1 00:00:04,280 --> 00:00:07,400 Speaker 1: Hey, this is Annie and Samantha and welcome to stuff 2 00:00:07,440 --> 00:00:09,880 Speaker 1: I've never told reproduction of iHeart Radios? How stuff? First? 3 00:00:19,160 --> 00:00:20,800 Speaker 1: Did you do not like my rendition of that one? 4 00:00:21,000 --> 00:00:23,079 Speaker 1: Was that supposed to be hay go off my outcast? 5 00:00:23,160 --> 00:00:29,880 Speaker 1: Maybe a little fly? It was an interesting bake. I 6 00:00:30,000 --> 00:00:33,960 Speaker 1: have just spent four days in Dothan, Alabama, which hilariously 7 00:00:35,200 --> 00:00:38,720 Speaker 1: randomly is where my mom is from. So I used 8 00:00:38,720 --> 00:00:40,240 Speaker 1: to go there two to three times a year until 9 00:00:40,240 --> 00:00:42,879 Speaker 1: I was fourteen or fifteen, for you know, holidays and 10 00:00:42,920 --> 00:00:45,360 Speaker 1: stuff to visit my grandparents and my aunts and uncles. 11 00:00:45,920 --> 00:00:49,839 Speaker 1: But this was for a peanut conference, right, I mean 12 00:00:49,920 --> 00:00:51,720 Speaker 1: my peanut butter before you leave. By the way, I 13 00:00:51,720 --> 00:00:54,720 Speaker 1: have cases of it, gifted es with cases. They're very nice. 14 00:00:54,840 --> 00:00:59,560 Speaker 1: But anyway, the classic we're bringing to you today is 15 00:00:59,600 --> 00:01:04,920 Speaker 1: about farmers and specifically women, right, farmers and um, this 16 00:01:04,959 --> 00:01:08,120 Speaker 1: is something I learned a lot about at this peanut conference. 17 00:01:08,880 --> 00:01:11,319 Speaker 1: I could tell you so much about peanuts. I've learned 18 00:01:11,480 --> 00:01:15,000 Speaker 1: so much. I guess you're not allergic to it. Oh no, 19 00:01:15,400 --> 00:01:18,600 Speaker 1: Buttter is probably my favorite food. It's also my dog's 20 00:01:18,640 --> 00:01:20,920 Speaker 1: favorite foods. So there you go. Yeah, I feel like 21 00:01:21,120 --> 00:01:23,760 Speaker 1: for those of us Um, I don't know. Did you 22 00:01:23,800 --> 00:01:26,759 Speaker 1: ever have any experience farming? I grew up in La j, Georgia, 23 00:01:27,200 --> 00:01:29,800 Speaker 1: which does have farming, so it was poultry and a 24 00:01:29,800 --> 00:01:32,240 Speaker 1: lot more beef, so we had cow farms as well 25 00:01:32,360 --> 00:01:35,199 Speaker 1: as a lot of chicken farms, so not so much 26 00:01:36,040 --> 00:01:38,240 Speaker 1: like garden gardens. We don't have too much of that, 27 00:01:38,280 --> 00:01:41,280 Speaker 1: although I did live around a lot of orchards because 28 00:01:41,319 --> 00:01:45,000 Speaker 1: we are the apple capital of Georgia, not the US 29 00:01:45,200 --> 00:01:48,560 Speaker 1: of Georgia, so I did grow up a lot around that, 30 00:01:48,640 --> 00:01:50,840 Speaker 1: but not technically. I don't think I'm new too many 31 00:01:50,880 --> 00:01:58,320 Speaker 1: farmer farmers outright, like vegetable farmers. Sure, I didn't have 32 00:01:58,400 --> 00:02:00,760 Speaker 1: much experience with it. My school did have a four 33 00:02:00,800 --> 00:02:03,480 Speaker 1: each branch. Oh yeah, we did, to my elementary school 34 00:02:03,480 --> 00:02:05,920 Speaker 1: and middle school. But we also had a big f 35 00:02:05,920 --> 00:02:10,200 Speaker 1: a yeah brand Future Farmers of America. Yeah, so okay, 36 00:02:10,240 --> 00:02:15,480 Speaker 1: I guess that's the same thing. And I it's something 37 00:02:15,480 --> 00:02:18,880 Speaker 1: that I'm really passionate about because as as most of 38 00:02:18,880 --> 00:02:22,280 Speaker 1: you probably know, I do show on food podcast on 39 00:02:22,440 --> 00:02:25,040 Speaker 1: food called Savor, and I had the show without me. 40 00:02:25,400 --> 00:02:28,799 Speaker 1: Oh no, how dare you? It's just finding out now, um, 41 00:02:29,200 --> 00:02:31,520 Speaker 1: but being aware of where our food comes from and 42 00:02:31,520 --> 00:02:33,959 Speaker 1: the people behind that food and how did it get 43 00:02:34,000 --> 00:02:37,920 Speaker 1: to where you are, and appreciating the labor behind it 44 00:02:37,960 --> 00:02:40,359 Speaker 1: because and I think we are moving more towards that. 45 00:02:40,680 --> 00:02:43,240 Speaker 1: But for a while, we were very separate, at least 46 00:02:43,240 --> 00:02:46,720 Speaker 1: here in America from our food. It was just something 47 00:02:46,760 --> 00:02:49,079 Speaker 1: a commodity and you didn't think about. All you really 48 00:02:49,160 --> 00:02:51,360 Speaker 1: cared about was how much it costs. And I was 49 00:02:51,400 --> 00:02:55,040 Speaker 1: in that too, But on this trip I felt I 50 00:02:55,120 --> 00:02:58,000 Speaker 1: was really happy to be able to talk with farmers 51 00:02:58,200 --> 00:03:01,440 Speaker 1: UM and here from them and right now we're in 52 00:03:01,440 --> 00:03:04,320 Speaker 1: the middle of a pretty serious drought in Georgia most 53 00:03:04,320 --> 00:03:09,480 Speaker 1: of the South and just to see how it impacts everybody, 54 00:03:09,520 --> 00:03:13,640 Speaker 1: and UM, just hearing from them firsthand. And also a 55 00:03:13,639 --> 00:03:16,840 Speaker 1: lot of the people I spoke to UM, some of 56 00:03:16,840 --> 00:03:21,359 Speaker 1: them women actually, mostly the Women Love podcast which they 57 00:03:21,400 --> 00:03:25,240 Speaker 1: listen while they're doing things around the farm. Yeah, so 58 00:03:26,400 --> 00:03:29,040 Speaker 1: all of that being said, I thought we would bring 59 00:03:29,080 --> 00:03:33,600 Speaker 1: back this classic episode for you on female farmers, So 60 00:03:33,840 --> 00:03:40,080 Speaker 1: I hope you enjoy. Welcome to Stuff Mob Never Told 61 00:03:40,120 --> 00:03:47,960 Speaker 1: You from how stupp Works dot com. Hello, and welcome 62 00:03:48,000 --> 00:03:50,760 Speaker 1: to the podcast. I'm Kristen and I'm Caroline, and this 63 00:03:50,800 --> 00:03:55,280 Speaker 1: week we're talking about women and agriculture, and today we're 64 00:03:55,320 --> 00:04:01,960 Speaker 1: focusing on farming and Caroline. This episode made me a 65 00:04:02,000 --> 00:04:07,240 Speaker 1: little bit jealous because I do not have a green thumb. No, 66 00:04:07,600 --> 00:04:10,760 Speaker 1: I I am at once accepting of the fact that 67 00:04:10,800 --> 00:04:13,680 Speaker 1: I have a brown or a black thumb, and in 68 00:04:13,760 --> 00:04:17,840 Speaker 1: denial because I understand that I have in fact killed 69 00:04:17,920 --> 00:04:23,119 Speaker 1: bamboo before i've killed a cactus. But on the other hand, 70 00:04:23,839 --> 00:04:27,400 Speaker 1: I am still ever optimistic. I purchased a whole bunch 71 00:04:27,400 --> 00:04:30,000 Speaker 1: of plants now that it's spring and it's warm and 72 00:04:30,080 --> 00:04:32,760 Speaker 1: like tropical in Atlanta. Already, I've purchased a bunch of 73 00:04:32,800 --> 00:04:35,720 Speaker 1: plants to keep at my boyfriend's house because I have 74 00:04:35,800 --> 00:04:39,760 Speaker 1: no yard. Um, and I am convinced that this year, Kristen, 75 00:04:40,279 --> 00:04:45,000 Speaker 1: this is the year that I'm going to keep them alive. Well, 76 00:04:45,040 --> 00:04:48,000 Speaker 1: I'll be rooting for you. I like, I'll be rooting 77 00:04:48,040 --> 00:04:50,719 Speaker 1: for the plants you as well, but but more the plants, Caroline, 78 00:04:50,760 --> 00:04:55,520 Speaker 1: I get it, rooting, rooting an intentional gardening. Pun didn't 79 00:04:55,520 --> 00:04:57,320 Speaker 1: even mean to make that happen. We're off to a 80 00:04:57,320 --> 00:05:00,960 Speaker 1: good story. Yeah, um, Well, I can't imagine, for one, 81 00:05:01,200 --> 00:05:04,120 Speaker 1: keeping a plant in a pot alive, but to keep 82 00:05:04,600 --> 00:05:08,599 Speaker 1: entire fields of plants alive is mind boggling to me 83 00:05:08,720 --> 00:05:11,880 Speaker 1: on a personal level. And when it comes to women 84 00:05:11,880 --> 00:05:15,960 Speaker 1: in farming, though, this is a really exciting time to 85 00:05:16,080 --> 00:05:19,640 Speaker 1: be a woman working the land because women have been 86 00:05:19,680 --> 00:05:23,520 Speaker 1: farming as long as men have been farming, really, But 87 00:05:24,360 --> 00:05:28,200 Speaker 1: in recent years there's been a lot more attention paid 88 00:05:28,640 --> 00:05:32,800 Speaker 1: to the role of women in agriculture. Yeah, we've got 89 00:05:32,839 --> 00:05:35,479 Speaker 1: this thing that is referred to across a whole bunch 90 00:05:35,520 --> 00:05:38,920 Speaker 1: of sources called the grass ceiling, that women are finally 91 00:05:39,000 --> 00:05:41,960 Speaker 1: cracking the grass ceiling, or I guess putting a shovel 92 00:05:42,000 --> 00:05:44,880 Speaker 1: in it. Yeah, we're getting out our lady lawnmowers and 93 00:05:45,520 --> 00:05:49,000 Speaker 1: mow it. Now, that's right, that's right, um. But a 94 00:05:49,000 --> 00:05:53,920 Speaker 1: lot of focus traditionally has been on women's role on 95 00:05:53,960 --> 00:05:57,520 Speaker 1: the farm being one of support. She's the supporting actress. 