After five seasons, the TV show “Yellowstone” is coming to an end. That means that, a few months ago, I started watching it. No, seriously, I just started. But as a farmer on social media, it’s been pretty impossible not to be aware of the show for the last five years. Everyone — farmer, rancher, or otherwise — was talking about it. So, naturally, I formed an opinion. Now, before this article goes further, I want to explicitly state that this is my opinion. I would love to hear yours.
Considering the vast majority of viewers don’t know much or anything about cattle and ranching, I’d say the show was a real mixed bag for animal ag. For the logical people who hopefully understand that the most sensational storylines are there for the ratings, I think the show might’ve done some good. Over the last six years, just from the day-after memes and brief Reels or YouTube clips I saw, the show did a pretty good job of expressing the passion and love we share for this life. Clever quotes and sympathetic music helped show the legacy behind the land, the camaraderie, and the sense of family we feel with the people farming with us. It pretty accurately portrayed how hard we work, some of the obstacles we encounter, and the sacrifices we make to put food on ours and everyone else’s table. I’m not too proud to admit that a few of those Monday morning memes reaffirmed my faith in agriculture. It showed some of the hard times and, in my opinion, fairly accurately expressed how anxious we are about the future. In its way, the little bit of the show I’ve watched made me feel less alone in the everyday struggle.
But if you aren’t a farmer and you’re reading this, I hope you know that there’s a lot less violence in farming and ranching. Real life ranching isn't quite as dramatic or cutthroat as the Yellowstone Ranch. The show’s creators still have to sell tickets, so to speak. So, if it seems far-fetched, assume it is.
Overall, I think “Yellowstone” portrayed a family who loved their farm/ranch with everything they had. And that’s not a whole lot different than most of the farmers and ranchers I know.
The author dairies in partnership with her parents and brother at Spruce Row Farm in Pennsylvania. Jessica is a graduate of Pennsylvania State University, and since 2015, she has been active in promoting dairy in her local community. You can find her and her 250 Jersey cows on Facebook at Spruce Row Dairy or on Instagram at @seejessfarm.
