For months, James Rebanks ignored his friends’ suggestions that he join Twitter and share his life as a sheep farmer with the world.

“I thought it was a waste of time,” the shepherd from England’s Lake District told CTV’s Canada AM Monday.

“I thought it was like Kim Kardashian showing her bottom … or what she had for breakfast.”

But one day, Rebanks got a smartphone upgrade and decided to try out the Twitter app.

He posted a snapshot from his family’s farm and “the phone went crazy.”

“It was pinging every five minutes,” he said. “We realized that everyone was interested."

Today, Rebanks’ Twitter account, @herdyshepherd1, has more than 63,000 followers. He has also written a book called “The Shepherd’s Life: A Tale of the Lake District.”

The book has made several bestsellers lists in the U.K. and in North America. It chronicles the devotion Rebanks and his family have to the land, as well as the often-gruelling work of raising and herding sheep.

Rebanks continues to post widely shared photos of his sheep, the dogs he relies on every day, and the lush green hills where he and his family spend most of their time.

He said he now understands why his Twitter account became so popular.

“Even if you’re not a farmer, even if you’re not a shepherd, people miss that connection to the land and they feel very disconnected from their food,” Rebanks said.