You are here: Home / farm 
Today, the stroll is down Memory Lane. From September 2018. Well– part stroll, part drive First, to the summit, elevation 515′ above sea level. You can see the Village water tower from the summit. It’s also a great place to watch meteor showers. A little walk down the North Road through the Piney Woods. I’m
Continue reading →
Originally posted January, 2014 I have jest about decided It ‘id keep a town-boy hopping’ Fer to work all winter, choppin’Fer a’ old fireplace, like I did!Lawz! them old times wuz contrairy!– Blame’ backbone o’ winter, ‘peared-like, Wouldn’t break– and I wuz skeerd-like,Clean on into Feb’uary! Nothin’ ever made me madderThan fer Pap to stomp
Continue reading →
This is a good little story. It’s a shame James Whitcomb Riley, The Hoosier Poet, has fallen out of favor. That old book I mentioned yesterday–Children’s Reading: A Guide for Parents and Teachers (1926)–includes Riley and his works among reading for kids. A lot of his books have been digitized and almost all are free.
Continue reading →
Originally published May 2, 2019. Looks like that month was a pretty good one. As you know, this is not a political blog, though from time to time I do venture off the farm and comment on life. I’ll go look for a recipe to post to make up for this. I worry when the
Continue reading →
The bat wings are still up, but they’ll come down before he starts. The pastures will look nice in a few days when he’s finished.
“Although the country-boy feels a little joy when school breaks up (as he does when anything breaks up, or any change takes place), since he is released from the discipline and restraint of it, yet the school is his opening into the world,—his romance. Its opportunities for enjoyment are numberless. He does not exactly know
Continue reading →
Next to “The Girl I loved”– a book length poem– “How John Quit the Farm” is my very favorite James Whitcomb Riley poem. Enjoy! Riley Farm-Rhymes with Country Pictures (1905). Amazon tells me I have to disclose that I’m an Amazon Associate and I get a small (and thus far by small, I mean next
Continue reading →
“I have jest about decidedIt ‘ud keep a town-boy hoppin’Fer to work all winter, choppin’Fer a’ old fireplace, like I did!Lawz! them old times wuz contrairy!-Blame’ backbone o’ winter, ‘peared-likeWOULDN’T break!-and I wuz skeered-likeClean on into FEB’UARY!Nothin’ ever made me madderThan fer Pap to stomp in, layin’In a’ extra forestick, say’in’,“Groun’-hog’s out and seed his
Continue reading →
“When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder’s inthe shock,And you hear the kyouck and gobble of the struttin’turkey-cock,And the clackin’ of the guineys, and the cluckin’ of thehens,And the rooster’s hallylooyer as he tiptoes on the fence;O, it’s then’s the times a feller is a-feelin’ at his best,With the risin’ sun to
Continue reading →
“No other boy knows how to appreciate a holiday as the farm-boy does; and his best ones are of a peculiar kind. Going fishing is of course one sort. The excitement of rigging up the tackle, digging the bait, and the anticipation of great luck! These are pure pleasures, enjoyed because they are rare. Boys
Continue reading →
Mr. and Mrs. Luis Avila grow fruit and vegetables and sell them at a roadside stand in Chimayo, New Mexico, thus eliminating the “middleman’s” margin. Farmers get only about 40 cents of the consumer’s food dollar. The Face of Rural America: The 1976 Yearbook of Agriculture [Link goes to Amazon. $19.99.] The book is loaded
Continue reading →
Let Us Now Praise Famous Men (1939) [Link goes to Amazon. Audible version of this crappy old book is free.] That infallible source which has “multiple issues” (I’ll say!): Let Us Now Praise Famous Men is a book with text by American writer James Agee and photographs by American photographer Walker Evans, first published in 1941 in the United
Continue reading →
He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance. A Grievance from The Declaration of Independence This is one of my favorite Grievances, in virtue of both the complaint itself– which over the course of 244 years shows no signs of
Continue reading →
I am giving the joint a thorough going over, which means I often find myself sitting on the floor looking through a crappy old book I haven’t look at in a while. English Farming: Past and Present (1922) was a gift from Daughter C and Miss M years ago. It has a prominent place in
Continue reading →
but you’d have to keep your distance! As you can see from the sky– top left is about due east, top right, south– we may catch some rain (though nothing like they are seeing in Missouri and southern Illinois), so we thought we’d take the dogs on a good walk. Back to work.
