When a team of journalists from The Irish Farmers Journal came up with a photo contest for their readers in Dublin, Ireland, they had no idea that the competition would be recognized internationally.
In order to honor Oxford Dictionary’s 2013 word of the year, “selfie,” Peter Young, reporter for the Journal, sat down with some colleagues to discuss the paper’s “selfie” competition — farmer style.
“One thing that I do think you get from the ‘felfie’ photos is the passion farmers have for their industry and the food they produce,” said Maura Fay, online journalist for the Journal.
Farmer P.J. Ryan won the newspaper’s contest, as determined by the number of Facebook likes.
Since then, photos of farmers with their livestock have spread throughout online, with an entire website dedicated to them.
“People have stereotypes about farmers, but when I discovered ‘felfies,’ I realized that farmers needed to be recognized and known for their hard work,” Greg Walbrecq of Felfies.com, a free website where farmers post their ‘felfies,’ said in an email. “They need to show they are young and full of motivation.”
Walbrecq’s site has nothing to do with her publication, Fay said she appreciates the promotion of a positive image of farmers.
Even though Athens prides itself on farming, Kip Parker, manager of the Athens Farmers Market, said he had not heard of local farmers posting felfies online.
Fay’s and Walbrecq’s fathers both farm, so they both share an appreciation for farming, which is expressed in ‘felfies.’
“Farmers need to show the world who they really are,” Walbrecq said in an email. “They need to finally be considered because they are the ones who feed the world.”
kf398711@ohiou.edu
@KellyPFisher
This article originally appeared in print under the headline "Farmer selfies gain fame"
