Grammar Nerds

Admitting the problem is a step in rehabilitation, right? Well, here it goes: I'm Emily, and I have a problem: correcting grammar. No form of bad grammar is ever left uncorrected in my head. From an incorrect apostrophe on the Skinny Jean's Workout at my gym (what exactly are the jeans owning???) to an incorrect use of your/you're in a facebook status, no bad grammar is left unjudged.

I know; it's snobby, but I can't help it. I completely and utterly am a product of a grammar nerd home. It's in my genes. My mom is a absolute and total grammar nerd, complete with a master's degree in English. She has been known to tell grocery clerks that the express line should read 15 items or fewer, take a Sharpie marker to signs at her school to correct apostrophe usage, even consider calling a local church when their kitchy sign was grammatically incorrect. WE CAN'T HELP IT! We are NERDS!!

However, this is a blog about agriculture. What in the heck does being a grammar nerd have to do with being a farm wife?

Well, the farmers have gone nerdy on us! Generally speaking, when the image of a farmer comes to mind, one does not necessarily consider the fact that he or she cares whether things are spelled correctly, or that apostrophes are used in the right way, or that grammar in general is important. However, thanks to a little nudging from their grammar nerd wives, and much like my quest to be educated in all things agricultural, the guys are learning! Just the other night, my husband and dad were lamenting over a local chemical and seed company's newsletter, and its obvious lack of proofreading. My dad showed it to my husband, proclaiming, "I can't even do the word scramble! Combine is spelled incorrectly!" After Joe took a look at it, he asked me if the apostrophe in one of the words was necessary!

YES!! My plan to make our farmers a superior group of grammar nerds is nearly complete!

Now, I'm not saying that all agricultural publications are usually anything but professional. There are really great writers who understand the English language (or have a great proofreader), and do a great job conveying the message of agriculture to the greater population. However, there are still those folks who either don't take the time to hit the little ABC icon atop their Word Document, or care enough to treat farmers as the well educated, intelligent men and women they are. Please write to us as people who are in need of information, rather than causing me to get all crazy and start correcting your sentences as I read them! Remember, there are grammar nerds EVERYWHERE. . . even farmers who have been converted to our side!

Grammar nerds unite!