I took a break and stumbled across this under the sub-head: Ladies and Gentlemen, Our Betters I swear, at first I didn’t get it. Duh. Kyle Kulinski has no idea what an aerial view of farmland looks like. [Smiles. Shakes head. Returns to cleaning toilets and vacuuming up Missy fur.]
Came as a complete surprise this morning! Male. Four or five years old. Very gentle– can pet him and lead him around on a leash. So we’re in the donkey business!
Got a call that there is an abundance of baby donkeys about! Will Bonnie & Clyde have a protector soon?
Oh. It’s become silly alright! Well beyond silly if you ask me.
I posted last evening, and then deleted the post (SueK– thanks for your concern), about Tiger being in the hospital. He’s back on the Farm now, confined– cone & all– to the Workshop. Apparently, Tiger got into fight defending the joint from an intruder. His cheek was punctured in two places, and while the superficial
Continue reading →
{"id":null,"mode":"button","open_style":"in_modal","currency_code":"USD","currency_symbol":"$","currency_type":"decimal","blank_flag_url":"https:\/\/www.bigfoodetc.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/tip-jar-wp\/\/assets\/images\/flags\/blank.gif","flag_sprite_url":"https:\/\/www.bigfoodetc.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/tip-jar-wp\/\/assets\/images\/flags\/flags.png","default_amount":1000,"top_media_type":"featured_image","featured_image_url":"https:\/\/www.bigfoodetc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Whats-happening-copy-4-1.jpg","featured_embed":"","header_media":null,"file_download_attachment_data":null,"recurring_options_enabled":true,"recurring_options":{"never":{"selected":true,"after_output":"One time only"},"weekly":{"selected":false,"after_output":"Every week"},"monthly":{"selected":false,"after_output":"Every month"},"yearly":{"selected":false,"after_output":"Every year"}},"strings":{"current_user_email":"","current_user_name":"","link_text":"All current contributions go toward redesigning the cover, and publishing an eBook of Miss Missy's School.","complete_payment_button_error_text":"Check info and try again","payment_verb":"Tip!","payment_request_label":"Big Food, Big Garden, Big Life","form_has_an_error":"Please check and fix the errors above","general_server_error":"Something isn't working right at the moment. Please try again.","form_title":"Big Food, Big Garden, Big Life","form_subtitle":"All contributions go toward cover redesign and eBook publication of Miss Missy's School: Book I A Pack of Farm Dogs Starts a School","currency_search_text":"Country or Currency here","other_payment_option":"Other payment option","manage_payments_button_text":"Manage your payments","thank_you_message":"Thank you for your help and encouragement!","payment_confirmation_title":"Big Food, Big Garden, Big Life","receipt_title":"Your Receipt","print_receipt":"Print Receipt","email_receipt":"Email Receipt","email_receipt_sending":"Sending receipt...","email_receipt_success":"Email receipt successfully sent","email_receipt_failed":"Email receipt failed to send. Please try again.","receipt_payee":"Paid to","receipt_statement_descriptor":"This will show up on your statement as","receipt_date":"Date","receipt_transaction_id":"Transaction ID","receipt_transaction_amount":"Amount","refund_payer":"Refund from","login":"Log in to manage your payments","manage_payments":"Manage Payments","transactions_title":"Your Transactions","transaction_title":"Transaction Receipt","transaction_period":"Plan Period","arrangements_title":"Your Plans","arrangement_title":"Manage Plan","arrangement_details":"Plan Details","arrangement_id_title":"Plan ID","arrangement_payment_method_title":"Payment Method","arrangement_amount_title":"Plan Amount","arrangement_renewal_title":"Next renewal date","arrangement_action_cancel":"Cancel Plan","arrangement_action_cant_cancel":"Cancelling is currently not available.","arrangement_action_cancel_double":"Are you sure you'd like to cancel?","arrangement_cancelling":"Cancelling Plan...","arrangement_cancelled":"Plan Cancelled","arrangement_failed_to_cancel":"Failed to cancel plan","back_to_plans":"\u2190 Back to Plans","update_payment_method_verb":"Update","sca_auth_description":"Your have a pending renewal payment which requires authorization.","sca_auth_verb":"Authorize renewal payment","sca_authing_verb":"Authorizing payment","sca_authed_verb":"Payment successfully authorized!","sca_auth_failed":"Unable to authorize! Please try again.","login_button_text":"Log in","login_form_has_an_error":"Please check and fix the errors above","uppercase_search":"Search","lowercase_search":"search","uppercase_page":"Page","lowercase_page":"page","uppercase_items":"Items","lowercase_items":"items","uppercase_per":"Per","lowercase_per":"per","uppercase_of":"Of","lowercase_of":"of","back":"Back to plans","zip_code_placeholder":"Zip\/Postal Code","download_file_button_text":"Download File","input_field_instructions":{"tip_amount":{"placeholder_text":"How much would you like to tip?","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"How much would you like to tip? Choose any currency."},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"How much would you like to tip? Choose any currency."},"invalid_curency":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Please choose a valid currency."}},"recurring":{"placeholder_text":"Recurring","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"How often would you like to give this?"},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"How often would you like to give this?"