Dissertation Diaries IV: Old Macdonald had a Farm
S'later Dissertation Diaries, I think this’ll be the last
for now! Farming will no doubt reoccur on my agenda soon but for the time being I
shall leave you with this final thought…
British farmers tend to be typecast as one of two sorts –
think the Downton Abbey-esque gentrified estate owner or the salt of the earth
hill billy type. These examples show a mainstream exposure to farmers in everyday
life so even if you don’t come across a farmer to speak to, you may have heard the stereotypes as insults, in jokes or fancy dress. These out-dated
representations equate a farmer with an old man; remember the nursery rhyme Old
Macdonald had a Farm? Well this hit home to me as illustrative of the male
orientated structure.
Modern day farmers are male or female yet it seems that men
are more commonplace and accepted. In the past, women have struggled to gain access to land
as it tended to be passed down to sons so inequality in resources was both a cause and effect for farming not
to be seen as a suitable career for women. To be a good farmer was to be a good
man as toughness and strength were thought to be characteristic of masculinity,
valued and seemingly the opposite to women. Wives were seen to offer a vital
role in supplementing the farm work, albeit unpaid, of domestic and emotional
support. Sometimes they would be drawn upon to help with farm work in times of
need but otherwise they remained on the periphery, perpetuating a sense that women
couldn’t be farmers.
More women are entering farming in their own right
according to official statistics (yipeee!) thanks to greater access to
agricultural education which allows women to establish themselves in the field
on their own merit and as their own choice. The machinery has changed too, for
many this makes farming physically less demanding and requires more technological
intellect than ever before.
There’s certainly been progress away from the ‘Old
Macdonald Had a Farm’ mentality but there’s still a long way to go to achieve
women’s equality in farming (boo)! As I found out in my research, although
there are more women farming, it doesn’t necessarily mean they are treated any
better in their role.
What comes to mind when you think of a farmer?
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