Storytelling has played a role in most of our lives in one way or another, whether it was listening to a grandparent recount “the good old days” when you were a child, or you telling your children bedtime stories. Stories do more than help shape our lives, they help us learn and spread knowledge in a way that only first hand accounts can.
A post I recently read discussed the importance of stories, and how social media can be an excellent vehicle to communicate your message. People involved in agriculture- farmers, dealers, ag businesses, consumers, and anyone in between, has the opportunity, and in many ways, the obligation to tell the story of agriculture.
My recent trip to the Farm Science Review, gave me the opportunity to meet people and hear their stories. I heard stories of struggles. I heard stories of success and opportunity. I saw the promise in the faces of young farmers just beginning. I saw people, all unique and different, come together because of a common interest. While their stories were compelling and interesting, I would have never had the opportunity to hear them if I hadn’t been there where they were. Unfortunately, there will be people who never hear agriculture’s story, unless we bring it to them.
Social media is a far reaching entity that can bridge the gap between agriculture and the rest of the world. Those involved in agriculture, at any level, have knowledge to spread. By using social media, the reach and scope of that message can become much larger. For example, some of our Twitter followers and Facebook friends do not have a background in, or a great deal of knowledge about ag. However, they follow our updates and read our status, which exposes them to information they may have never seen before. And maybe, just maybe, they might find it interesting enough to pass on.
Not everyone is going to “get” social media. Not everyone is going to care about what went on at your family dairy farm this morning. Not everyone is going to care when a hail storm devastates your entire crop. Not everyone is going to care about the view from your tractor cab during harvest. However, some people will. Each tweet, blog post, Facebook status, etc. is an opportunity to educate, inform, and tell your story.
Social media can seem like a lot to take on, but it doesn’t have to be a major undertaking. Start small- join one social network at a time and see which one works best for you. Don’t be afraid to try new things, like uploading a video or doing a short podcast. User generated multimedia doesn’t have to be professional quality, just have fun with it.
Everyone has a story. Some choose to tell their stories to anyone that will listen, and others choose to remain in the background, story untold. Agriculture’s story needs to be told… and it is up to each on of us to make sure the correct story is told. Ag faces some pretty tough critics that are more than willing to misconstrue and fabricate a story that furthers their agenda. Don’t allow those people to be the storytellers. You know the story, you be the storyteller.
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[...] This week’s farm t-shirt was too good to pass up. Even though most of you actually are farmers, and actually are outstanding in your fields, you could still wear this one. It may even spark a conversation, and give you an opportunity to spread agriculture’s message. [...]