• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Cooking Up a Story

Cooking Up a Story

A Show about Food and Sustainable Farming

  • Written Contributors
    • Kathleen Bauer
    • Liz Crain
    • David Gumpert
    • Heather Jones
    • Mark Keating
    • Joe Miller
    • Joya Parsons
    • Lynn Torrance Redlin
    • Rebecca Thistlethwaite
    • TwoJunes
    • Nathan Winters
  • Videos
    • Stories
    • Interviews & Talks
    • Growing Food
    • DIY food
  • Recipes
  • About Us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use
    • Store Policies:
    • Contact Us
  • Instructional DVDs
  • Show Search
Hide Search
Home - Food News Wire - Who’s a ‘Real Farmer’?

Who’s a ‘Real Farmer’?

March 03, 2011 This question has popped up on occasion when trying to define certain subjects in the past such as ‘backyard gardening’ or ‘urban farming’. Is it farming or is it gardening? What defines the difference?

Representative Nancy Smith (Maine) is a farmer, in the traditional sense of the word, and she has something to say about this question. As a State Representative and one who has attended numerous agriculture-related conferences throughout the United States, she has heard her fair share of discourse on who is and who isn’t a farmer.

“For all that divides us, we farmers need to come together because we face common threats. Where do we draw the line between humane treatment of animals and animal rights? How do we stand up for best farming practices when neighbors in newly created subdivisions attempt to shut down well-established farms because the sights, smells, and sounds of agriculture offend them? Can we develop markets where we can earn a fair price for our products?

I have advocated for eight years in the legislature that farms are small businesses, and that if farmers don’t treat them that way, and if neighbors don’t see them that way, they are doomed to fail. It is a constant struggle and one that we don’t always win.”

Ultimately, says Smith, “Farmers spend too much time arguing about who qualifies to speak for agriculture. This doesn’t help anybody.”

Go to original post.

By:
Curated Content
Published on:
March 3, 2011

Categories: Food News Wire, the Blog

Primary Sidebar

Advertisement

Flower Farmer, Dori Clay Sculpture - Rebecca Gerendasy Clay - Art
Flower Farmer, Dori -clay sculpture
Rebecca Gerendasy Clay - Art

Footer

Copyright ©2025 Potter Productions. All Rights Reserved.

Cooking Up a Story Logo
"Bringing the people behind our food to life"

A 10-year exploration of our food system through original videos, and written posts by CUPS contributors. Explore our Stories, Interviews, DIY Food, Recipes, Growing Food categories as experts and passionate foodies share their first-hand knowledge of food and sustainable farming.