Being a farmer has never been considered glamorous. There are very few people who get filthy rich from farming. Filthy, maybe, but not rich. Farming involves dirt, mud, animal waste, sweat and the hot South Carolina sun. However, it is one of the most noble and essential occupations in our community. I got a chance to witness this firsthand on the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association’s Upstate Farm Tour last weekend.

My children were really mad when I told them we were going on a farm tour. They thought this was another boring educational trip I was forcing them to endure. From the moment Terry Wyatt of Western Starr Farm flipped over his first sheep to shear off the wool, they were mesmerized and, quite frankly, so was I. We spent Saturday and Sunday learning the story behind our food and other farm products.

The most important lesson was realizing we had a choice when it came to our food. We can choose what the other end of the supply chain leading to our plate looks like. On one hand, we can buy food grown in a field far away, often picked by machines before they ripen and shipped thousands of miles over several days. On the other hand, we can buy food grown by one of our neighbors, from varieties selected for their flavor and quality, picked at ripeness and sold as quickly as it can be moved to the market. Whether it was Terry’s lamb, Split Creek Farm Cheese, or Happy Cow Creamery milk, my choice is obvious.

It may take a little more effort to get these, but it is worth it.

Anderson County Farmer’s Market is now open

409 N. Murray Ave. Anderson

Hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Saturdays 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Pendleton Farmer’s Market is opens today

Pendleton’s Village Green, Pendleton

Hours: Thursdays 4 to 7 p.m.; Saturdays 8 a.m. to noon

Belton Farmer’s Market is now open

N. Main and Blake Street, Belton

Hours : Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays 6 a.m. to sellout