They say young people just don’t read – unless it’s online or on phones, and then only in 50 word snippets.
They also say young people just aren’t interested in becoming the next generation of farmers.
I say horse feathers.
Recently heard anecdotal evidence and recently read letters to the editor indicate otherwise.
For example, a recent survey from NADbank, the group that measures newspaper readership, showed that people in the youngest demographic actually read papers more often than those in the next-oldest demographic. Progress!
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Colleagues have noted that their children are actually spending time with newspapers – in print.
And then, one day last week, came the mother lode: nine wonderful letters from children attending the South Bend Colony school at Alliance, Alta. Vickey Horkoff teaches Grades 1 through 8 and gives her Grade 5 and up students The Western Producer to read each week. Sometimes they write essays about news items. This time, they decided to try letters to the editor. Lucky me.
Talk about making someone’s day. I feel compelled to quote Levi Hofer, who wrote:
“I must say that The Western Producer has helped a lot of people in the world. I think it is more important than the Edmonton Sun is. I live on a farm and I have learned a lot about farming just from reading the Producer. I appreciate The Western Producer every day.”
I’ve never met Levi, but he is definitely among my favourite people, along with the other eight letter writers.
Mark Hofer had some great questions.
“Why is the grain so expensive that we buy to seed! And the grain that we try to sell not expensive? I think they should sell the seeds to plant at a lower (I think it says lower) price. The grain that we sell should be more expensive than the seed you buy.”
He makes sense, doesn’t he?
Michelle Joe Kleinsasser wrote that she does not like the local papers, which contain bad language.
“…I must say I like your paper better, whether that’s because I’m a farmer or because of your good writing I don’t know, but I know that I cannot complain.”
These letters are variously complimentary, heart-warming, insightful and nicely written. You can find them on our website, attached to the online version of this column.
