---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: They\" are farmers and ranchers, though…"
description: "\"“They\" are farmers and ranchers, though generally not those from the front row of the church, that select few who remain in conventional agriculture. T..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cce/lisa-m-hamilton-257126_family-history_they-are-farmers-and-ranchers-though-gen_2677795.jpg"
---

#  They" are farmers and ranchers, though generally not those…

![“They" are farmers and ranchers, though generally not those from the front row of the church, that select few who remain in conventional agriculture. These are the ones who were trimmed off long ago, or at least by the industry's prescription, should have been. As we sit and talk, the topics are…” quote by Lisa M. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cce/lisa-m-hamilton-257126_family-history_they-are-farmers-and-ranchers-though-gen_2677795.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cce/lisa-m-hamilton-257126_family-history_they-are-farmers-and-ranchers-though-gen_2677795.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cce/lisa-m-hamilton-257126_family-history_they-are-farmers-and-ranchers-though-gen_2677795.jpg)

> ““They" are farmers and ranchers, though generally not those from the front row of the church, that select few who remain in conventional agriculture. These are the ones who were trimmed off long ago, or at least by the industry's prescription, should have been. As we sit and talk, the topics are sometimes technical, often political or economic, and always, ultimately, philosophical. And personal. If we start with a discussion of soil microbiology or a comparison of turkey breeds, inevitably we end up in family, history, ecology, faith, beauty, morality, and the fate of the world to come. For them, all those things are linked. As they see it, agriculture is not an industry on the periphery of modern civilization. It is a fundamental act that determines whether we as a society will live or die. What binds these people is not a particular farming method, but rather the conviction that as humans, the contributions they make are essential. Conventional agriculture doesn't need people for much more than to run the machines and carry the debt, but these people refuse that lifeless role. To the work, they bring their intellects and their consciences, their histories and their concerns for the future. In quiet ways, in quiet places, they have set about correcting the damage that has come from believing agriculture could actually be reduced to numbers alone.””

[Lisa M. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-m-hamilton/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Describes how farmers and ranchers, despite being marginalized, view agriculture as essential to humanity’s survival, linking stewardship to moral and ecological concerns.

**In simple terms:** Farmers see agriculture as vital, not peripheral.

Key Takeaway

Recognize agriculture’s central role in society.

Themes

agriculture stewardship ethics community survival

Mood

thoughtful serious

Type

Family history:0 Farmers:1 Live or die:1 Long ago:0 Conventional Agriculture:1 Believing Agriculture:0 Ranchers Generally:0 Agriculture Doesn:0

When to use this quote

- policy advocacy
- community organizing
- educational outreach

Key Concepts

environmental science social philosophy economics

Questions to Reflect On

- How does agriculture shape societal values?
- What responsibilities do producers hold?

A Different Perspective

May romanticize farming challenges.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Agriculture Doesn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agriculture-doesn-2554656/) [Believing Agriculture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believing-agriculture-2554654/) [Conventional Agriculture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conventional-agriculture-374249/) [Family history](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family-history/) [Farmers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/farmers/) [Live or die](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/live-or-die/) [Long ago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-ago/) [Ranchers Generally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ranchers-generally-2554655/)

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