96 00:05:57,600 --> 00:06:01,040 Speaker 1: So she's at home at the farm. How she's cooking dinner, 97 00:06:01,560 --> 00:06:03,839 Speaker 1: she's paying the bill, she's making sure all of the 98 00:06:03,880 --> 00:06:07,560 Speaker 1: homestead stuff is taken care of while her cowboy farmer 99 00:06:07,720 --> 00:06:11,920 Speaker 1: husband is out on the tractor farming the fields. But 100 00:06:12,279 --> 00:06:16,400 Speaker 1: as we'll get into, women have so much more of 101 00:06:16,440 --> 00:06:18,800 Speaker 1: a role than just that. Then, not that there's anything 102 00:06:18,839 --> 00:06:20,719 Speaker 1: wrong with being at the homestead and cooking dinner and 103 00:06:20,760 --> 00:06:23,120 Speaker 1: all of that good stuff. But women do have an 104 00:06:23,120 --> 00:06:27,640 Speaker 1: incredibly active, rich, vital role out in the fields as well. Yeah, 105 00:06:27,680 --> 00:06:31,000 Speaker 1: no longer is the end all be all to become 106 00:06:31,080 --> 00:06:36,600 Speaker 1: a farmer's wife. Um and Barrett Brandt wrote about feminism 107 00:06:36,720 --> 00:06:39,440 Speaker 1: and the idea of the farmer's wife and the relationship 108 00:06:39,520 --> 00:06:44,080 Speaker 1: between farming women and feminism in a paper called on 109 00:06:44,120 --> 00:06:47,480 Speaker 1: the Relationship between Feminism and farm Women UH in the 110 00:06:47,560 --> 00:06:50,640 Speaker 1: journal Agriculture and Human Values, and she talks about how 111 00:06:51,080 --> 00:06:55,479 Speaker 1: in the nineteen eighties and nineties research on women farmers 112 00:06:55,560 --> 00:06:59,640 Speaker 1: consistently found those farming families, as you talked about, reflecting 113 00:07:00,000 --> 00:07:04,400 Speaker 1: these kinds of patriarchal power structures men as the landowners, 114 00:07:04,760 --> 00:07:08,680 Speaker 1: rendering women subordinate to them and in a lot of 115 00:07:08,720 --> 00:07:11,480 Speaker 1: ways even to the land. And I thought it was 116 00:07:11,600 --> 00:07:15,200 Speaker 1: interesting too that the f f A formerly known as 117 00:07:15,280 --> 00:07:20,080 Speaker 1: Future Farmers of America didn't even admit girls until nineteen 118 00:07:20,280 --> 00:07:24,000 Speaker 1: sixty nine, although, as reported on a couple of years ago, 119 00:07:24,080 --> 00:07:27,240 Speaker 1: in USA, today it's now made up a forty four 120 00:07:27,400 --> 00:07:33,560 Speaker 1: percent women compared to just women. So even when it 121 00:07:33,560 --> 00:07:36,800 Speaker 1: comes to youth and interest in farming, we're seeing a 122 00:07:36,880 --> 00:07:41,280 Speaker 1: growing interest among girls. But that's crazy to me that, 123 00:07:41,400 --> 00:07:43,760 Speaker 1: Like I I get the whole thing about attitudes about 124 00:07:43,760 --> 00:07:46,880 Speaker 1: women and not thinking that women are cut out for farming. 125 00:07:46,920 --> 00:07:50,400 Speaker 1: Like I understand that some of those attitudes existed and somehow, 126 00:07:50,480 --> 00:07:53,720 Speaker 1: you know, still do exist. But it's crazy to me 127 00:07:53,800 --> 00:07:57,200 Speaker 1: that in an organization called the Future Farmers of America, 128 00:07:57,280 --> 00:08:00,360 Speaker 1: they weren't even like, maybe we should let little girls 129 00:08:00,400 --> 00:08:03,480 Speaker 1: play well because they would be in the future farmer 130 00:08:03,600 --> 00:08:06,720 Speaker 1: Wives of America. Caroline, that's where the that's where the 131 00:08:06,720 --> 00:08:11,000 Speaker 1: girls would belong. I suppose under the old paradigm, I 132 00:08:11,040 --> 00:08:15,600 Speaker 1: should say, because as Helen Gunderson, who is a farmer 133 00:08:15,640 --> 00:08:19,120 Speaker 1: in northern Iowa told NPR not too long ago, quote, 134 00:08:19,160 --> 00:08:21,600 Speaker 1: girls could grow up to be farmers wives, but for 135 00:08:21,640 --> 00:08:25,560 Speaker 1: a woman to actually consider herself to be a farmer 136 00:08:26,160 --> 00:08:28,680 Speaker 1: or grow up to be a farmer, that wasn't in 137 00:08:28,720 --> 00:08:32,040 Speaker 1: the script. And she told n PR about how when 138 00:08:32,080 --> 00:08:35,439 Speaker 1: she was a young girl on her family farm, her 139 00:08:35,480 --> 00:08:38,080 Speaker 1: brothers were the ones who were being cultivated. I am 140 00:08:38,120 --> 00:08:40,880 Speaker 1: so sorry for all of these unintentional farming funds. By 141 00:08:40,920 --> 00:08:43,280 Speaker 1: the way, it's just gonna keep happening. They were being 142 00:08:43,280 --> 00:08:47,280 Speaker 1: cultivated for the later harvest of uh No, all of 143 00:08:47,320 --> 00:08:51,440 Speaker 1: her brothers were received all the attention from her dad 144 00:08:51,520 --> 00:08:54,240 Speaker 1: to make sure that they knew how to operate and 145 00:08:54,320 --> 00:08:57,320 Speaker 1: manage a farm from the more business side, whereas little 146 00:08:57,320 --> 00:08:59,320 Speaker 1: Helen was just suddenly, may you might grow up one 147 00:08:59,400 --> 00:09:01,000 Speaker 1: day and be a farmer's wife and you can live 148 00:09:01,040 --> 00:09:02,640 Speaker 1: off the land that way. Yeah. But she said that 149 00:09:02,679 --> 00:09:04,600 Speaker 1: when she talked to her dad about this, like, hey, dad, 150 00:09:04,640 --> 00:09:07,120 Speaker 1: you know years later when she came back and wanted 151 00:09:07,160 --> 00:09:09,240 Speaker 1: to be a farmer and wanted to have more of 152 00:09:09,280 --> 00:09:12,000 Speaker 1: a role out on the land, and she told her 153 00:09:12,000 --> 00:09:13,400 Speaker 1: to I was like, hey, you know, I really feel 154 00:09:13,440 --> 00:09:15,480 Speaker 1: like you put more of the focus on the boys. 155 00:09:15,520 --> 00:09:17,720 Speaker 1: Maybe is that a thing? And he was like, oh, yeah, yeah, 156 00:09:17,800 --> 00:09:21,079 Speaker 1: that sounds about right. So I mean, nobody's denying that 157 00:09:21,120 --> 00:09:23,760 Speaker 1: women were kind of being shuttled off into a different 158 00:09:23,760 --> 00:09:28,000 Speaker 1: direction the kitchen, but right exactly toward the kitchen or 159 00:09:28,040 --> 00:09:31,880 Speaker 1: the henhouse, right so to speak, or literally literally. And 160 00:09:31,880 --> 00:09:34,680 Speaker 1: that was also exemplified in a Super Bowl commercial a 161 00:09:34,720 --> 00:09:37,960 Speaker 1: couple of years ago which I remember, and the theme 162 00:09:38,160 --> 00:09:43,200 Speaker 1: was God Created a farmer, and it was this very uplifting, 163 00:09:43,440 --> 00:09:50,720 Speaker 1: beautifully shot commercial really celebrating the farmer, and as pointed 164 00:09:50,720 --> 00:09:54,000 Speaker 1: out in this USA Today article on the rise of 165 00:09:54,040 --> 00:09:57,440 Speaker 1: women in farming, almost all of the imagery in that 166 00:09:57,520 --> 00:10:00,600 Speaker 1: commercial was of men on tracked. There's men in the 167 00:10:00,640 --> 00:10:03,560 Speaker 1: pickup trucks, men on horseback. There were a couple of 168 00:10:03,559 --> 00:10:08,240 Speaker 1: women here and there, but overwhelmingly male farmers. Yeah, and 169 00:10:08,320 --> 00:10:11,960 Speaker 1: talking to USA Today Denis O'Brien, who has been farming 170 00:10:11,960 --> 00:10:15,120 Speaker 1: with her husband for just about forty years in Iowa, 171 00:10:15,600 --> 00:10:18,400 Speaker 1: so that, yeah, it's great that there's this tribute to 172 00:10:18,520 --> 00:10:22,080 Speaker 1: agriculture and that we still respect our farmers and we 173 00:10:22,160 --> 00:10:25,200 Speaker 1: want to pay tribute to them. But on the other hand, 174 00:10:25,240 --> 00:10:27,880 Speaker 1: she says, they're missing more than half the population that's 175 00:10:27,880 --> 00:10:30,560 Speaker 1: been involved with it. And so that's kind of what 176 00:10:30,600 --> 00:10:32,640 Speaker 1: we want to talk about today in this episode. We 177 00:10:32,720 --> 00:10:36,240 Speaker 1: want to show you that the stats regarding women and 178 00:10:36,320 --> 00:10:40,079 Speaker 1: farming are way better than you might expect, and they've 179 00:10:40,120 --> 00:10:43,600 Speaker 1: been getting better. According to the U s d A, 180 00:10:43,800 --> 00:10:47,120 Speaker 1: U S farms operated by women nearly tripled over the 181 00:10:47,120 --> 00:10:51,600 Speaker 1: past three decades, from five percent in nineteen fourteen percent 182 00:10:51,679 --> 00:10:55,160 Speaker 1: by two thousand seven. Now, of course, there is an 183 00:10:55,160 --> 00:10:58,160 Speaker 1: issue of of reporting um the U s d A's 184 00:10:58,200 --> 00:11:03,280 Speaker 1: agricultural SINCEUS only start accounting secondary farm operators including women 185 00:11:03,280 --> 00:11:05,120 Speaker 1: in two thousand two. And the whole issue there is 186 00:11:05,160 --> 00:11:08,679 Speaker 1: that a lot of smaller farms, you know, you might 187 00:11:08,720 --> 00:11:11,520 Speaker 1: think of the little organic farm in Vermont or something. 