},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"How often would you like to give this?"}},"name":{"placeholder_text":"Name on Credit Card","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Enter the name on your card."},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"Enter the name on your card."},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Please enter the name on your card."}},"privacy_policy":{"terms_title":"Terms and conditions","terms_body":null,"terms_show_text":"View Terms","terms_hide_text":"Hide Terms","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"I agree to the terms."},"unchecked":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Please agree to the terms."},"checked":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"I agree to the terms."}},"email":{"placeholder_text":"Your email address","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Enter your email address"},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"Enter your email address"},"blank":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Enter your email address"},"not_an_email_address":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Make sure you have entered a valid email address"}},"note_with_tip":{"placeholder_text":"Your note here...","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Attach a note to your tip (optional)"},"empty":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Attach a note to your tip (optional)"},"not_empty_initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Attach a note to your tip (optional)"},"saving":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Saving note..."},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"Note successfully saved!"},"error":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Unable to save note note at this time. Please try again."}},"email_for_login_code":{"placeholder_text":"Your email address","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Enter your email to log in."},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"Enter your email to log in."},"blank":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Enter your email to log in."},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Enter your email to log in."}},"login_code":{"initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Check your email and enter the login code."},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"Check your email and enter the login code."},"blank":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Check your email and enter the login code."},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Check your email and enter the login code."}},"stripe_all_in_one":{"initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Enter your credit card details here."},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Enter your credit card details here."},"success":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Enter your credit card details here."},"invalid_number":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card number is not a valid credit card number."},"invalid_expiry_month":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's expiration month is invalid."},"invalid_expiry_year":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's expiration year is invalid."},"invalid_cvc":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's security code is invalid."},"incorrect_number":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card number is incorrect."},"incomplete_number":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card number is incomplete."},"incomplete_cvc":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's security code is incomplete."},"incomplete_expiry":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's expiration date is incomplete."},"incomplete_zip":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's zip code is incomplete."},"expired_card":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card has expired."},"incorrect_cvc":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's security code is incorrect."},"incorrect_zip":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's zip code failed validation."},"invalid_expiry_year_past":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's expiration year is in the past"},"card_declined":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card was declined."},"missing":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"There is no card on a customer that is being charged."},"processing_error":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"An error occurred while processing the card."},"invalid_request_error":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Unable to process this payment, please try again or use alternative method."},"invalid_sofort_country":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The billing country is not accepted by SOFORT. Please try another country."}}}},"fetched_oembed_html":false}
{"date_format":"F j, Y","time_format":"g:i a","wordpress_permalink_only":"https:\/\/www.bigfoodetc.com\/tag\/farm\/","all_default_visual_states":"inherit","modal_visual_state":false,"user_is_logged_in":false,"stripe_api_key":"pk_live_51H1In9KDLfKHlvGgsliZe4efNchBVkhUvpkfy3DJTf5J6Kumgyzt5CgC0gY8E4J6dsAemyUcNLRf68pdCdkj8ZWn0021C5X4gj","stripe_account_country_code":"US","setup_link":"https:\/\/www.bigfoodetc.com\/wp-admin\/admin.php?page=tip-jar-wp&mpwpadmin1=welcome&mpwpadmin_lightbox=do_wizard_health_check","close_button_url":"https:\/\/www.bigfoodetc.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/tip-jar-wp\/\/assets\/images\/closebtn.png"}
