David Brandt, farmer behind viral ‘it’s honest work’ meme, dies in car crash
the Associated Press reported.“It ain’t much, but it’s honest work,” the Ohioan said while describing his vocation.This simple statement became synonymous with traditional Midwestern values and work ethic, and resulted in the crop tender getting immortalized in a meme on Reddit in 2014.It featured a photo of Brandt standing in a field in denim overalls and a hat with his immortal phrase scrawled across the bottom.The farmer remained unaware of his internet stardom — or even what a meme was — until a bank teller showed him the iconic image on his phone. A major proponent of soil conservation, Brandt became a fixture in the agricultural industry in 1971 after pioneering “no-till farming” — raising crops without disturbing the soil — as a way to save money.