Though many of us may be working in factories or offices, chasing the Canadian dream, the work of farming in the Fraser Valley is going stronger than ever, more than 175 years after potatoes, wheat, and peas were seeded into the fertile soil around Fort Langley and what is now the Milner Valley.

Unlike most places in the world, B.C. has an Agricultural Land Reserve, a thing envied around the globe, as it preserves fertile ground from speculators and "growth."

On that land, more often than not, you'll find computerized dairy farms, precisely engineered fields and cutting edge technologies.

The "dumb farmer" who was looked down upon for too long by self-important city cousins today usually has a degree in agricultural science, coupled with a keen - and trained - business sense, a necessity in today's cutthroat global market.

Those who live in the Fraser Valley can thank agriculture for their jobs.

Poultry, milk, vegetables, mushrooms, and fruit add up to close to half a billion dollars in farm gate sales annually - and the many spin-off sectors that support agriculture add another $1.5 billion to our economy.

If you eat, thank farmers for the food on your plate, some of the best, freshest, and safest produced in any country around the world.

What farmers do, they do out of pride and love of the lifestyle, despite the endless hours and huge financial risks.

Farmers are stewards and watchdogs of the land, our water supply, and even our air.

Farmers and all who work on the farms deserve our gratitude. Remember that next time you stop at a stand to buy fresh peppers or berries.

So, to all our farmers, old and new and to those to come, thanks for the meal.