Recently, I attended a Young Farmers and Ranchers meeting in Camden, South Carolina, hosted by Samantha Gumm and the South Carolina Farm Bureau. The guest speaker was Cody Simpson, State Executive Director of the USDA Farm Service Agency in South Carolina.
I had the chance to talk with both Samantha and Cody about their upbringings and how vital farming was to their families and their sense of identity. This wasn’t just a job or a talking point for them. Farming shaped who they are. You could feel it in the way they spoke.
What really stuck with me, though, were the students in the room. They were paying attention. Listening closely. And as Cody shared his story, I had one of those internal conversations.
I said, “Self?”
Because, you know, sometimes we talk to ourselves.
I said, “Self… we need more people here.”
Especially young people.
Because I’m increasingly convinced that many of my students believe food comes from a small building where people in funny hats hand you a bag about 30 seconds after you ask for it. No dirt. No rain. No sunshine. Just a 12-count nugget and some lemonade.
I actually ask my high school students this. I’ll say, “All right, guys… where do you think the ingredients in your meal come from?”
One student thought about it for a second and said, “Uh… I don’t know. The truck that delivers it, I guess.”
So basically… Amazon?
Side note for the reader. Totally random side note. I ordered a chicken and an egg from Amazon. So I’ll let you know…
Get it? Which came first?! Get it? you get it.
OK, we’re back.
People need to know where their food comes from. Even more than that, they need to understand that this land is their land. Somebody has to protect it. The last time I checked, they’re not making any more land. I mean, the president is trying to—how do I say this—acquire more “green” land… but other than that, I don’t think God is dropping fresh dirt anytime soon.
So protecting what we have matters.
That means cultivating land responsibly so we can eat food and drink clean water (kind of a necessity for us human beings). I can feel the tension between protecting the land and still being innovative and productive so we can make money.
The good news is, I believe we can do both.
So let’s protect this house together.
And if you’re wondering what this looks like in real life, not just in theory, look at the work being done by people like Samantha Gumm. Through her involvement with the South Carolina Farm Bureau, she helps connect families and communities back to where their food actually comes from. One great example is the HomePlace initiative, which supports local growers, farmers’ markets, and food access across the state.
If you visit myhomeplace.scfb.org, mention Samantha Gumm as your reference.
Because a more informed public and a more unified community make for a stronger nation and a more effective government.
Together, we can.
Kenny Robertson, an educator and comedian, is a native of Ridgeway.