman and cattle
in northern Africa. 

Humans were gatherers before they were farmers. At some point, humans concentrated on specific traits of plants and animals they relied on for food. At that point, these traits were bred with other organisms with the same specific traits, tailoring to the needs of the ancient farmers and their families. In other words, even the "organic all natural food" has been changed dramatically from the organism it originally was. 

Pictured above: Modern John Deer combine
used for harvesting grain. Depending on when grain
is planted, it is harvested anywhere
 from May to September.

All human progression; whether it is agriculture, technology, or medicine has been relatively slow up until the last two centuries or so. In the 1900's  European plant scientists begin using Gregor Mendel's genetic theory to manipulate and improve plant species. This is called "classic selection." A plant of one variety is crossed with a related plant to produce desired characteristics. Progression of all types has accelerated from that time period, especially agriculture. 
Methods in modern agriculture have never been better. We can contribute much of the progression in agriculture to GMO's. It is not a new and untested thing, it is a science that is being perfected; and it started thousands of years ago. 

Who has the louder voice?

A major purpose in which people advocate and educate on the behalf of agriculture is because there are many people who are misinformed on the subject. In the last blog post I talked about how good I had it; in regards to the opportunity of having a background and knowledge of agriculture. As I left home and spent time in bigger cities and even out side of the country, I realized that many people are against agricultural practices that we use today.
One of the most controversial subjects in modern agriculture is the subject of GMO's (genetically modified organisms). People don't like the idea of their food being modified or changed. Trends of "organic" and "all natural" food are becoming more and more popular. I don't blame people for eating healthy food instead of processed food, although they need to understand some important facts about the food they are eating.

Pictured above: Physical differences are shown between traditional
 rice and "Golden Rice" at the International Rice Research Institute in the Philippines.
The GMO contains vitamin A to prevent deficiencies
 such as blindness in children in third world countries.
Photo by: Erik De Castro / Reuters

GMO's have DNA that is genetically altered so that they can be more efficient and beneficial for us. For example, products such as rice are used as a staple food throughout the world. Unfortunately, rice is not high in nutritional value, yet it is eaten almost every day in some cultures and areas of the world. Often, these people who use rice as a staple food live in third world or developing countries. They do not have access to other types of food that give them the nutrition that they need. A product was developed called "Golden Rice" to help solve the problem of vitamin A deficiency that some countries face. Health benefits from golden rice and other GMO's could help solve the problem of world hunger.
This topic of discussion has been one sided for too long. It is important that this side of the story is told. When people come to the knowledge of the benefits of modern agricultural practices, we can continue to go forward.

I didn't know how good I had it

Pictured above: Yearling heifers of Teichert Brothers LLC in Cokeville, Wy grazing on a fall morning.

My life on our family ranch consists of: waking up early in the morning to feed animals, branding, cattle, riding horses to actually herd the animals, pounding miles of steel posts to build a fence in the hot summer sun, and other various jobs. 

Pictured above: "Missy" making sure the calves eat their breakfast. 

Most of the world and many people in America think that ranchers and farmers are a thing of the past, or something  you see in movies.  In fact, in an article about the average age of farmers rising every year, we learn that fewer and fewer people choose agriculture as an occupation. Working with agriculture is not easy work, but it is fulfilling for ranchers and farmers. It is a necessary occupation for your family to have dinner on the table. 

I grew up working on a cattle ranch, so it was normal to me. Now that I have left home, spent time in other countries, and now studying at Utah State University, I have seen people who fit the description described earlier. Farmers and ranchers are not just people seen in "Westerns," they are real people that provide food for America. 

Pictured above: A purebred Red Angus bull warms himself in the sunrise on a brisk morning. 

How many citizens of America get to see first hand where their food comes from? Being able to grow up with that lifestyle and experience the process of providing America its beef, is something unique and special. America needs to know that we take pride in what we do. Often, we go to the grocery store buy our food, and we never think twice about where it came from or the hard work it took to get it there for you and your family. It is important to know these small but significant details, we have it good here in America. Farmers and ranchers care about the food grown for you.

Your Health is One of the Greatest Investments You Can Make

Pictured above: I cooked one of my favorite meals on a Sunday evening as a student at Utah State University. The grilled steak, from my family's Wyoming cattle ranch the steamed corn, and fresh vegetables from my grandparents' garden in Idaho are prepared in one of the healthiest ways possible. 

When you look on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and many other places for information you find thousands of recipes. You may even watch an instruction video or write down a recipe, but it isn't often that we actually end up trying out that new recipe. What is holding us back? Does it look too hard or time consuming? Are the ingredients expensive or hard to come by? Or maybe you could be on a diet. Whatever the cause may be there are many things to consider and there are some investments to be made. 

I love food so much and have grown up eating really well. Not only does it taste good but it is healthy as well. Sacrifices are necessary to consider when buying ingredients for healthy and tasty food. 

• Cost: Most people cannot afford to eat a prime rib often. In fact many of the people who are following the new trends of fitness are college age kids, young couples, and families. Whatever the situation may be, the financial aspect is always on our minds. 
• Location: The large chain stores in America tend to have a monopoly, giving them a lot of control. These stores sometimes sell products of agriculture that are less than good quality. Large chains are often found in convenient locations, so don't have to travel. 
• Time: Many of us are going to school, working, or dealing with kids. It is so easy to buy frozen meals, processed food, and fast food that are quick, easy and less time consuming. 

When it comes to achieving or receiving anything great, it often comes with some sacrifice. As a college student, I told myself that I would never eat Raman Noodles because I was short on money. That called for a sacrifice of eating out often, shopping, and road trips. 

The farmer's market may be a bit out of our way, but the quality of the products sold there can make small but significant differences. 

Once again as a college student, time is a precious resource. Sacrificing time to make quality meals has made a difference in many aspects of my life. I have not seen these differences all at once but in small increments. I am able to wake up without being tired, I have more energy during the day, I feel better, and I look better. 

It is hard to make some of these sacrifices, but I can guarantee that it will be worth it! One's health is one of the greatest investments that can be made.