• iconNews
  • videos
  • entertainment
  • Home
  • News
    • UK News
    • US News
    • Australia
    • Ireland
    • World News
    • Weird News
    • Viral News
    • Sport
    • Technology
    • Science
    • True Crime
    • Travel
  • Entertainment
    • Celebrity
    • TV & Film
    • Netflix
    • Music
    • Gaming
    • TikTok
  • LAD Originals
    • Say Maaate to a Mate
    • Daily Ladness
    • Lad Files
    • UOKM8?
    • FreeToBe
    • Extinct
    • Citizen Reef
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • UNILAD
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube

LAD Entertainment

YouTube

LAD Stories

Submit Your Content

Home> News

Published 17:45 24 May 2023 GMT+1

Man behind ‘honest work’ meme killed in car crash

He only discovered his online fame when a bank teller who showed the image to him on her phone

Jess Hardiman

Jess Hardiman

The Ohio farmer behind the ‘honest work’ meme has sadly died after being involved in a car crash.

David Brandt, 76, was a Marine Corps veteran who served in Vietnam, who turned to no-till farming in 1971 with wife Kendra.

According to the Associated Press, he died on Sunday 21 May after being injured in a vehicle crash in Urbana, Illinois, three days before.

Advert

Brandt became well known across the US thanks to his advocacy for no-till farming - an agricultural technique for growing crops without disturbing soil through tillage – as he travelled across the country to talk about sustainable approaches to agriculture and soil health.

However, he shot to viral fame after the comments he made at a 2012 Natural Resources Conservation Service event held on his farm.

David Brandt.
NBC/Randall Reeder

While talking about his job, he said: “It ain’t much but its honest work.”

The simple line soon became a symbol of the industry’s traditional values, and the work ethic of many farmers.

Advert

It even ended up being turned into a popular meme, which KnowYourMeme says first surfaced in 2018 on Reddit.

“On October 10th, 2014, the United States Department of Agriculture posted an article entitled ‘Soil Health Campaign Turns Two: Seeks to Unlock Benefits on- and off-the-Farm.,” the site explains.

“The article features a photograph of Ohio farmer and ‘soil health pioneer’ David Brandt.

“Four years later, on December 15th, 2018, Redditor pettergra posted the image in the /r/MemeEconomy subreddit, adding the text, ‘It ain't much but it's honest work.’

“They captioned the image, ‘When you post OC and get 10 upvotes instead of reposting for thousands.’ The post received more than 18,000 points (85% upvoted) and 130 comments in three weeks.”

Advert

David Brandt was the man behind the 'honest work' meme.
KnowYourMeme

Another Redditor later posted a variation, which moved the text to the bottom of the image.

“They added the caption ‘When your teacher asks you why you have submitted only one paper of 20 paper homework’,” KnowYourMeme continues.

“The post received more than 11,000 points (97% upvoted) in 24 hours (shown below).”

The Associated Press reported that relatives have said Brandt ‘enjoyed’ the meme, even though he didn’t know what a meme was until he learned he actually was one – having only discovered his online fame when a bank teller who showed the image to him on her phone.

Advert

Randal Reeder told the Columbus Dispatch: “[Brandt] got a lot of joy after seeing (the meme), and seeing how it exploded all over! He didn't object to it at all.

“He was determined to educate farmers about the value of conservation agriculture, and how it would improve soil health."

Featured Image Credit: KnowYourMeme/NBC

Topics: US News

Jess Hardiman
Jess Hardiman

Jess is Entertainment Desk Lead at LADbible Group. She graduated from Manchester University with a degree in Film Studies, English Language and Linguistics. You can contact Jess at [email protected].

X

@Jess_Hardiman

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

13 mins ago
14 mins ago
2 hours ago
  • 13 mins ago

    All health benefits of fasting for 36 hours to achieve 'full reset' following jaw-dropping simulation

    I can't go 36 hours without a biscuit, let alone any food at all

    News
  • 14 mins ago

    'Japanese Baba Vanga' triggers tourist cancellations with catastrophic prediction coming in 46 days

    Ryo Tatsuki's predictions over the years have been eerily accurate and one is set to come in July 2025

    News
  • 2 hours ago

    Donald Trump demands 'facts' on Joe Biden's cancer diagnosis in shock statement to White House

    Classy as always, Donald

    News
  • 2 hours ago

    Brit, 21, faces decades 'rotting behind bars' in Sri Lanka after 'trying to smuggle £1.2million worth of drugs'

    Charlotte May Lee was found with 46kg of a highly addictive illegal substance in her luggage

    News
  • Third rider involved in ‘catastrophic’ British Superbikes crash that killed two is in ‘serious’ condition after breaking bone in neck
  • Survivor of horror British Superbikes Championship crash breaks silence after two riders were killed
  • Amputee father killed in LA wildfires after staying behind to wait for his disabled son
  • Officials reveal 'cause' of crash following navy ship smashing into Brooklyn Bridge and killing two