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Parenting & Farm Kids:  Counrty Kids Are Cool!  |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
 Posted - May 20 2010 : 08:32:39 AM
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I was outside the other day and a tractor went by with what looked like a boy about 11 or 12 driving it. His dad wad following him in the truck. I just thought that was so neat how country kids learn how to drive tractors and trucks and do all the farm stuff so early. My friend and I had to get a field of hay loaded and it was just me and Kansas and her and her DD who was 11 at the time. She had to drive the truck while we loaded it. She did great. And she's still driving whenever they get hay. And her neices and nephews help load the hay. And while we were getting hay last week my friend's son was helping his dad in the hay baler. And they ride horses and rope calves and herd cattle. Just lots of counrtry stuff. I love it.
Did anyone get to help on the farm growing up? I remember my grandpa had cotton growing for several years and we helped pick it. It was so fun to ride on the truck with all that cotton. And feed the pigs and cows. And pick veggies. We just thought it was the funnest thing to do
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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clothedinscarlet
True Blue Farmgirl
1333 Posts
Siobhan
Battle Creek
MI
USA
1333 Posts |
Posted - May 20 2010 : 08:55:43 AM
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That's awesome! Truly the childhood that I always dreamed of, but never had LOL! I lived in a small town in the country and would watch other kids drive farm trucks and tractors. I always wanted to be part of a family like that. But you know, I can still be grateful for the things my single mom taught me and the experiences that I had as a teenager when she married my dad who adopted me. And now I can dream of having that farm life kinda dream for my kids. I can't wait to be able to move out to the country with my family. Soon...hopefully soon...
Farmgirl Sister #1110
Siobhan - AKA Liza-Jane (my farmgirl name), wife to my best friend, Trent, and mommy to Camden (11/28/05) and Bennett (7/11/07). and Truman (7/28/09) |
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TeresaJ25
True Blue Farmgirl
975 Posts
Teresa
Medford
NY
USA
975 Posts |
Posted - May 20 2010 : 12:05:53 PM
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Me too! The closest I came to farming was weeding the garden. My Dad thought it was punishment, but honestly, I loved it. One on One with Dad. I remember every other word out of my mouth was "is this a weed? Is this a weed??"!!
My husband bought us(me) a John Deere for cutting the grass. I am the only wife in the neighborhood that cuts the grass. I have since allowed my 12 yr. daughter to cut the front...(not as many trees).. she will be a pro in no time!
My kids all know how to make jam and tend to their own gardens.. we are getting there!!
~Teresa
Farmgirl Sister #1348
*Anyone can criticize and complain and predict doom and gloom.
Be the person who fills the room with sunshine! |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - May 20 2010 : 12:34:34 PM
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Siobhan, I hope you get your farm soon. It is alot of work but you have 3 boys to help. I'm sure they'll be driving tractors and trucks real soon.
Teresa, my hubby wants a JD so bad. We had a lawn mowing business for a few years when my hubby was laid off and our kids helped. They rode the riding mower or used the blower and push mower. They were a great help. And helped in the garden too. Now my youngest DD has her own gardens. And she'll be canning too.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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homsteddinmom
True Blue Farmgirl
441 Posts
Brandee
bullard
tx
USA
441 Posts |
Posted - May 20 2010 : 1:02:40 PM
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I was born and raised on a farm, i learned to drive a tractor early on. I was also driving pick ups early on too.I was driving by the age of 6 or so.
Homesteading Mom in East Texas. Raising chickens, Rabbits and goats here on my farm! |
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Kerbear
True Blue Farmgirl
261 Posts
Kerry
Middle
Tennessee
USA
261 Posts |
Posted - May 20 2010 : 1:49:01 PM
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I learned to drive a truck in a hay field, with the farmer yelling "Drive on Tyrone". I was in elementary school.
It sounds strange, but I still love getting hay out of the field. Its a lot of hard work especially when help is limited, but I enjoy doing it so much.
~Kerry Anne
Farmgirl Sister #975 |
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maggie14
True Blue Farmgirl
6784 Posts
Hannah
Washington
USA
6784 Posts |
Posted - May 24 2010 : 1:06:01 PM
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We use are. lol I am just kidding ladies. :)
Hugs!
