I know Super Bowl ads have been making the rounds, but these two are a farmgirl must see. Let me preface this first one by sharing a a portion of an e-mail I received yesterday from Shery, our Ranch Farmgirl blogger.
“Six farmgirls and I planned to go on an antique hunting trip last weekend … an overnighter … 2 antique malls, 3 shops, and a BARN full of antiques that opens by appointment in the winter. Icy, snow-packed roads nixxed the plan. Arrrrgh. Coverage of our fab outing was to be my blog THIS week. Drat. Soooo, instead I’m making a recycle type of bird-feeder from an old blue-swirl enamelware pan and matching lid … and offering up instructions.”
Shery continued: “Also, I said goodbye to a dear friend in my horse-life. 24-year-old Bluebelle laid down and left this life last week. She & Dolly & I became ranchers together. We grew gray hair together. She was ‘the easiest horse on earth’ … and when it was her time to depart, she laid down and quietly left. She was never sick a day in her life and if she had anything to say about it, she would have spared us the anguish of putting her down when the time came. It appears that is exactly what happened. She always made the ride easier. She lifted each hoof on cue for the farrier before he asked for it. She dipped her head in her halter and bridle. When we moved bulls, she made certain that I never had to get off. She would reach deeply into a thicket of trees and like a land shark, she’d peel the hair of a bull’s rump until he bellered and fled. She *always”* made things easier for me. She took great care in being the ‘dude’ horse and read each rider according to their ability … or lack thereof. She even died by the gate so that it would be easy to move her for burial. How I loved her and her easy peaceful nature. I will miss Bluebelle wrapping her neck and head around me in a ‘horse hug’. She was buried in the manner in which all great horses are laid to rest: standing, facing the rising sun.”
As evidenced in the following ad, the way we feed our country is on the cusp of change. As we start to see that healthier harvests are born of nurtured land, we are seeing a new breed of farmer step up to the plow, and SHE is breathing new life into agriculture. Tip your hats to Dodge for recognizing that women are farmers too, especially since a woman now manages 1 out of every 7 farms in the U.S.
Love them both! I will always LOVE the “Clydes”!
But my heart literally sang with the “God Made a Farmer”! I’d heard Paul Harvey’s tribute to a farmer some time ago before it was made into this commercial. But it IS my dad! It is the life we lived! What a proud heritage and it brought tears to my eyes!
AND, listening to the Sandy Hook students singing made me cry too! WOW!!
CJ
Both of these ads were the on,y ones that I liked!! Especially the Clydesdale ad. It made me cry!!
Oh, how I related to the Clyde ad. I know exactly how that young man felt. Farmers and ranchers are like the soil they live so close to. They nurture. We do become like the company we keep :o)
We raised a colt years ago. I imprinted him at birth. My face and voice greeted him before his own momma. I imprinted him for an hour (as taught by Dr. Bob Miller). We sold the colt as a yearling. Long story short: When he was 7, his owner could no longer keep him and called to see if we would buy him back. My husband thought he would make a good ranch horse and rope horse for recreational ropers. The plan was to tune him up and work on his arena skills – then sell him. Our friend dropped him off one day. The horse had been here for about half an hour and my husband turned him out. In the meantime, I was in the pasture down by the creek, sitting on my “thinking stump” – it was evening. I never heard a thing, so I about jumped out of my skin when I felt pressure on the back of shoulder. I jerked to one side and when I turned around, there he was. He came even closer and hung his head over my shoulder heavily. Horses are second only to elephants in the memory department. The horse remembered me, no question … and I was deeply touched that he was *happy* to see me. It was one of many special moments in my life with horses.
I loved the Ram truck commercial. I cried just thinking about it! The people at the SB Party we were at couldn’t understand, but I felt so much pride in that one small thing. My family were farmers & now they are all gone. This farmgirl still feels the pride of what they did & what they showed me. Thank you Dodge for reminding me & others.
Thank you Mary Jane for this post. Thank you Shery for your addition. I’m so glad Dodge spent the millions recognizing the backbone of America AND her Author. Not “politically” correct in this day and age.
I am sorry to hear about Bluebelle, Shery. You must have been a wonderful trainer & caregiver to Bluebelle. Not long ago, I remember reading (perhaps in one of your recent blogs?) that you have a horse over 20 years old. Not knowing much about horses myself, it came as a surprise that you raised such beautiful, healthy looking horses that lived so long.
I also liked the commercials but admit that this is the first time watching them. Coincidentally, we recently watched a movie (version with Clint Black & Lisa Hartman Black) called, Flicka & really enjoyed the story. I appreciate that some are still making movies; writing books & airing commercials that we actually enjoy.