The #PLANT14 (and its relatives, #HARVEST14, #PLANT13, #HARVEST13 and so on) have existed for years, but seemed to really make sense to me this year.  Perhaps because of their prevalence on Facebook this year (Facebook didn’t start using hashtags until summer 2013) my awareness has simply increased.  Either way, I think #PLANT14 is a good thing.

*Don’t know what a hashtag is?  Scroll to the bottom of this article!

Photo courtesy of OhioFarmGirl

One of the benefits social media offers us is an opportunity to experience the beauty and authenticity of life in someone else’s shoes.  Thanks to OhioFarmGirl for experimenting with her camera phone and giving us a unique and beautiful view of a spring day out planting.

Photo courtesy of CountryGirlCass

Here, CountryGirlCass reminds us that farming continues even when the rest of us are taking the kids to soccer practice or filling our carts with groceries.  A photo can remind non-farmers of the interconnectedness of our lives in the same community.

Photo courtesy of JHodgen

And this photo is a good reminder of two things: farming is a family affair, and farming is not just for the male species – even if you have to interrupt a tea party to help.

Photo courtesy of CaityStrong

Non-farmers get to participate too.  Even suburban folks who are working on their gardens have marked their photos #PLANT14 so they can share in the joy of seedlings, the smell of turned dirt, and the beginning of another fruitful year.

Photo courtesy of Biesecker_Eric22

I’m convinced that #PLANT14 brings farmers and non-farmers together.  Or, at least, it’s another great opportunity for collaboration and understanding between the two groups.  I mean, farmer or not, who doesn’t appreciate the sort of beauty we’re seeing in these images?

Photo courtesy of ILCorn

If you’re interested in learning more about social media efforts like these and how your checkoff dollars are making an impact, follow us on Instagram at IL Corn.  If you have a smart phone, download the Instagram app and search for us. 

*A hashtag is this symbol “#” and is a way of sorting information.  If you wanted to find photos about corn, you could search for #corn and locate any images about corn.  If you wanted to mark your photo so that it was a result for searches about farmers, you would mark it #farmers.