At the end of the year, I like to share with my readers the posts I think had the most impact this year and the issues that were getting the most attention. So, here is my list of the Top 10 Posts of 2013.
1. Carrie Underwood – Not An All American Girl Carrie was a popular topic on the blog this year, mostly because of her hypocritical stance – she enjoys having her rural fans, but she donates large chunks of time and money on organizations and campaigns directly adverse to agriculture’s interest. Also popular this year: Carrie Underwood Loves HSUS.
2. Organic Pesticides – No, it isn’t an oxymoron. Organic farmers use pesticides. And the sad thing is, a lot of this stuff is the same outdated (super) toxic stuff that they used to use back in the 1960’s. If you’re worried about spray residue on your produce, you probably don’t want to come in contact with this stuff.
3. The Almighty Hobby Farm – It looks good on paper, but really, these folks are just playing in the dirt.
4. Leader of the GMO Movement Recants – Mark Lynas used to be a staunch anti-GMO crusader…but then he “got” science. Now, he’s on our side.
5. The Monsanto Protection Act Isn’t What You Think – The foes of Monsanto folks to think that this legislative measure was proof of Monsanto’s ability to get around the rules. In reality, the measure was meant to protect farmers.
6. Why Raising Chickens In Your Backyard Isn’t Romantic – Animal agriculture is hard work. And it takes a certain level of expertise. Some of the “grow your own food” advocates found this out when they tried to raise chickens.
7. Why Can’t We All Just Get Along, Part 1 – When protesters took to the streets on a day dedicated to opposing biotechnology, Monsanto, and, well, science, it just showed that the anti-GMO and anti-science movement isn’t interested in rational, thoughtful discussion.
8. “It’s All Antibiotic Free, Baby!” – Antibiotics in our meat was a big issue this year, and one scientist cleared the air – there’s nothing to worry about because there are no antibiotics in your meat!
9. Bad Ideas: GMO Labels – Labeling is a big deal for some people, but it’s actually a really bad idea. In this article I explain why.
10. 5 Reasons Being A Farm Kid Rocks! – Some people want to ban children from working on farms. I think that’s ridiculous and, hey, I speak from experience.
So there you have it, my Top 10 posts of 2013.
By the way, 2013 was also a big year for me because I started my Farming Fridays! feature. To read all of the posts and learn all about our corn crop check out the Farming Fridays Diary!
