Hi! My Name's Kylie and I'm a Gen Y

This blog is dedicated to all those fabulous Gen Y who I work with as Young Farming Champions and around the traps.

So, apparently I stepped on a few toes with my last blog “Who Gives A Flying Fandango”.  I’m not surprised however.   I welcome feedback, I am not perfect, I am forging my way through this wilderness too.  It would be easier if those wanting to say things about me would say it directly and not in round about ways.  But enough of that before you all roll your eyes at me and say (all together now) “Who gives a flying fandango?”    I’m certain I will step on some more toes, or even kick someone in the shin, but may as well be hung for a sheep as a lamb eh?

I have many failings, but according to much of the feedback I've received over the last couple of years my biggest downfall is that I had the misfortune to be born in 1981 and therefore am that nasty thing “Gen Y”.  My fellow Gen Y’s and I have had it said to us quite a bit recently that because we are too young we just don’t get it and we should just shush and let the older generation carry on because they've been doing it for years.  And because I’m that apparently rare thing known as a “polite Gen Y” I've bitten my tongue until now and have blurted out in true 80’s child style “if you’re so damned good at advocating for agriculture, why are we in this mess”.  Because I truly don’t think like that, it’s just my childish reaction!

Our urban Gen Y cousins also seem to get the finger pointed at them for not “caring about farmers” or "knowing how food is produced"  (again I don’t think this, just what sometimes seems to be the undercurrent from a few.)  I can assure you if you stood in front of a room of Gen Y and demanded that they be grateful for farmers because without us they would starve, they would tell you ever so politely (or not) to bugger off.  How do we know this?  Because we went to school together, we went to Uni together, we are friends and our kids are friends.  Gen Y’s are raising and teaching the next generation of leaders.   I believe that Gen Y’s are the best people have those conversations with other Gen Y’s.  In the Gen Y way.  Don’t get me wrong, we will always look up to you for your wisdom, experience and guidance.  But the world is changing and we must change with it.

Gen Y is the up and coming generation.  In the next decade they will rule the world so to speak.  So by all means talk to your generation how they best receive it, and us “young upstarts”  (I’ve seriously been called this) will talk to our generation in the way we know it works.  Because it’s important that we build those lasting, positive connections now.

Post Script:
Please note that I don't think all Baby Boomers are grumps just like I know you all don't think Gen Y are little toads.  Some of the coolest people I know are Baby Boomers.  As for you Gen X, with your middle child syndrome, I have a blog in mind especially for you and the challenges you face.

Who Gives a Flying Fandango?

I know, I know, I have been absent from my blogging for YONKS!  But my mate Sherrill inspired me with the blog she wrote  yesterday so I thought it was time I had a go again!

So, here goes:

We've all got at least one (well those of us on Facebook but there’s plenty in real life too).  You know those people who thrive on drama and love being the victim.  Everyone is out to get them, to judge them, to gossip about them.  And you read it (or listen) and roll your eyes and say to yourself “who gives a flying fandango?”  Well my language is usually a little more colourful (sorry Dad).  But you all know what I’m talking about don’t you?

The concerning thing is however, is that sometimes I think that the Australian farming community is turning into one of those people.  Now for all of you puffing up your chests in indignation “calm your farm” and hear me out.

I think it’s great that there are so many farmers out there in the general public working to get their message out there.  But maybe we need to stop and think about what message that is.
Only a very small amount of the general public is against us.  It might seem like a majority, they will tell you it’s a majority but I’ll let you in on a little secret.  Not too many give a flying fandango.

Australians hate whingers.  They hate people playing the victim; they turn away from people with a bad attitude.  They switch off to those who think the world owes them a living and that they have it tougher than anyone else.

The Australian general public (who by the way should be our target audience and not the very small minority of people who have their minds and hearts shut off to us) do however love people who can take the mickey out of themselves.  Those of us who are going through tough times but can still grin and have a laugh at our own expense.  And they love the underdog.  Those of us who will pull ourselves up by the bootlaces and have a go.  Those of us that despite all odds we still do our best.

Think about how YOU want the Aussie general public to think about you?  Do you want them to pour vitriol and scorn on the farming community?  If so, keep up the swagger about how without farmers the world will end (without a lot of professions the world would be a struggle for us first world people, even farmers).  Keep on telling people to shut up, they have no right to say what happens in how their food/fibre is produced.  Imagine if we approached our child’s teacher about a concern and they told us to shut up, they've been teaching for so x amount of years and we have no say.  We’d flip them the bird if not physically at least mentally.  Just because they've had x amount of years experience doesn't mean they shouldn't take feedback on board.  A good teacher would listen to your concerns and then explain WHY they do things.  Farmers should be the same.

Do you want people to pity you for the rest of your life?  Keep on saying poor me, poor us, nobody loves me.  That turns into scorn pretty quick.

Or do you want the general public to understand and support you?  So that if they do have a concern they can approach you knowing that you won’t laugh or ridicule them?  So that if someone says something crap about you, the general public has faith in you?  I know farming is not all giggles and rainbows, some pretty crap stuff happens.  It does to everyone.  So that’s okay to show people the bad side, but let people know that you’re tough and will carry on the best you can with a smile.  But don’t always make it about the bad side.  Because we want the Aussie General Public to see our Facebook pages, blogs and videos and go “WOW, I didn't know that about our farmers, how awesome is that!?”  and not an eyeroll with “who gives a flying fandango?”

To find out more about getting YOUR positive story out there, check out Ask An Aussie Farmer's new initiative Cultivating Connections.