Peterson Farm Bros - From Entertainment to Advocacy

About two years ago a trio of brothers made headlines by creating a parody to the popular LMFAO song "I'm Sexy and I Know It." No one, not even the brothers themselves, had any idea the firestorm they would create that would open the door of agriculture to millions of YouTube viewers.

By now, you know I'm talking about Greg, Kendal and Nathan Peterson, more commonly known as the Peterson Farm Bros. Their first song parody amassed more than 9 million views on YouTube and led them to appearances on national news outlets, Yahoo!'s homepage and countless speaking engagements in the past two years.

I recently heard Greg, the eldest bro, speak at the International Symposium for Beef Cattle Welfare in Ames, IA (which is why I was basically MIA last week) and it was interesting to hear him speak about the progression of their video series. What started out as a video for entertainment purposes has transitioned into a more robust advocacy campaign that is designed to spark more conversations and engage with consumers about farming practices. The Peterson family has even started opening their farm up for tours a few times each month.

Their most recent video All I Do is Farm (a parody of All I Do is Win) is definitely my favorite. Not only do I love that song, (it's on my iPod's running playlist) but they do a fantastic job of explaining why they do certain things and answering some of the questions that viewers might have about farm and ranch life.



Some of my favorite pieces of this video:

• How risky and unpredictable farming is but they just trust in Him
• The volatility of the markets and how that affects their livelihood
• Feeding the cattle a healthy ration
• Caring for their animals has always been a number one passion
• Farming is a family affair
• Conservation is on their minds and they are continually improving their operation and striving to decrease their carbon footprint
• The use of technology and input less to produce more

How can farmers and ranchers do a better job of reaching consumers and food purchasers on the level that the Peterson Farm Bros have? For my non-ag readers - how do you prefer to learn more about farming and ranching? Would you rather see a video like the Peterson Bros parodies, visit a farm or read a blog? What helps connect the dots for you?

Until next time,
~ Buzzard ~

Ranching Awesome - Thriftshop Parody

I love Kansas and I won't list all the reasons why but contributing to that long list is that all the best farm song parodies come from Kansas.

First there were the Peterson Farm Bros and their two big hits: I'm Farming and I Grow It & Working Farmer Style.

Then, the kids at Wallace County High School in western Kansas came up with this little diddy about the school lunch program and gained a ton of national attention - We Are Hungry.

And the next installment of Kansan farmer prides comes to us from Klingenberg Farms. Say hello to Ranching Awesome - a play on Thriftshop by Macklemore.

You guys have got to check this out - it's hilarious but oh so informative. The video shows a lot of cattle, pasture burning in the spring, K-State (holla!) and some cute little dancing farm girls! They talk about the different cuts of beef, Omega-3's, fixing farm equipment - seriously, you will die laughing but will also probably learn something too! And then you'll have it stuck in your head.

Enjoy!


Until next time,
~ Buzzard ~

Buzzard's Top Five in 2012

I wanted to have a great post to start 'twenty-my-favorite-number' off the right way but the holidays, a cold, the flu, a Fiesta Bowl road trip, a wedding and moving my office have all lent themselves to blog un-productivity. So forgive me as I bring your attention to an easy blog post. The Top Five Most Viewed Posts from 2012.

Here ya go - enjoy!

5. Hyvee, Pink Slime and Stupidity - I was disgusted at the lack of journalistic integrity exercised in the 'pink slime' debacle. The barrage of negative press thrown at BPI was absurd but Hyvee provided a refreshing take on standing up to bullies.

4. Agriculture Impressions - these images have set the agriculture advocacy world ablaze. The post includes links to the artist's Facebook page. Several more have been created since this post went up - be sure to check them all out!

3. Chipotle Strikes a Nerve with Grammy Commercial - continuing on the path of bad PR and misrepresentation of agriculture is multiple offender Chipotle. They contradict themselves when it comes to sourcing their products from 'local' producers. Read on...

I'm very proud to say that my top two posts this year stemmed from the creative genius of some Kansas kids! And K-State fans at that!

2. Farming and I Grow It - the first of two viral song parodies, Farming and I Grow It, by the Peterson Farm Bros., has accumulated over 8.1 million views on YouTube. That is epic, to say the least.

1. We Are Hungry - School Lunch Parody - some high school students at Wallace County High School who were disappointed with the 'revamped' school lunch program that Michelle Obama incorporated, made this hit video and it resonated with parents, students and educators across the nation. It saw results too - the USDA is upping the amount of meats and grains in school lunches. For the 2012-2013 school year, at least.

There you have it folks - the top five in twenty 12. I hope that I can provide you with more great brain fodder in 2013.  Thanks for reading!

Until next time,
~ Buzzard ~

PETA Makes an "Appearance" at the Kansas State Fair

Remember when I said I was going to the Kansas State Fair to help some friends but was also going to stop by the PETA booth?

Well,  I did it. And it was sure nerve wracking. And you'll have to go here to check it out! My experience is highlighted on SwineWeb.com.

Did you see the school lunch parody made by some Kansas high schoolers in Sharon Springs?

Make sure you brush up on your defamation knowledge with the BPI vs. ABC suit.

Until next time,
~ Buzzard ~

We Are Hungry - School Lunch Parody

Song parodies with an agriculture twist aren't going to stop anytime soon. In light of the recent school lunch policies and the continual mindset that some people have about conventional farming practices, the internet is alive with young minds belting out popular hits with altered lyrics.

First there were the Peterson Farm Brothers and I'm Farming and I Grow It (which has over 7 million views, by the way).

Then, Lil Fred put out his version of 'Call Me, Maybe' with "Farm It Maybe", which has over 1 million hits.

Most recently, the kids at Wallace County High School in Sharon Springs, Kansas (yeah, that's right another Kansas group - we're the bomb) have come up with this awesome gem of a video.

Introducing..... We Are Hungry


I think these guys and gals hit the nail right on the dang head. Kids are active and need food to play sports, keep their minds sharp and have enough energy to get through 6-7 hours of class per day. You can watch it here but also head over to YouTube and give them a thumbs up or a nice comment. They're doing their part to increase awareness of a flawed school nutrition program.

Oh and that kid in the I Heart Beef shirt (from Kansas State University - booyah) is a good family friend named Callahan Grund. The kind of kid you want to be friends with because he's a hardworker, funny and good-natured. His mom is in the video too and apparently she makes some good meatloaf.

Way to go guys - this is fantastic and had me grinning from ear to ear! Keep up the good work!

Until next time,
~ Buzzard ~