188 00:11:11,559 --> 00:11:14,240 Speaker 1: A lot of those smaller operations are run by women, 189 00:11:14,320 --> 00:11:17,720 Speaker 1: by people of color, and so those are the smaller 190 00:11:17,760 --> 00:11:20,920 Speaker 1: farms tend to be outside of the mainstream. But even 191 00:11:21,040 --> 00:11:24,680 Speaker 1: since two thousand two, when the USDA started including those 192 00:11:24,720 --> 00:11:28,720 Speaker 1: secondary farm operators, there has been a thirty percent jump 193 00:11:29,080 --> 00:11:32,559 Speaker 1: and women run farms, according to Lee Adcock, who is 194 00:11:32,600 --> 00:11:37,080 Speaker 1: the director of the Women Food and Agriculture Network. Now 195 00:11:37,760 --> 00:11:40,480 Speaker 1: there is a little bit of statistical conflict because we 196 00:11:40,520 --> 00:11:44,000 Speaker 1: also found a post over at the National Sustainable Agriculture 197 00:11:44,120 --> 00:11:48,560 Speaker 1: Commission which identified a six percent drop in women as 198 00:11:48,640 --> 00:11:53,080 Speaker 1: principal farm operators from two thousand seven to two thousand twelve. 199 00:11:53,760 --> 00:11:56,679 Speaker 1: But that was actually in statistical speak, that was more 200 00:11:56,720 --> 00:12:00,240 Speaker 1: of an outlier because in the past few years is 201 00:12:00,480 --> 00:12:03,240 Speaker 1: almost all the trend pieces have been all focused on 202 00:12:03,559 --> 00:12:06,840 Speaker 1: the rising role of women in agriculture, not just in 203 00:12:06,880 --> 00:12:10,880 Speaker 1: the United States but also around the world, happening at 204 00:12:10,920 --> 00:12:13,440 Speaker 1: such a pace that some are referring to this as 205 00:12:13,559 --> 00:12:18,160 Speaker 1: the feminization of agriculture. Yeah, And a large part of 206 00:12:18,200 --> 00:12:21,720 Speaker 1: this so called feminization is the fact that as society 207 00:12:21,760 --> 00:12:26,280 Speaker 1: has become more geared towards urban centers, men are leaving 208 00:12:26,280 --> 00:12:28,560 Speaker 1: the homes and the farms in the rural areas at 209 00:12:28,559 --> 00:12:31,800 Speaker 1: a greater pace lead, basically leaving women behind. And so 210 00:12:31,840 --> 00:12:35,120 Speaker 1: it's not necessarily that more women are setting out to 211 00:12:35,160 --> 00:12:38,360 Speaker 1: be farmers, although that is certainly the case in many areas, 212 00:12:38,400 --> 00:12:41,240 Speaker 1: but it also happens to be that they are sort 213 00:12:41,280 --> 00:12:45,800 Speaker 1: of left behind, so to speak. And because of how 214 00:12:45,920 --> 00:12:52,480 Speaker 1: unintentional this feminization of agriculture is, particularly in more developing nations, 215 00:12:53,000 --> 00:12:55,240 Speaker 1: the u N has actually put a lot of focus 216 00:12:55,360 --> 00:13:01,719 Speaker 1: on providing more resource for women farmers. Um So, for instance, 217 00:13:02,320 --> 00:13:06,720 Speaker 1: women farmers tend to own less fertile plots of land, 218 00:13:07,160 --> 00:13:09,600 Speaker 1: they tend to own fewer work animals, and also just 219 00:13:09,640 --> 00:13:14,199 Speaker 1: have less education in general. So with this growing responsibility 220 00:13:14,240 --> 00:13:17,080 Speaker 1: that women around the world are now having in terms 221 00:13:17,200 --> 00:13:20,679 Speaker 1: of the global food supply, the u N and a 222 00:13:20,760 --> 00:13:23,679 Speaker 1: lot of other NGOs are saying, hey, well, we need 223 00:13:23,760 --> 00:13:26,000 Speaker 1: to support them. We need to make sure that they 224 00:13:26,040 --> 00:13:30,119 Speaker 1: are on as equal footing with male farmers as possible 225 00:13:30,200 --> 00:13:33,600 Speaker 1: because the land that they have and they're tending and 226 00:13:33,800 --> 00:13:38,400 Speaker 1: harvesting is very important to feed us exactly what I 227 00:13:38,480 --> 00:13:42,360 Speaker 1: mean that is talking about the global the global farm 228 00:13:42,600 --> 00:13:46,040 Speaker 1: the global farming industry, but I think that exists here too. 229 00:13:46,120 --> 00:13:49,079 Speaker 1: We read plenty of stuff that talks about how quote 230 00:13:49,120 --> 00:13:52,400 Speaker 1: unquote minority farmers, whether that is someone who is a woman, 231 00:13:52,520 --> 00:13:54,760 Speaker 1: a person of color, a queer farmer. As we'll get 232 00:13:54,760 --> 00:13:58,240 Speaker 1: into a little bit later. Um, a lot of these 233 00:13:58,240 --> 00:14:01,240 Speaker 1: people who aren't part of the big, big industrial farm 234 00:14:01,360 --> 00:14:06,760 Speaker 1: complex have a lot of problems getting that important financial support, 235 00:14:07,080 --> 00:14:10,120 Speaker 1: especially in terms of things like going organic for instance, 236 00:14:10,160 --> 00:14:12,200 Speaker 1: to be able to get that U s d A funding. 237 00:14:12,240 --> 00:14:16,000 Speaker 1: It's harder for minority farmers sort of wherever you are. 238 00:14:16,280 --> 00:14:19,120 Speaker 1: And can I just call out a few of the 239 00:14:19,160 --> 00:14:22,680 Speaker 1: international women farmers that we ran across in our research, 240 00:14:22,800 --> 00:14:26,560 Speaker 1: Caroline Okay, So a lot of this was coming from 241 00:14:27,000 --> 00:14:30,680 Speaker 1: Modern Farmer, which recently won a national magazine award. And 242 00:14:30,680 --> 00:14:33,680 Speaker 1: I'll tell you what, friends, after spending a week on 243 00:14:33,720 --> 00:14:37,600 Speaker 1: the Modern Farmer website, I want to subscribe. It's fantastic. 244 00:14:38,000 --> 00:14:41,840 Speaker 1: It's a fantastic resource. And one of the things we 245 00:14:41,840 --> 00:14:44,920 Speaker 1: were looking at was this photo essay of women farmers 246 00:14:44,960 --> 00:14:49,440 Speaker 1: around the world, and among them were the seaweed mamas 247 00:14:49,480 --> 00:14:54,280 Speaker 1: of Zanzibar who harvest seaweed that we probably enjoy in 248 00:14:54,400 --> 00:14:59,320 Speaker 1: our farmers markets or at our local sushi restaurant. UM 249 00:14:59,360 --> 00:15:02,680 Speaker 1: also earl Nepalese women who make up a majority of 250 00:15:02,840 --> 00:15:07,320 Speaker 1: soul landowners in Nepal. And then there was another post 251 00:15:07,320 --> 00:15:10,480 Speaker 1: about the Yamagata Girls Farm in Japan where it's this 252 00:15:10,960 --> 00:15:15,040 Speaker 1: a group of young women who have started up a 253 00:15:15,040 --> 00:15:19,760 Speaker 1: farm in Japan. It's exactly what it sounds like. Um. 254 00:15:19,880 --> 00:15:23,960 Speaker 1: So it's really interesting to see beyond our own backyards, 255 00:15:24,800 --> 00:15:29,440 Speaker 1: how women are, you know, paving their own way in agriculture. 256 00:15:30,000 --> 00:15:34,280 Speaker 1: But then the question becomes why more women, especially when 257 00:15:34,280 --> 00:15:37,760 Speaker 1: we look back in the United States and we see 258 00:15:37,800 --> 00:15:40,840 Speaker 1: all of these trend pieces reporting on those uh, those 259 00:15:40,960 --> 00:15:44,960 Speaker 1: USDA statistics saying hey, there are more women running farms. 260 00:15:45,520 --> 00:15:48,920 Speaker 1: What's going on? Well, you know, like we touched on earlier, 261 00:15:49,640 --> 00:15:55,280 Speaker 1: the census is counting more of those small secondary farm operators, 262 00:15:55,360 --> 00:15:58,640 Speaker 1: a lot of whom are women, and most female run 263 00:15:58,680 --> 00:16:01,160 Speaker 1: farms do tend to be small, are and more diverse, 264 00:16:01,320 --> 00:16:05,400 Speaker 1: and many are part of the organic and local food movements. 