Channah
Farmgirl sister #1219
Just a small town country girl trying to live her dreams. :) |
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CynthiaT.
True Blue Farmgirl
55 Posts
Cynthia
Alpena
Arkansas
USA
55 Posts |
Posted - May 24 2010 : 2:23:47 PM
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My four and a half year old son finally got his wish to cut the grass at our commercial shop in town. We put it in gear and off he went. At first my husband walked along side him to keep him on track but then realized that he could handle it he let him drive around cutting the grass. The next day he mowed the grass around the house back at the farm. He always steers the big tractors with one of his uncles on it with him. He even steers our one ton trucks down the dirt road without any problems. I figure we might as well start him as early as he is willing to take it seriously.
Now if only he could reach the pedals!
Cynthia
Farmgirl sister # 852 |
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Faransgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
895 Posts
Beth
Houston
Texas
USA
895 Posts |
Posted - May 24 2010 : 7:01:30 PM
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We didn't have a farm but my Step Grandfather had a cattle ranch in New Mexico. When I was a kid (I started at 8) we would go out to Vidal's ranch at round up time. At 6 in the morning they would get us all out on the porch and the older boys would be there with a bunch of tacked up horses. The little kids would line up and Vidal would ask us if we could whistle. If we could one of the big boys would put us on a horse and we would go out and round up the cows and calves. When we got back they would put the calves in a big pen and the little kids would chase the calves down throw them on their sides and sit on them so the men could vaccinate them and brand them. Those little calves didn't want to be vaccinated and branded and by the time we were done we were covered in much, battered, bruised and exhausted. But next year we were standing on that porch again showing Vidal that we indeed could whistle.
Farmgirl Sister 572
When manure happens just say "WOO HOO Fertilizer". |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - May 26 2010 : 06:58:52 AM
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Wow Cynthia. 4 1/2 mowing the yard. That's amazing! My grands like to ride on the mower but have never actually mowed the lawn yet. I guess I should let them do it too. But they think it's a 4 wheeler!
I had my youngest grand, Kansas, out in the goat barn shoveling poop yesterday. She did good. And she had fun. She played with the baby chicks and held them and fed them. It's so fun to see them have fun.
Beth, that sounds like real work for sure. And it's hot too I guess. But I'm sure ya'll had the best time. And probably learned alot too.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - May 26 2010 : 07:01:27 AM
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Kerry, I wish you could come down and help me get hay out of the field! That to me is the hardest work ever. And it's always at least 100 degrees out too. I am always exhausted when it's over. And I still need about 40 more bales. That's cute what the guy would holler when you were driving the truck. That's one job I have not gotten to do yet. I am always loading and unloading and stacking.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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sherrye
True Blue Farmgirl
3775 Posts
sherry
bend in the high desert
oregon
USA
3775 Posts |
Posted - May 26 2010 : 07:09:14 AM
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beth that is such a good story. i can just imagine the anticipation for your turn to whistle.
well i was raised on a commercial fishing boat. we trolled for salmon. dad was an overall do anything it took to make things work. i learned so much from him. papa on the other hand was raised on a 350 cow dairy. the man has learned the art of mcguyver. i call him duct tape man.lol he was 1 of 7 danish kids. 5 boys 2 girls. they all worked the farm. ellen is the oldest.she is beautiful. well one day she had to drive the honey wagon (alias poop wagon runny poop) out to the corn. she was irritated and in a hurry. her dad said settle it down ellen. she is a fast gear girl. she hit a bump. ok well all that poop came rushing into the cab and covered this poor farm girl. she still had to get out there and dump the truck. yuk well any way if you saw ellen now you would truly appreciate the story. she is a sweet heart.she is one of the girls that never have a hair out of place. she lives in carmel. at over 60 she is still looking hot. maybe its in a sick way i like the story. but i do like it. happy days sherrye
the learn as we go silk purse farm
farmgirl #1014
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Laila
True Blue Farmgirl
273 Posts
Laila
Kutztown
PA
USA
273 Posts |
Posted - May 26 2010 : 07:23:24 AM
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I grew up on a farm. I started feeding calves at a early age and moved up to milking cows. I also started driving tractor in the hay field when I was about 11. Wow! This brings back memories.
