Yesterday was National Ag Day, and as a farmer’s wife and dietitian, I thought it would be fitting to discuss the benefits we receive daily from our friends in agriculture! Many don’t think about where our food comes from or the effort it takes to put it on our tables. I myself didn’t have much of this knowledge or concept until I started learning more about South Dakota’s #1 industry from my husband Adam in college. There truly is an art and science to farming, raising cattle, and livestock. This includes planting techniques, seed technology, keeping the plants growing to produce a bountiful harvest, harvest timing, and the markets (selling the product). Successful farmers today truly have to have a vast knowledge of agriculture, animal science, and ag business.
A few fun facts for you about agriculture in South Dakota include:
- 8% of farms in South Dakota are family owned and operated – in fact, over 2,500 South Dakota farms have been in the same family for more than 100 years.
- The average size of a farm in South Dakota is 1,374 acres.
- The average age of a South Dakota farmer is 55.7 years.
- There are 46,000 producers in South Dakota on 31,800 farms.
- Each year, one South Dakota producer raises enough food to feed 155 people in the U.S. and abroad.
- http://sdda.sd.gov/education-outreach/agriculture-industry/
Producing the food that you put on your table, truly is a labor of love and hard work, so in celebration of ag day, I encourage you to thank our local farmers and ranchers for helping put that delicious food on your table….they deserve it!
Here are a few pictures from our life on the farm.
Loading corn to take to the elevator.
The “nursery” during last year’s calving season (notice no snow!).
Proof farmers can clean up and look nice! 🙂
-Kelsey