265 00:16:06,400 --> 00:16:10,680 Speaker 1: Most also have annual sales under ten thousand dollars. And 266 00:16:10,680 --> 00:16:14,600 Speaker 1: this is coming from that same NPR interview with Lee Adcock, 267 00:16:14,800 --> 00:16:18,880 Speaker 1: the director of the Women Food and Agriculture Network, and 268 00:16:18,960 --> 00:16:21,120 Speaker 1: she was saying that by far the biggest percentage of 269 00:16:21,160 --> 00:16:24,960 Speaker 1: that increase in women farmers is women with small acreages 270 00:16:25,320 --> 00:16:27,680 Speaker 1: making not a whole lot of money, but making some 271 00:16:27,760 --> 00:16:32,200 Speaker 1: money from agriculture and often raising food or livestock for food. 272 00:16:32,640 --> 00:16:34,800 Speaker 1: And she says that they are really out there. They're 273 00:16:34,800 --> 00:16:37,480 Speaker 1: out there working and they are raising the food that 274 00:16:37,560 --> 00:16:40,760 Speaker 1: we are eating. But she says they're not getting into 275 00:16:40,800 --> 00:16:44,200 Speaker 1: farming to run quarter million dollar combines. They're out there 276 00:16:44,280 --> 00:16:48,200 Speaker 1: raising food. And this was something that Sonya Faruki also 277 00:16:48,240 --> 00:16:51,800 Speaker 1: explored over at The Atlantic in terms of gender and 278 00:16:52,280 --> 00:16:56,960 Speaker 1: big agri business the Tyson Foods, for instance, the the 279 00:16:57,080 --> 00:17:01,280 Speaker 1: ubiquitous chicken that you might see in your grocery stores. 280 00:17:01,600 --> 00:17:04,560 Speaker 1: She says that women are scarce when it comes to 281 00:17:04,840 --> 00:17:10,320 Speaker 1: running those large scale, big factory farms, and using Tyson 282 00:17:10,440 --> 00:17:14,320 Speaker 1: as an example, Tyson Foods has one woman on its 283 00:17:14,320 --> 00:17:18,320 Speaker 1: executive team. But at the same time, Paruki says, it's 284 00:17:18,359 --> 00:17:22,080 Speaker 1: not that surprising to not see that many women, particularly 285 00:17:22,080 --> 00:17:24,760 Speaker 1: in the leadership there might be working in the factories, 286 00:17:25,080 --> 00:17:27,680 Speaker 1: but not many women in the leadership of agribusiness, because 287 00:17:27,720 --> 00:17:31,760 Speaker 1: that's usually not where our interest lies when it comes 288 00:17:31,800 --> 00:17:36,840 Speaker 1: to farming. We're far more interested on average, in these smaller, 289 00:17:37,000 --> 00:17:43,000 Speaker 1: more sustainable, slower kinds of food operations. Yeah, and she 290 00:17:43,080 --> 00:17:45,680 Speaker 1: says that when you look at four of the biggest 291 00:17:45,720 --> 00:17:51,120 Speaker 1: multibillion dollar factory farm corporations, women cumulatively constitute less than 292 00:17:51,160 --> 00:17:54,280 Speaker 1: ten percent of senior executives. And she's arguing in her 293 00:17:54,400 --> 00:17:57,520 Speaker 1: article though, that it would be only a good thing, 294 00:17:57,800 --> 00:18:00,280 Speaker 1: only a positive thing, to get more and more women 295 00:18:01,000 --> 00:18:05,680 Speaker 1: on boards on executive teams, because she argues that women 296 00:18:05,720 --> 00:18:08,520 Speaker 1: have a different perspective, that yes, we tend to want 297 00:18:08,520 --> 00:18:12,600 Speaker 1: to be part of the smaller, organic, you know, homegrown, 298 00:18:12,680 --> 00:18:16,000 Speaker 1: more local operations, but that our perspective on things like 299 00:18:16,160 --> 00:18:20,320 Speaker 1: organic food, cage free eggs, animal cruelty could help benefit 300 00:18:20,400 --> 00:18:22,760 Speaker 1: the rest of the industry. Yeah, And when it comes 301 00:18:22,800 --> 00:18:26,560 Speaker 1: to those large factory farms, that's something that we're going 302 00:18:26,600 --> 00:18:29,200 Speaker 1: to talk about a little bit more in our next 303 00:18:29,240 --> 00:18:32,280 Speaker 1: podcast this week, which is all about Loria Suerta, a 304 00:18:32,359 --> 00:18:35,640 Speaker 1: woman who took on directly some of those big farms 305 00:18:35,680 --> 00:18:40,520 Speaker 1: out in California. UM but looking back at those women 306 00:18:40,720 --> 00:18:45,600 Speaker 1: farmers um the rise of farmers markets, local local farmers markets, 307 00:18:45,600 --> 00:18:48,200 Speaker 1: which is something that we've seen here where we live 308 00:18:48,240 --> 00:18:53,040 Speaker 1: in Atlanta, has been highly attractive for female producers. C says, 309 00:18:53,119 --> 00:18:56,320 Speaker 1: working with farm to table restaurants, the entire slow food 310 00:18:56,400 --> 00:19:00,760 Speaker 1: movement has been really really attractive um to newer women 311 00:19:00,800 --> 00:19:03,560 Speaker 1: farmers coming into the fold. And there's also just in 312 00:19:03,680 --> 00:19:09,639 Speaker 1: general more opportunity by virtue, for instance of farmland family 313 00:19:09,640 --> 00:19:13,560 Speaker 1: farmland changing hands as baby boomers age. Yeah, and just 314 00:19:13,600 --> 00:19:16,800 Speaker 1: the fact that it'll it's going to eventually start to 315 00:19:16,840 --> 00:19:19,600 Speaker 1: be less weird in the public imagination that a woman 316 00:19:19,760 --> 00:19:22,520 Speaker 1: could run a big farm and sit on a tractor 317 00:19:22,760 --> 00:19:24,400 Speaker 1: and have it not be a big deal. And so 318 00:19:24,480 --> 00:19:28,000 Speaker 1: maybe people like Helen Gunderson and her family it won't 319 00:19:28,040 --> 00:19:30,360 Speaker 1: be such a thing of like, well, we're definitely passing 320 00:19:30,400 --> 00:19:32,720 Speaker 1: this down just to the sons, and the daughter can 321 00:19:32,760 --> 00:19:35,520 Speaker 1: go find something else to do. Old McDonald is going 322 00:19:35,560 --> 00:19:39,960 Speaker 1: to become old ms donald. Huh, that's right, And and 323 00:19:40,240 --> 00:19:43,399 Speaker 1: Ms McDonald we'll have the chance to get in on 324 00:19:43,400 --> 00:19:47,000 Speaker 1: this because according to USA Today, there are about two 325 00:19:47,080 --> 00:19:50,800 Speaker 1: hundred million plus acres of farmland in the US that 326 00:19:50,840 --> 00:19:55,080 Speaker 1: will change hands by and there's a real potential for 327 00:19:55,119 --> 00:19:58,000 Speaker 1: women to end up owning half of that land. Yeah, 328 00:19:58,080 --> 00:20:02,080 Speaker 1: and that's why you're seeing more and more women focused 329 00:20:02,160 --> 00:20:06,560 Speaker 1: groups emerging like Women Food and Agriculture Network and smaller 330 00:20:06,560 --> 00:20:10,919 Speaker 1: operations like Annie's Project that directly serve women interested in 331 00:20:11,080 --> 00:20:15,400 Speaker 1: farming to teach them not only how to grow crops, 332 00:20:15,480 --> 00:20:20,600 Speaker 1: but also how to manage a farm business. And globally too, 333 00:20:21,080 --> 00:20:24,280 Speaker 1: we see organizations like Landessa and one Percent for Women 334 00:20:24,440 --> 00:20:27,359 Speaker 1: that also focus more on things like land use rights 335 00:20:27,640 --> 00:20:32,000 Speaker 1: and supporting those women in agriculture who might need more 336 00:20:32,080 --> 00:20:34,040 Speaker 1: of a leg up in the context of being in 337 00:20:34,119 --> 00:20:37,119 Speaker 1: a developing country. And you've got the issue too that 338 00:20:37,119 --> 00:20:40,720 Speaker 1: we've touched on about women's interests growing in farming, particularly 339 00:20:40,800 --> 00:20:45,760 Speaker 1: in sustainable agriculture, because traditionally women have been likelier to 340 00:20:45,880 --> 00:20:51,400 Speaker 1: control household diets themselves, so they maybe perhaps are more 341 00:20:51,440 --> 00:20:55,800 Speaker 1: likely to go in the direction of sustainability in organic farming, 342 00:20:56,119 --> 00:21:00,200 Speaker 1: fewer pesticides, things like that. And when you look at 343 00:21:00,359 --> 00:21:05,560 Speaker 1: nonprofits who are focused on sustainable agriculture issues, women compose 344 00:21:05,680 --> 00:21:08,879 Speaker 1: sixty one and a half percent of those employees and 345 00:21:10,240 --> 00:21:13,720 Speaker 1: of those organizations executive directors. And then there are also 346 00:21:13,760 --> 00:21:19,000 Speaker 1: the responses of women farmers themselves about what personally motivates 347 00:21:19,080 --> 00:21:23,480 Speaker 1: them to have to pursue this career and lifestyle that 348 00:21:23,960 --> 00:21:28,520 Speaker 1: isn't necessarily easy. And uh Audrey Mulcan, who is a 349 00:21:28,520 --> 00:21:34,400 Speaker 1: photographer who created the Female Farmer Project documenting women farmers 350 00:21:34,440 --> 00:21:40,119 Speaker 1: across the United States, posted on her like fan Facebook 351 00:21:40,119 --> 00:21:45,439 Speaker 1: page asking her followers what draws women to farming and 352 00:21:45,480 --> 00:21:49,679 Speaker 1: so the responses included nurturing, a desire to set a 353 00:21:49,720 --> 00:21:54,720 Speaker 1: good ecological example for children, creativity, exhibiting strength, the fact 354 00:21:54,760 --> 00:21:58,600 Speaker 1: that women are natural feeders and cultivators, and also a 355 00:21:58,600 --> 00:22:01,240 Speaker 1: desire to make a differ friends. So there really does 356 00:22:01,320 --> 00:22:03,280 Speaker 1: seem to be for a lot of women and farming 357 00:22:03,560 --> 00:22:10,120 Speaker 1: this connection between themselves as women and how they see 358 00:22:10,160 --> 00:22:14,159 Speaker 1: themselves in that role, and that connection to the earth 359 00:22:14,359 --> 00:22:19,200 Speaker 1: and too being mothers and also to food production. But 360 00:22:19,240 --> 00:22:21,560 Speaker 1: as we're going to talk about in the second half 361 00:22:21,600 --> 00:22:26,200 Speaker 1: of the podcast, for some women, farming is a feminist 362 00:22:26,240 --> 00:22:37,280 Speaker 1: act as well. So over at bitch Alice Parker writes 363 00:22:37,359 --> 00:22:41,720 Speaker 1: about the eco feminist movement. Perhaps you've read about eco 364 00:22:41,760 --> 00:22:47,440 Speaker 1: feminism and the links between feminism womanhood the traditional definition 365 00:22:47,480 --> 00:22:50,199 Speaker 1: of that versus the definition that we would perhaps be 366 00:22:50,240 --> 00:22:55,920 Speaker 1: aspiring to as farmers. Um and Parker writes about shopping 367 00:22:55,960 --> 00:23:00,359 Speaker 1: at a farmer's market and buying raw fermented sarakraut locally 368 00:23:00,480 --> 00:23:02,720 Speaker 1: or direct from a farmer, doing all of these things 369 00:23:02,720 --> 00:23:05,639 Speaker 1: like knitting your own clothes, riding your bicycle, cooking something 370 00:23:05,680 --> 00:23:09,400 Speaker 1: simple from scratch. She talks about them as feminist acts. 371 00:23:09,520 --> 00:23:13,080 Speaker 1: It might not seem obvious, they might seem small, like 372 00:23:13,119 --> 00:23:16,800 Speaker 1: they're very unimportant personal acts, but she says they oppose 373 00:23:16,880 --> 00:23:21,720 Speaker 1: and unweave heartless systems of oppression like factory farms and sweatshops. 374 00:23:22,040 --> 00:23:25,280 Speaker 1: These oppressive systems, she writes, carry the real prison walls, 375 00:23:25,720 --> 00:23:28,600 Speaker 1: not your kitchen. And so it is. It's that argument 376 00:23:28,600 --> 00:23:30,480 Speaker 1: that a lot of people make, whether it's about farming 377 00:23:30,560 --> 00:23:35,480 Speaker 1: or something like the New domesticity movement, that being a provider, 378 00:23:35,560 --> 00:23:39,280 Speaker 1: being the person who's raising the food, raising the livestock, 379 00:23:39,400 --> 00:23:42,720 Speaker 1: knitting those hats, it doesn't have to be an oppressive act. 380 00:23:42,800 --> 00:23:46,880 Speaker 1: What's oppressive, a lot of these people argue, is participating 381 00:23:47,000 --> 00:23:51,000 Speaker 1: in a capitalist system that exploits workers. Yeah, and also 382 00:23:51,880 --> 00:23:55,840 Speaker 1: many would viably argue poisons the land and food as 383 00:23:55,880 --> 00:23:59,160 Speaker 1: well through the use of things like pesticides and if 384 00:23:59,160 --> 00:24:01,640 Speaker 1: you want to learn more, are about ecofeminism. We've done 385 00:24:01,640 --> 00:24:04,199 Speaker 1: an entire podcast all about that, so we're not going 386 00:24:04,240 --> 00:24:06,960 Speaker 1: to get into the nuts and bolts of it, but 387 00:24:07,119 --> 00:24:10,520 Speaker 1: you can find that podcast over at stuff Mom Never 388 00:24:10,600 --> 00:24:13,199 Speaker 1: Told You dot com. But we do want to mention 389 00:24:13,480 --> 00:24:18,119 Speaker 1: briefly the women's land movement of the nineteen seventies, and 390 00:24:18,200 --> 00:24:21,800 Speaker 1: that is women with a Y, because these were radical 391 00:24:21,880 --> 00:24:27,800 Speaker 1: feminists who formed separatist agricultural communities, including places like yellow 392 00:24:27,800 --> 00:24:32,520 Speaker 1: Hammer and Woman Share, as a way to fully liberate 393 00:24:32,600 --> 00:24:36,680 Speaker 1: themselves from the patriarchy. And again, there is a great 394 00:24:36,720 --> 00:24:40,520 Speaker 1: piece on this in Modern Farmer, my new favorite magazine, 395 00:24:40,720 --> 00:24:44,359 Speaker 1: not even Jumping, and it was fascinating to see how 396 00:24:45,160 --> 00:24:50,120 Speaker 1: there was It was radical feminism and also lesbianism combined 397 00:24:50,400 --> 00:24:54,840 Speaker 1: with agriculture. Some call this a take back the Land movement, 398 00:24:54,920 --> 00:24:58,199 Speaker 1: where these women really firmly believed that they needed it 399 00:24:58,200 --> 00:25:03,080 Speaker 1: to eradicate me in from their lives completely, whether that's 400 00:25:03,080 --> 00:25:06,920 Speaker 1: sexually or whether that is in like in any way 401 00:25:07,000 --> 00:25:09,720 Speaker 1: providing for their livelihood. They were like, we don't need you, 402 00:25:10,520 --> 00:25:14,480 Speaker 1: We're just gonna we're gonna take back the land. Essentially, Yeah, 403 00:25:14,520 --> 00:25:17,560 Speaker 1: but unlike a lot of farms today. I think the 404 00:25:17,600 --> 00:25:21,680 Speaker 1: focus was more on the act of separating themselves from 405 00:25:21,720 --> 00:25:25,640 Speaker 1: men and the traditional system of being with men depending 406 00:25:25,680 --> 00:25:29,240 Speaker 1: on men for providing, you know, of depending on those 407 00:25:29,240 --> 00:25:32,520 Speaker 1: big factory farms. The focus wasn't so much on the 408 00:25:32,560 --> 00:25:36,520 Speaker 1: actual farming itself, which I think is different from a 409 00:25:36,520 --> 00:25:40,479 Speaker 1: lot of today's farms where the farmer identity sort of 410 00:25:40,520 --> 00:25:42,679 Speaker 1: comes first. In a lot of cases, well, it's more 411 00:25:42,720 --> 00:25:47,639 Speaker 1: about the food as politics rather than the the food 412 00:25:48,040 --> 00:25:53,080 Speaker 1: coming second to politics and personal politics. Although they did 413 00:25:53,160 --> 00:25:57,160 Speaker 1: have their own Indian magazines and newsletters like Country Women, 414 00:25:58,160 --> 00:26:01,440 Speaker 1: which I wish I could still subscribe, And while they 415 00:26:01,480 --> 00:26:04,080 Speaker 1: were successful in demonstrating the fact that oh look, hey, 416 00:26:04,080 --> 00:26:07,760 Speaker 1: women can actually grow well some women, not me. Typically 417 00:26:08,359 --> 00:26:11,560 Speaker 1: women can actually grow plants, they can farm, they can 418 00:26:11,600 --> 00:26:15,520 Speaker 1: be successful growers. This movement, and this has been a 419 00:26:15,520 --> 00:26:20,240 Speaker 1: criticism of many parts of Second Way feminism. This movement 420 00:26:20,680 --> 00:26:24,160 Speaker 1: was mostly made up of white, middle class radical feminists, 421 00:26:24,200 --> 00:26:27,960 Speaker 1: and it highlights the racial disparity that still to some 422 00:26:28,040 --> 00:26:32,159 Speaker 1: extent exists within local food and c s A and 423 00:26:32,240 --> 00:26:36,040 Speaker 1: the farmers market movements. Yeah, I mean these a lot 424 00:26:36,040 --> 00:26:39,360 Speaker 1: of these women who were part of the land movement 425 00:26:39,800 --> 00:26:44,520 Speaker 1: met in liberal arts colleges. For instance, you're coming from 426 00:26:44,520 --> 00:26:49,240 Speaker 1: a privileged position when you in the background of saying cushi, 427 00:26:49,280 --> 00:26:54,919 Speaker 1: you're sort of higher education context. Separate yourself willfully and 428 00:26:55,000 --> 00:26:58,920 Speaker 1: pursue this kind of lifestyle, which which will directly contrast 429 00:26:59,040 --> 00:27:01,560 Speaker 1: actually what we're going to talk about in our next 430 00:27:01,600 --> 00:27:04,919 Speaker 1: podcast with Dolora Suerta and the Chicano civil rights movement 431 00:27:05,200 --> 00:27:09,960 Speaker 1: happening in California around the same time. But when you 432 00:27:10,160 --> 00:27:14,000 Speaker 1: look at your local CSA today, when you go to 433 00:27:14,520 --> 00:27:18,280 Speaker 1: your local farmers market today, there are lots of questions 434 00:27:18,280 --> 00:27:23,080 Speaker 1: that are being raised about who those farmers markets and 435 00:27:23,119 --> 00:27:28,240 Speaker 1: that wonderful organic sustainable agriculture is feeding. Because if you 436 00:27:28,359 --> 00:27:31,800 Speaker 1: look at lower income areas and areas that might have 437 00:27:31,880 --> 00:27:35,760 Speaker 1: higher concentrations of people of color, they are often in 438 00:27:35,920 --> 00:27:39,119 Speaker 1: food deserts. They don't have as much access, and the 439 00:27:39,160 --> 00:27:41,520 Speaker 1: food that we're talking about is often more expensive. It's 440 00:27:41,600 --> 00:27:45,280 Speaker 1: usually too expensive for me, Caroline, and it is important 441 00:27:45,320 --> 00:27:48,720 Speaker 1: to bring up these disparities that exist within things like 442 00:27:48,960 --> 00:27:52,960 Speaker 1: the organic food movement, within the farmers market movement and 443 00:27:53,000 --> 00:27:57,240 Speaker 1: the rise and farmers market popularity. But side note fun 444 00:27:57,320 --> 00:28:01,120 Speaker 1: fact to Schegee Professor Dr book or T. Watley's Pick 445 00:28:01,200 --> 00:28:04,960 Speaker 1: your Own Farms and Clientele membership Club's idea in the 446 00:28:05,000 --> 00:28:08,479 Speaker 1: early nineteen eighties was really what laid the groundwork for 447 00:28:08,560 --> 00:28:11,919 Speaker 1: C S a S. Though credit is usually attributed to 448 00:28:11,920 --> 00:28:14,760 Speaker 1: other people. Yeah, we read about that in Mother Earth 449 00:28:14,840 --> 00:28:18,560 Speaker 1: News and we wanted to mention it just because it 450 00:28:18,760 --> 00:28:24,000 Speaker 1: is an example of often the erasure of farmers of color, 451 00:28:24,160 --> 00:28:26,879 Speaker 1: which is what we wanted to talk about as well, 452 00:28:26,960 --> 00:28:30,640 Speaker 1: because black farmers make up just about two per cent 453 00:28:30,800 --> 00:28:35,679 Speaker 1: of the total farming population. And when it comes to 454 00:28:36,320 --> 00:28:40,120 Speaker 1: agriculture and people of color and we're talking about the 455 00:28:40,200 --> 00:28:43,520 Speaker 1: United States, no big surprise that there's been a lot 456 00:28:43,520 --> 00:28:48,760 Speaker 1: of structural racism embedded within the industries. I mean, going 457 00:28:48,840 --> 00:28:52,320 Speaker 1: back even pre slavery, just to the days of out 458 00:28:52,320 --> 00:28:56,960 Speaker 1: and outland theft from Native Americans taking their farmland to 459 00:28:57,120 --> 00:29:01,080 Speaker 1: then slavery and then share cropping in than today with 460 00:29:01,200 --> 00:29:07,320 Speaker 1: these massive agribusinesses and its reliance on immigrant labor, often 461 00:29:07,440 --> 00:29:10,800 Speaker 1: cheap and exploited immigrant labor, which again we'll get way 462 00:29:10,800 --> 00:29:13,600 Speaker 1: more into in our next episode. But so you can 463 00:29:13,680 --> 00:29:17,320 Speaker 1: understand then how it's sort of a complicated issue sometimes 464 00:29:17,320 --> 00:29:19,760 Speaker 1: when people of color want to come back and reclaim 465 00:29:19,800 --> 00:29:24,560 Speaker 1: that land because it's so deeply embedded. Our country's relationship 466 00:29:24,600 --> 00:29:29,480 Speaker 1: with people of color and agriculture is so deeply embedded. Well, 467 00:29:29,520 --> 00:29:32,920 Speaker 1: it's been something that families have tried to climb out 468 00:29:32,960 --> 00:29:36,600 Speaker 1: of and so for some people today it would seem 469 00:29:36,840 --> 00:29:40,760 Speaker 1: regressive to then want to go back and farm. And 470 00:29:40,800 --> 00:29:43,360 Speaker 1: in fact, I mean the relationship between farmers of color 471 00:29:43,360 --> 00:29:45,880 Speaker 1: in the U. S. Government is still a testy one 472 00:29:45,960 --> 00:29:49,560 Speaker 1: because many have filed civil suits against the U. S. 473 00:29:49,640 --> 00:29:54,920 Speaker 1: D A for receiving less government funding compared to white farmers. 474 00:29:54,960 --> 00:29:59,840 Speaker 1: So there are still questions of discrimination. And then when 475 00:29:59,880 --> 00:30:03,280 Speaker 1: we talk about women farmers of color, we have layers 476 00:30:03,320 --> 00:30:07,360 Speaker 1: of discrimination upon layers of discrimination. Yeah, but it's interesting 477 00:30:07,400 --> 00:30:10,000 Speaker 1: though that a greater proportion of women of color operate 478 00:30:10,080 --> 00:30:12,840 Speaker 1: farms than do white women. Because if you look back 479 00:30:12,880 --> 00:30:17,600 Speaker 1: to stats from fourteen percent of female principal farm operators 480 00:30:17,600 --> 00:30:21,640 Speaker 1: were African American versus twenty percent of them being Asian 481 00:30:21,680 --> 00:30:26,560 Speaker 1: and thirty percent were Native American compared to of female 482 00:30:26,600 --> 00:30:30,480 Speaker 1: principal farm operators who were white in twelve And because 483 00:30:30,600 --> 00:30:33,120 Speaker 1: of you know, the existence of this diversity, but at 484 00:30:33,160 --> 00:30:38,680 Speaker 1: the same time, still going back to our collective idea 485 00:30:38,720 --> 00:30:41,400 Speaker 1: of what a farmer looks like. It's old McDonald. It's 486 00:30:41,440 --> 00:30:44,920 Speaker 1: usually an older white gentleman with a pitchfork and a 487 00:30:44,960 --> 00:30:48,040 Speaker 1: plaid shirt and overalls and a little straw hat. Rd 488 00:30:48,160 --> 00:30:53,400 Speaker 1: an non attractor. Natasha Bowen's a k a. Brown Girl farming, 489 00:30:54,240 --> 00:30:58,800 Speaker 1: started blogging about diversity and farming and also started something 490 00:30:58,840 --> 00:31:03,480 Speaker 1: called the Color of Food Project to document the lives 491 00:31:03,560 --> 00:31:08,120 Speaker 1: and the crops of farmers of color around the United States. Yeah, 492 00:31:08,120 --> 00:31:11,680 Speaker 1: this was really interesting looking at women who, like you 493 00:31:11,680 --> 00:31:15,880 Speaker 1: said Kristen, felt almost compelled to leave rural areas, especially 494 00:31:15,880 --> 00:31:18,440 Speaker 1: in the Southeast, to leave those rural areas, leave that 495 00:31:18,640 --> 00:31:23,520 Speaker 1: history that is so the racial aspects intertwined with agriculture, 496 00:31:23,520 --> 00:31:25,680 Speaker 1: to leave that all behind. And then how when they 497 00:31:25,680 --> 00:31:28,239 Speaker 1: got older they realized, Know, what I want to do 498 00:31:28,360 --> 00:31:31,040 Speaker 1: is go back to the land, whether it's to whether 499 00:31:31,040 --> 00:31:33,640 Speaker 1: it's a political statement, or whether it's to really just 500 00:31:33,680 --> 00:31:36,600 Speaker 1: take care of my family or your community, like the 501 00:31:36,680 --> 00:31:40,040 Speaker 1: example of the woman in the Lower ninth Ward in 502 00:31:40,080 --> 00:31:44,760 Speaker 1: New Orleans starting a garden to feed that community. Yeah, 503 00:31:44,760 --> 00:31:47,000 Speaker 1: and if you look at Natasha bow and herself, she 504 00:31:47,080 --> 00:31:51,240 Speaker 1: has a really interesting take on farming and femininity because 505 00:31:52,160 --> 00:31:55,360 Speaker 1: She says that I've personally never felt more like a 506 00:31:55,400 --> 00:31:58,160 Speaker 1: woman then the first time I dug my hands into 507 00:31:58,160 --> 00:32:00,959 Speaker 1: the soil. And that's a statement that not align with 508 00:32:01,000 --> 00:32:05,400 Speaker 1: what society defines as feminine getting our hands dirty, writing tractors, 509 00:32:05,480 --> 00:32:09,960 Speaker 1: hurting cattle. So affirming that feminine identity with the land 510 00:32:10,000 --> 00:32:12,640 Speaker 1: and finding that solidarity while out on the road for 511 00:32:12,680 --> 00:32:15,040 Speaker 1: the Color of Food was so important to me. And 512 00:32:15,080 --> 00:32:18,240 Speaker 1: I love that because you really can argue that either 513 00:32:18,320 --> 00:32:22,800 Speaker 1: way that farming is super traditionally feminine, if we go 514 00:32:22,920 --> 00:32:26,040 Speaker 1: all the way back to hunter gatherers, men hunting, maybe 515 00:32:26,040 --> 00:32:29,760 Speaker 1: women gathering and farming um, or if you go all 516 00:32:29,800 --> 00:32:32,400 Speaker 1: the way to the other side and say that it's 517 00:32:32,440 --> 00:32:36,240 Speaker 1: it's totally unexpected, it's non traditional work for women well, 518 00:32:36,280 --> 00:32:39,760 Speaker 1: and for a lot of people, farming is radical as well. 519 00:32:39,920 --> 00:32:44,840 Speaker 1: A lot of what Bowen's has discovered and talked about 520 00:32:44,920 --> 00:32:49,040 Speaker 1: through the Color of Food project is the food justice movement, 521 00:32:49,120 --> 00:32:54,400 Speaker 1: that intersection of you know, providing this kind of healthy, 522 00:32:54,440 --> 00:33:00,440 Speaker 1: sustainable food for these communities that are usually not so 523 00:33:00,800 --> 00:33:05,200 Speaker 1: linked in with their local farmers markets um. And she 524 00:33:05,240 --> 00:33:08,560 Speaker 1: says that women are leading the food justice movement for 525 00:33:08,720 --> 00:33:12,880 Speaker 1: farm workers, and she calls out examples like the Coalition 526 00:33:13,040 --> 00:33:18,800 Speaker 1: of Immokali Workers in Florida, UM also women like Sorrujeriaman 527 00:33:18,920 --> 00:33:22,280 Speaker 1: of Roku United, the author of Behind the Kitchen Door 528 00:33:22,360 --> 00:33:26,600 Speaker 1: that talks about injustice of women working in the food 529 00:33:26,680 --> 00:33:30,479 Speaker 1: system's restaurant industry. She says, the impact is heavy on 530 00:33:30,600 --> 00:33:33,680 Speaker 1: every level from farm to table when it comes to 531 00:33:34,280 --> 00:33:39,719 Speaker 1: women in our overall food system, from seed to table. 