Laila |
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Rxgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
216 Posts
Dana
Id
USA
216 Posts |
Posted - Jun 01 2010 : 06:57:16 AM
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I didn't grow up on a farm, but did grow up in a small town where my parents taught me to drive at 11. I remember taking a corner of our neighborhood at around 25 because I was too nervous to downshift. I did, however, start working on a horse farm at the age of 15 where it was me and another girl my age who were in charge of feeding and training the horses (50 or so head), and maintaining the 600 acres pretty much by ourselves. What an amazing experience. We consider ourselves very lucky to have had that opportunity. We trained, bred, and generally played with these horses for years. The owners would pay professional trainers to come out and show us how to train them to pull carts and do the specialty riding that was a part of showing this breed. I still can't get over how lucky we were for all that.
dana
"He who throws mud only loses ground"-Fat Albert |
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FebruaryViolet
True Blue Farmgirl
4810 Posts
Jonni
Elsmere
Kentucky
USA
4810 Posts |
Posted - Jun 01 2010 : 08:42:29 AM
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My nanny (my father's mother) had a big ole farm near Harner, Kansas...I always loved running with her Border Collies and filling up the water tub for the new calves to drink from. I would ride with Daddy on the tractor every now and again, and play in her big red barn in the hayloft.
So sad my father didn't want anything to do with living in Kansas! She left it to him, but he sold his interest to a cousin. He said farming was fine, but Kansas was too far out!
Musings from our family in the Bluegrass http://sweetvioletmae.blogspot.com/ |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Jun 01 2010 : 1:14:33 PM
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Dana, we used to live in Calif. (I was born there actually) and in summer we would go to a place near Lake Tahoe called Strawberry. It had cabins and riding stables. You story reminded me of how the owners would let us kids clean the stalls and polish sadles for free horse rides. We loved doing all that farm stuff. Had a ball there. I always rode an old horse named Charlie. And I grew up and marries an old guy named Charlie! Imagine that.
It soulnds like alot of ya'll have some really fun memories as kids. I always loved to got o my grandparents in S. Ga. They had the big ole barn with the hay loft. Me and my brother and sister and cousins would jump out of the hay loft into piles of hay. We fed the pigs. It was so fun. I hope my grands will remember all they do here at my place when they grow up.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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Kerbear
True Blue Farmgirl
261 Posts
Kerry
Middle
Tennessee
USA
261 Posts |
Posted - Jun 01 2010 : 8:59:21 PM
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Kris,
I love hay season! I have enjoyed it since I was young! The smell of hay is one of my favorite things. I am no longer the driver either, it would be nice though. Holler at me when the hay is ready and if I am in town Ill come help! We are cutting hay up here right now.
~Kerry Anne
Farmgirl Sister #975 |
Edited by - Kerbear on Jun 08 2010 6:42:57 PM |
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Rxgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
216 Posts
Dana
Id
USA
216 Posts |
Posted - Jun 07 2010 : 8:35:31 PM
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Kris, lol! There must be something in a name!
farmgirl #1432
"He who throws mud only loses ground"-Fat Albert |
Edited by - Rxgirl on Jun 07 2010 8:36:02 PM |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Jun 09 2010 : 6:40:32 PM
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I think haying right now is a mess with all the scattered showers. I was talking to a friend and he said his neighbors hay got rained on today. And we got poored on for about 30 minutes here today. But next time I'll have to get a little more hay. So come on down! I might let ya drive too.
Dana, that's funny! Yep.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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Kerbear
True Blue Farmgirl
261 Posts
Kerry
Middle
Tennessee
USA
261 Posts |
Posted - Jun 11 2010 : 2:23:14 PM
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We have had some scattered storms up here this week too. Everyone seems to be baling here within the last few weeks~
Ill lift some bales!
~Kerry Anne
Farmgirl Sister #975 |
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Parenting & Farm Kids: Counrty Kids Are Cool! |
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Counrty Kids Are Cool!
