Wisdom From Off The Farm

When thinking back to my childhood on the farm and what I learned and was taught by my parents, it seems to me that the “Old Time Farmers” really had a wealth of wisdom. Much of it would be considered just common sense to folks of my age but when I see some people today, I really have to ask myself if good old common sense hasn’t gone out the window.

Since our blog has readers of all ages and backgrounds, I thought it might be interesting and maybe useful to put up this list of old farmer’s wisdom. It just might be of help to some. These pieces of advice have been around for a long time and are far from original. Some of them are a bit humorous but they all hold nuggets of truth that are as valid today as they were 100 plus years ago. Some of the sayings may need a little explanation to some folks so if any reader would like some further explanation about any of these sayings. Please feel free to Drop Us An Email.

 
1. Your fences need to be horse-high, pig-tight and bull-strong.
2. Keep skunks and bankers at a distance.
3. Life is simpler when you plow around the stump.
4. A bumble bee is considerably faster than a John Deere tractor.
5. Words that soak into your ears are whispered — not yelled.
6. Meanness don’t just happen overnight.
7. Forgive your enemies — first of all not doing so only hurts you but it also messes up their heads.
8. Do not corner something that you know is meaner than you.
9. It doesn’t take a very big person to carry a grudge.
10. You cannot unsay a cruel word.
11. Every path has a few puddles.
12. When you wallow with pigs, expect to get dirty.
13. The best sermons are lived, not preached.
14. Most of the stuff people worry about ain’t ever going to happen anyway.
15. Don’t judge folks by their relatives.
16. Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.
17. Live a good, honorable life. Then, when you get older and think back, you’ll enjoy it a second time.
18. Don’t interfere with something that ain’t bothering you.
19. Timing has a lot to do with the outcome of a rain dance.
20. If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop digging’.
21. Sometimes you get — and sometimes you get got.
22. The biggest troublemaker you’ll ever have to deal with watches you from the mirror every morning’.
23. Always drink upstream from the herd.
24. Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment.
25. Letting’ the cat out of the bag is a whole lot easier than putting’ it back in.
26. If you get to thinking’ you’re a person of some influence, try ordering somebody else’s dog around.
27. Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly.