Atlanta, Indiana, USA
July 17, 2017
For the past 12 months, Natalina Sents, an Iowa native, has been crisscrossing the country on Beck’s Why I Farm Roadtrip, a year-long, 50-state tour documenting agriculture’s diversity. Sents finished her travels on May 19, 2017 and has revealed the untold stories of over 150 American farmers and ranchers through blogs and photography.
"There are so many people who helped make this journey come to life and I can’t thank them enough.” Sents said. “From the communities that supported me, to Beck’s for believing in The Roadtrip when it was just a day dream. And I could never forget all the farmers who welcomed, housed and fed me, as well as my friends and family for cheering me on along the way. I couldn’t have done it without such a great team.”
Partnering with Beck’s, the largest family-owned retail seed company in the United States, Sents has officially completed the
Why I Farm Roadtrip and helped Beck’s to honor farmers all across the country.
In total, more than 50 different types of agriculture were represented from the farms she visited. The first half of the trip included blueberries, pumpkins, hydroponic lettuce, cranberries, pigs, beef cattle, dairy cows, alpaca fiber, bison, mushrooms, orchards, nuts, hops, lavender, honey and more. The most recent stories highlighted items like rice, crawfish, okra, barley, garlic, peaches, canola, cotton, peanuts, olive trees, chiles, coffee, sugarbeets, sweet potatoes, broccoli, and taro, a native crop of Hawaii.
The Why I Farm Roadtrip was a thrilling yet challenging journey, one filled with laughter, some tears, and over 50 gallons of coffee. Sents not only met some amazing farm families, but many other gracious people who offered to simply host her for an evening.
Mike Compston is just one of the 150 farmers and ranchers that were honored on the Why I Farm Roadtrip. "No growing season, no production year in a man's lifetime in agriculture is the same. It never is duplicated. There's variables of weather, and climate, and markets. I farm because I love the challenge. I love the diversity. I love the opportunity to learn. That's it. It's who I am and what I do." -Mike Compston of Smith Valley, Nevada
“I can’t even express my gratitude to all the farmers that welcomed me into their homes,” Sents said. “They showed me their farms, taught me about their way of life, and really made me feel at home no matter how long I spent with them.”
Since 2013, the objective of Beck’s Why I Farm Movement has been simple – honor the American farmer. What began by sharing heartfelt stories through video, the Why I Farm Movement has now reached more than 8.1 million people and gained fans and followers from across the globe.
“We’re very proud of Natalina for accomplishing this unique journey,” said Scott Beck, president of Beck’s. “Her dedication and passion toward helping us honor farmers has been incredible. We have enjoyed meeting the farmers she interviewed from across the country, and hope their stories have also had an impact on those that have read them.”
Watch this video for a recap of Sents’ time on the road and the farmers she met across the country. To meet the farmers that were featured in Beck’s Why I Farm Roadtrip, visit www.WhyIFarm.com/blog, www.facebook.com/WhyIFarm, and www.twitter.com/WhyIFarm, as well as @WhyIFarm on Instagram and Snapchat. To submit a story idea, please email WhyIFarm@gmail.com.
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