532 00:33:40,320 --> 00:33:43,560 Speaker 1: And we're also seeing a rise in organizations like Southeastern 533 00:33:43,640 --> 00:33:47,560 Speaker 1: African American Farmers Organic Network that helped train and mentor 534 00:33:47,680 --> 00:33:50,760 Speaker 1: Black organic farmers. But it's interesting about that organization. While 535 00:33:50,800 --> 00:33:53,840 Speaker 1: it is certainly not focused solely on women, what people 536 00:33:53,840 --> 00:33:56,960 Speaker 1: within that organization have noticed is that more and more 537 00:33:57,000 --> 00:34:00,960 Speaker 1: people that they're dealing with are women. They're women farmers, 538 00:34:01,120 --> 00:34:05,560 Speaker 1: especially in the Southeast, who are seeking more resources, basically 539 00:34:05,600 --> 00:34:10,000 Speaker 1: more kind of like friends in the farming business. And 540 00:34:10,120 --> 00:34:14,400 Speaker 1: in addition to farmers of color organizing, getting more recognition 541 00:34:14,480 --> 00:34:18,359 Speaker 1: and really fighting for food justice and seeing those intersections 542 00:34:18,400 --> 00:34:23,719 Speaker 1: between identity politics and what is on our plates, we 543 00:34:23,840 --> 00:34:28,360 Speaker 1: also have to talk about LGBT farmers, who are another 544 00:34:28,560 --> 00:34:31,560 Speaker 1: group challenging the status quo of who can be a 545 00:34:31,600 --> 00:34:36,160 Speaker 1: farmer and what a farmer looks like. And this was 546 00:34:36,239 --> 00:34:41,320 Speaker 1: something that was really publicized on a more national level 547 00:34:41,400 --> 00:34:46,960 Speaker 1: by Jonah Mossburg's documentary out Here Yeah. The documentary highlighted 548 00:34:47,280 --> 00:34:51,120 Speaker 1: a queer grassroots farming movement around the country basically, and 549 00:34:51,200 --> 00:34:54,320 Speaker 1: for Mossburg, he said that living in a rural setting 550 00:34:54,360 --> 00:34:57,360 Speaker 1: really helped him to get more comfortable in his own skin. 551 00:34:57,840 --> 00:34:59,640 Speaker 1: He says that it made me feel strong, it made 552 00:34:59,640 --> 00:35:03,160 Speaker 1: me feel everyone else around me because Mossburg is a 553 00:35:03,320 --> 00:35:06,920 Speaker 1: trans farmer. And what's so interesting in listening to not 554 00:35:06,960 --> 00:35:11,240 Speaker 1: only what Mossburg has to say, but talking to other 555 00:35:11,400 --> 00:35:15,000 Speaker 1: farmers too, is that he makes it clear that sort 556 00:35:15,040 --> 00:35:18,960 Speaker 1: of the farming identity is almost above everything else, and 557 00:35:18,960 --> 00:35:21,279 Speaker 1: that when you are farming, when you've got your hands 558 00:35:21,280 --> 00:35:23,680 Speaker 1: in the dirt, when you're in touch with the land 559 00:35:24,000 --> 00:35:27,080 Speaker 1: or you know the animals that you're raising, it's almost 560 00:35:27,160 --> 00:35:29,520 Speaker 1: kind of an equalizer. And so I love this idea 561 00:35:29,600 --> 00:35:31,600 Speaker 1: that we saw in a couple of different places about 562 00:35:31,600 --> 00:35:35,080 Speaker 1: how minority farmers, whether you're a woman, a woman of color, 563 00:35:35,480 --> 00:35:39,640 Speaker 1: uh an LGBT farmer, you're you're queering the farming system 564 00:35:39,640 --> 00:35:43,160 Speaker 1: and that it's less about being gay, being lesbian, being 565 00:35:43,280 --> 00:35:46,439 Speaker 1: a trans farmer, and so much more about just being 566 00:35:46,520 --> 00:35:50,440 Speaker 1: almost an unexpected farmer, being an outsider who's working to 567 00:35:51,239 --> 00:35:55,120 Speaker 1: change that industry. Well, and we probably don't think of 568 00:35:55,480 --> 00:35:59,920 Speaker 1: rural America as necessarily being a safe space for l 569 00:36:00,040 --> 00:36:03,960 Speaker 1: g b t Q individuals, but Mossburg told Bitch magazine, 570 00:36:04,000 --> 00:36:06,320 Speaker 1: and this was also echoed by other farmers that you 571 00:36:06,400 --> 00:36:09,600 Speaker 1: talked to in out here. He said, quote, I think 572 00:36:09,800 --> 00:36:14,600 Speaker 1: small scale sustainable agriculture is inherently a logical and safe 573 00:36:14,600 --> 00:36:17,200 Speaker 1: place for queer people because it's a place where we 574 00:36:17,239 --> 00:36:20,680 Speaker 1: can enact and practice our queer values. And a lot 575 00:36:20,719 --> 00:36:25,480 Speaker 1: of times in those farming communities, it seems like from 576 00:36:25,480 --> 00:36:29,400 Speaker 1: the people that they've talked to, it's more about the 577 00:36:29,440 --> 00:36:32,560 Speaker 1: connection to the land and the animals and what you 578 00:36:32,600 --> 00:36:38,880 Speaker 1: are harvesting that often is more more of a focal 579 00:36:38,920 --> 00:36:43,400 Speaker 1: point than who you are, if that makes sense. But 580 00:36:43,480 --> 00:36:45,800 Speaker 1: it seems like the common thread through all of these 581 00:36:45,840 --> 00:36:49,600 Speaker 1: different groups of people is that they're bringing different perspectives 582 00:36:49,600 --> 00:36:51,920 Speaker 1: to farming and how important that is. I mean, just 583 00:36:52,000 --> 00:36:55,840 Speaker 1: like we talked about getting different perspectives in any industry, 584 00:36:55,840 --> 00:36:59,440 Speaker 1: in any line of work, and and what a difference 585 00:36:59,520 --> 00:37:02,759 Speaker 1: that different types of people can make, especially when it 586 00:37:02,840 --> 00:37:05,200 Speaker 1: comes to our own health and the food that we 587 00:37:05,200 --> 00:37:07,440 Speaker 1: put in our bodies. Yeah. And I was really hardened 588 00:37:07,440 --> 00:37:09,799 Speaker 1: to see as well that the U s D the 589 00:37:09,880 --> 00:37:13,040 Speaker 1: U s d A has been supporting that queering of 590 00:37:13,080 --> 00:37:16,400 Speaker 1: the farm system. Is Mossburg put it because it and 591 00:37:16,480 --> 00:37:20,560 Speaker 1: the National Center for Lesbian Rights now host a rural 592 00:37:20,680 --> 00:37:24,920 Speaker 1: pride campaign, which is great. And can I just mention 593 00:37:25,280 --> 00:37:29,240 Speaker 1: my favorite quote from Mossburg Um in which a bitch 594 00:37:29,280 --> 00:37:33,359 Speaker 1: asked what the queerest vegetable was and he said, it's 595 00:37:33,400 --> 00:37:36,759 Speaker 1: not rainbow charred. Everybody always says rainbow chart. There is, 596 00:37:36,800 --> 00:37:41,000 Speaker 1: in fact, um an lgbt Q farming group out in 597 00:37:41,120 --> 00:37:43,399 Speaker 1: the San Francisco Bay area that I think is called 598 00:37:43,440 --> 00:37:47,240 Speaker 1: the rainbow Chart Coalition. Um, he says it's not that. 599 00:37:47,760 --> 00:37:52,160 Speaker 1: He thinks it's silariac. Yeah, and maybe you want to 600 00:37:52,160 --> 00:37:55,440 Speaker 1: go buy it immediately, I know his description of cooking 601 00:37:55,440 --> 00:37:57,759 Speaker 1: with it. I was like, oh man, I need to 602 00:37:57,800 --> 00:37:59,759 Speaker 1: get my boyfriend to cook with this. And what a 603 00:37:59,800 --> 00:38:03,680 Speaker 1: how There there was also um a goat farmer who 604 00:38:03,800 --> 00:38:07,759 Speaker 1: runs a farm called like Sassy Nanny's or something like 605 00:38:07,800 --> 00:38:10,080 Speaker 1: that and makes incredible cheese. It was great to just 606 00:38:10,120 --> 00:38:14,400 Speaker 1: see all these profiles of you know, these lgbt Q farmers, 607 00:38:14,440 --> 00:38:17,479 Speaker 1: these farmers of color, these women farmers, all of these 608 00:38:17,520 --> 00:38:21,560 Speaker 1: people who are reclaiming land in their own ways, and 609 00:38:21,640 --> 00:38:26,000 Speaker 1: also considering, Caroline, how much it contrasts my day today, 610 00:38:26,280 --> 00:38:33,000 Speaker 1: highly urbanized life, and imagining what what a joy that 611 00:38:33,200 --> 00:38:36,719 Speaker 1: pace must be like. Not I mean, they're waking up 612 00:38:36,880 --> 00:38:40,200 Speaker 1: a lot earlier than I am, I'm sure, and farming 613 00:38:40,480 --> 00:38:45,480 Speaker 1: is not easy by any means, um, But just to 614 00:38:45,600 --> 00:38:49,440 Speaker 1: think about how much those people that we've been talking 615 00:38:49,440 --> 00:38:53,839 Speaker 1: about and reading about appreciate the land and what they 616 00:38:53,920 --> 00:38:57,880 Speaker 1: do so much, um economy me want to go be 617 00:38:57,960 --> 00:39:00,600 Speaker 1: a farmer to be honest. Yeah, I mean there was 618 00:39:00,680 --> 00:39:03,520 Speaker 1: there was an attitude kind of in in several of 619 00:39:03,560 --> 00:39:06,480 Speaker 1: the people we read about who were sort of opting 620 00:39:06,560 --> 00:39:11,719 Speaker 1: out of that that urban uh nine to five lifestyle, 621 00:39:11,760 --> 00:39:15,000 Speaker 1: who were pursuing something different, whether it was for political 622 00:39:15,080 --> 00:39:18,720 Speaker 1: reasons or purely personal, wanting to get back in touch 623 00:39:18,800 --> 00:39:22,040 Speaker 1: with a more quote unquote a more natural way of living, 624 00:39:22,120 --> 00:39:25,600 Speaker 1: of of living off the land, and just just fascinating 625 00:39:25,640 --> 00:39:28,840 Speaker 1: to see how that idea of what a farmer looks 626 00:39:28,880 --> 00:39:34,359 Speaker 1: like is absolutely changing. So I really hope there are 627 00:39:34,440 --> 00:39:38,960 Speaker 1: some farmers listening urban farmers, community gardeners. I don't care 628 00:39:39,000 --> 00:39:41,960 Speaker 1: if you can grow plants. Hey, you're a farmer in 629 00:39:42,239 --> 00:39:45,520 Speaker 1: our books. We want to hear from you though. Mom 630 00:39:45,600 --> 00:39:48,800 Speaker 1: Stuff at how stuff works dot com is our email address. 