This post was sponsored by Bayer U.S., and I was compensated for this article. Bayer is not responsible for any other content or advertisements on my site. All opinions are my own.
I grew up on Sunnybrook Farm in Pennsylvania as a young girl. We had field upon field of hay for the cows and corn. We raised cows, pigs, chickens, and turkeys.
My nana had a garden (which we called the truck patch) that had everything – potatoes, corn, string beans, beets, lettuce, cabbage, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, onions, scallions, cantaloupes, watermelons, and pumpkins. There were probably a few other things that I’ve forgotten over the years that she grew in the truck patch, but she literally had everything she needed to feed her family right there on the farm.
We also had a grape vine that grew right off the back porch that had the most delicious purple grapes you’ve ever had in your life. My brother and I used to wait all year for those grapes to be ready. We also had blueberry and blackberry bushes all over the farm that were ripe for the picking whenever we wanted.
Food is a central part of life for everyone. Unfortunately, there are families out there right now, here in the United States, that are going hungry because they live in an area where they cannot grow their own food, or they don’t have the means to be able to buy adequate food to sustain their family.
Food insecurity is an issue facing families in communities across the country, and according to the USDA, one in eight Americans currently struggles with hunger, 42 million people in America, including more than 13 million children. In 2016, it was one in seven Americans.
Bayer is the headlining sponsor for Luke Bryan’s Here’s To The Farmer campaign. Luke asks his fans to share #HeresToTheFarmer online to show their gratitude to America’s farmers. Luke is the son of a peanut farmer from Georgia and because of his background growing up on a farm also, he understands the hard work and passion that it takes for farmers to feed America and feed the world.
As the headline sponsor, Bayer will donate a meal to a hungry family through Feeding America. This year’s goal is to donate one million meals.
Show your support for America’s farmers and join the #HeresToTheFarmer campaign. 97% of farms in the United States are operated by families – individuals, family partnerships or family corporations.
My grandparents delivered fresh milk, eggs, meats and produce to our local customers every week. Many of the farms in the United States deliver fresh produce to your local grocery stores as well. These farms employ more than 24 million American workers. 83% of the food that we consume in America is grown by United States farmers and ranchers, with 31% of those American farmers being women.
Help us support these amazing farmers right here in the United States and let them know that we appreciate their contributions, their hard work, and their dedication to their farms and providing fresh food to America.
Share a photo of your garden, an agriculture-based club you may belong to (like Future Farmers of America), fresh produce in your store from a local farmer – share what inspires you and tag it with #HeresToTheFarmer. For every share on social media, Bayer will donate a meal to Feeding America. Help us reach one million meals this year.
We thank you for your support!