Unless you were hiding under a rock last year (Welcome to 2014!), you probably noted that ‘selfie’ was one of the big words of 2013. Much thanks to social media platforms like SnapChat and Instagram, everyone is walking around taking photos of themselves doing the duck face and striking the sorority pose. The Selfie has been fascinating pop-culture for the past several months. So what do farmers do? Take advantage of the opportunity and join in!

In my Twitter feed last week, I noticed several European farmers using the hashtag #felfie (a.k.a. #farmerselfie, check out FarmingSelfie.com) and sharing their selfies from the setting of the hog and dairy barns, tractors and pastures. Turns out the farmers in the Great Britain, Ireland, and other parts of Europe were having fun with the selfie, taking photos with their cows, dogs, pigs, sheep, tractors and landscapes.

It’s actually a pretty great way for farmers to mesh with a pop-culture movement and make a few connections that lead to a little advocacy. Adding a bit of personality to our messages helps build those relationships.

ranching farming selfie feeding cows hay
Feeding cattle with the family in Arkansas during Christmas week.
farming selfie
“I love this state!” – Near Fort Benton, Montana on the Missouri River. Once the final port for steam boats carrying cargo inland.
farmer rancher cow dog selfie
We can have a little fun once in a while too. The cowdog won’t have any time to sit still.

Where’s your farm and ranch selfie? Share it online with the hashtag #farmerselfie. Who knows what connections you’ll make with folks who otherwise wouldn’t have met a farmer or rancher online. See more #farmerselfie posts on this Storify post from Farm and Dairy.