631 00:39:49,200 --> 00:39:53,680 Speaker 1: UM and any thoughts on sustainable agriculture, food deserts, food 632 00:39:53,840 --> 00:39:57,880 Speaker 1: justice and this idea of queering our food system. Let 633 00:39:57,960 --> 00:39:59,680 Speaker 1: us know all of your thoughts. Mom stuff at how 634 00:39:59,680 --> 00:40:02,160 Speaker 1: stuff works dot com again is our email address. You 635 00:40:02,200 --> 00:40:04,640 Speaker 1: can also tweet us at mom stuff Podcasts or messages 636 00:40:04,680 --> 00:40:07,080 Speaker 1: on Facebook. And we've got a couple of messages to 637 00:40:07,120 --> 00:40:09,160 Speaker 1: share with you when we come right back from a 638 00:40:09,239 --> 00:40:17,480 Speaker 1: quick break. So I have a letter here about our 639 00:40:17,520 --> 00:40:21,440 Speaker 1: episode on passive aggressive behavior. And you know, in the episode, 640 00:40:21,440 --> 00:40:25,280 Speaker 1: we pointed out that the stereotype is that for women 641 00:40:25,880 --> 00:40:28,600 Speaker 1: are passive aggressive than men, that it's totally a woman thing, 642 00:40:29,160 --> 00:40:31,920 Speaker 1: but that in reality it's way more of a kind 643 00:40:31,920 --> 00:40:34,640 Speaker 1: of fifty split. And so we have a letter here 644 00:40:34,800 --> 00:40:38,000 Speaker 1: from Brittany kind of talking about that. She says, just 645 00:40:38,040 --> 00:40:40,520 Speaker 1: wanted to say a great job on the passive aggressive 646 00:40:40,560 --> 00:40:43,440 Speaker 1: episode of the podcast. When I first saw the title, 647 00:40:43,520 --> 00:40:46,280 Speaker 1: I thought, oh yeah, I definitely think it's more gendered 648 00:40:46,280 --> 00:40:50,279 Speaker 1: towards females, but as you discussed it, I actually felt 649 00:40:50,320 --> 00:40:52,840 Speaker 1: like my husband fit a lot of these categories, but 650 00:40:52,960 --> 00:40:57,080 Speaker 1: in different ways. I can't believe the term, oh, I'm 651 00:40:57,160 --> 00:41:01,560 Speaker 1: only kidding never came up. We've had so many conversations 652 00:41:01,600 --> 00:41:04,680 Speaker 1: about this in my relationship. I feel like my husband 653 00:41:04,719 --> 00:41:08,480 Speaker 1: is constantly teasing or giving smart slash harsh remarks in 654 00:41:08,520 --> 00:41:11,439 Speaker 1: the name of humor, and now I'm wondering if that's 655 00:41:11,480 --> 00:41:14,880 Speaker 1: just his version of being passive aggressive. For what it's worth, 656 00:41:15,239 --> 00:41:18,040 Speaker 1: he claims it's a remnant of his time in the military, 657 00:41:18,040 --> 00:41:20,880 Speaker 1: which ties him perfectly to the beginning of that episode. 658 00:41:21,760 --> 00:41:25,120 Speaker 1: I think girl on girl passive aggressiveness maybe more common 659 00:41:25,160 --> 00:41:28,160 Speaker 1: than male on male passive aggression, but I would argue 660 00:41:28,280 --> 00:41:31,560 Speaker 1: that when it comes to straight CIS gender relationships between 661 00:41:31,600 --> 00:41:36,080 Speaker 1: males and females, both platonic and romantic, they're equally full 662 00:41:36,160 --> 00:41:40,760 Speaker 1: of passive aggressiveness on both sides, even if it displays differently, 663 00:41:41,200 --> 00:41:45,399 Speaker 1: perhaps because of ingrained beliefs in physical power discrepancies. Question Mark, 664 00:41:46,000 --> 00:41:48,080 Speaker 1: thanks for the podcast and thanks for all you do, 665 00:41:48,239 --> 00:41:52,000 Speaker 1: and thank you Brittany Well, Caroline. I have a letter here, 666 00:41:52,040 --> 00:41:55,400 Speaker 1: also from a Brittany, and it's on our o c 667 00:41:55,560 --> 00:42:00,919 Speaker 1: D podcast, um and Brittany writes, I wanted to share 668 00:42:00,960 --> 00:42:04,319 Speaker 1: my youngest brother's story. He was completely quote normal as 669 00:42:04,360 --> 00:42:06,880 Speaker 1: a young child, and suddenly, when he was about thirteen 670 00:42:06,960 --> 00:42:10,279 Speaker 1: or fourteen, he began to exhibit intense, typically O c 671 00:42:10,520 --> 00:42:13,799 Speaker 1: D like symptoms. He washed his hands to the point 672 00:42:13,840 --> 00:42:15,919 Speaker 1: that they cracked in blood. He would only use one 673 00:42:16,000 --> 00:42:18,320 Speaker 1: bathroom out of the four in my parents home because 674 00:42:18,320 --> 00:42:21,000 Speaker 1: he felt he that was the only clean one, even 675 00:42:21,000 --> 00:42:24,880 Speaker 1: though my parents got a very clean house. After taking 676 00:42:24,920 --> 00:42:27,440 Speaker 1: him to the therapist for months with no results and 677 00:42:27,480 --> 00:42:32,319 Speaker 1: in fact worsening symptoms, my frustrated mom resorted to researching 678 00:42:32,360 --> 00:42:35,440 Speaker 1: his symptoms for self and came across a rare syndrome 679 00:42:35,520 --> 00:42:42,480 Speaker 1: called PANDOUS, which stands for pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated 680 00:42:42,480 --> 00:42:46,600 Speaker 1: with streptococcal infections. Basically, it's a mouthful that means kids 681 00:42:46,600 --> 00:42:50,600 Speaker 1: who have had strepped sometimes develop an autoimmune reaction to 682 00:42:50,640 --> 00:42:53,960 Speaker 1: the bacteria, which causes their immune system to begin attacking 683 00:42:54,000 --> 00:42:56,800 Speaker 1: their brains, leading to symptoms that can look like O 684 00:42:56,920 --> 00:42:59,880 Speaker 1: c D or other psychiatric disorders. It turns out that 685 00:43:00,120 --> 00:43:04,200 Speaker 1: existence of pandas is not agreed upon in the medical community. 686 00:43:04,239 --> 00:43:07,200 Speaker 1: And my brother's pediatrician wouldn't take my mother's inquiry about 687 00:43:07,239 --> 00:43:10,160 Speaker 1: it seriously. My mom didn't give up there, however, and 688 00:43:10,200 --> 00:43:14,000 Speaker 1: went to locate an immunologists slash PANDAS specialist a few 689 00:43:14,000 --> 00:43:17,200 Speaker 1: hours away. In one visit, the specialist confirmed my brother's 690 00:43:17,200 --> 00:43:21,120 Speaker 1: diagnosis as PANDAS rather than true O c D. He 691 00:43:21,280 --> 00:43:23,879 Speaker 1: was prescribed a heavy round of antibiotics to kill off 692 00:43:23,880 --> 00:43:27,000 Speaker 1: the strap bacteria. Within a week of taking the antibiotics, 693 00:43:27,000 --> 00:43:30,000 Speaker 1: my brother's symptoms were noticeably improved, and within a month 694 00:43:30,040 --> 00:43:33,000 Speaker 1: he was back to normal. I just wanted to share 695 00:43:33,000 --> 00:43:35,040 Speaker 1: this in case it might be helpful to other listeners, 696 00:43:35,160 --> 00:43:37,840 Speaker 1: especially since PANDAS can mask itself as O c D, 697 00:43:38,200 --> 00:43:41,400 Speaker 1: but is in fact very rare and hard to diagnose. 698 00:43:42,120 --> 00:43:45,120 Speaker 1: So thanks for the heads of Brittany, and thanks to 699 00:43:45,239 --> 00:43:48,560 Speaker 1: everybody who's written into us Mom seven House. Stuffworks dot 700 00:43:48,560 --> 00:43:51,080 Speaker 1: Com is where you can send us your letters and 701 00:43:51,280 --> 00:43:53,160 Speaker 1: links to all of our social media as well as 702 00:43:53,160 --> 00:43:56,600 Speaker 1: all of our blogs, videos and podcasts, including this one 703 00:43:56,640 --> 00:44:00,160 Speaker 1: with our sources so you can see all of these 704 00:44:00,200 --> 00:44:03,640 Speaker 1: modern farmer articles I am now obsessed with. Head on 705 00:44:03,719 --> 00:44:10,320 Speaker 1: over to stuff Mom Never Told You dot com for 706 00:44:10,480 --> 00:44:12,759 Speaker 1: more on this and thousands of other topics. Is it 707 00:44:12,840 --> 00:44:21,880 Speaker 1: how stuff works? Dot com