The Internet Mourns The Death Of Its Favorite Meme Farmer Dave Brandt

May 21st, 2023 - 8:17 PM EDT by Brandon Wink

11 comments | Contact Newsroom

Dave Brandt and the But It's Honest Work Meme format.

Farmer Dave Brandt is best known online as a meme thanks to the image macro and catchphrase "But It's Honest Work" that hit the internet in 2014.

This meme, which continued to see use for many years, is only part of the reason why his sudden and tragic death due to injuries sustained while working on Saturday is causing widespread mourning online.

Dave Brandt Dave Brandt

However, a wider contingent of people online is mourning him for a different reason, his groundbreaking research in … not breaking ground.

Dave Brandt was a leading researcher and farmer involved in no-till farming, which means farming without disturbing the soil.

His decades-long career of no-till farming and different methods and materials used to increase his crop yield have been used all over the world to better agriculture in various climates and places where more modern tilling isn't a viable option.

Dave Brandt dave brandt dave brandt

While the internet largely knew him before only through his meme, droves of people are now learning about the man behind the meme, providing even further reasons to celebrate Brandt's contributions to the world.


Top Comments

Mothman
Mothman

Meme aside? It really was honest work. He was dedicated to a job that helped a lot of people in ways they may never learn of, and many wouldn't have, if it wasn't for the meme. I'm glad to have learned of his contributions.

As respectable as flashier things like innovations in aerospace may be in comparison, far more people benefit from improved agriculture and similar, more humble pursuits.

He was a scientist, a REAL scientist who's research into no till farming would improve agriculture globally.

The only thing I disagree with him on is "It's not much". It was more than we could have asked for Dave. Rest in peace.

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