Freedom and the family farm: Recognizing the roots of America on Independence Day

When most of us think about the Fourth of July, we picture fireworks, grilled hot dogs and burgers and maybe an uncle who insists on wearing a full American flag outfit.

July 4 is also a special day for my family as we celebrate my momma Judy Young’s birthday. She is a firecracker through and through.

But beneath the red, white and blue fanfare lays a story that’s just as rooted in the soil as it is in our history books — because when America declared independence, it was farmers who helped make that freedom possible.

Back in 1776, the United States wasn’t exactly a land of tech startups and coffee shops. It was a nation of farmers. About 90% of the population worked the land.

The Founding Fathers weren’t just revolutionaries with quills and powdered wigs. Many of them were also people with muddy boots and a deep understanding of the value of manure.

George Washington ran a large plantation and kept detailed records of his crops. Thomas Jefferson couldn’t resist experimenting with new heirloom tomatoes.

To these early Americans, farming wasn’t just a job. It was a lifestyle, a moral ideal and a symbol of self-reliance.

Jefferson once said, “Those who labor in the earth are the chosen people of God.”

Economically, too, farmers were at the heart of the revolution. British trade restrictions and taxes had been making life difficult for colonial producers.

Imagine working all season just to have the king tell you where you could sell your wheat — or worse, slap a tax on your tea. No wonder they tossed it in the harbor.

Independence meant more than waving flags. It meant being able to trade freely, manage your own land and plant whatever you darn well pleased.

Even the very idea of owning land was wrapped up in democracy. If you owned a farm, you had a real stake in society and you cared more about how it was run.

You’d also probably be too tired from making hay to start any unnecessary drama. Can you imagine cutting your hay with a scythe or sickle, raking it by hand and stacking it in the field without the help of machinery?

Fast-forward to today, and while fewer Americans farm for a living, the agricultural spirit still shows up on Independence Day.

Just look at your plate: corn on the cob, watermelon, a slice of homemade pie — all courtesy of hardworking farmers.

Rural towns across the country still host parades and fireworks, celebrating both freedom and the end of another long day in the fields.

And for today’s farmers, July 4 isn’t just about celebrating liberty; it’s also a key checkpoint in the growing season. As the old saying goes, corn should be “knee-high by the Fourth of July.”

If the crop is taller than that, great. If not, well, it’s still a good excuse to eat a burger and watch things explode in the sky.

So, this Independence Day, as you enjoy the festivities, remember that the road to freedom wasn’t just paved in parchment — it was plowed, planted and harvested, too.

God Bless America!