Tuesday, June 6, 2023

Farm Life - Dave's Midwestern Ohio Memories

Series of Guest Blogs by an out-of-state Fish Report reader originally from this area about fond memories of growing up in Midwestern Ohio during the 50’s & 60’s

Farm Life

My wife is the inspiration for this blog as she commented after I made a mess in and around a sink that it’s been almost 60 years since I left the farm and nothing's changed! Ironically our old farm neighbor Tom Meyer had just sent me the following list of 15 reasons why growing up on the farm is the best:

1. YOU HAVE ENDLESS OPPORTUNITIES FOR FUN OUTSIDE.

Staying inside playing video games isn’t an option, so you spend most of your childhood outside playing for hours.

2. YOU LEARN RESPONSIBILITY AT A YOUNG AGE.

Animals depended on you to feed them, and you understood the importance of your daily chores. No farm kid grows up without learning responsibility.

3. YOU DEVELOP A STRONG WORK ETHIC.

From your own projects for county fair to building fence, you can outwork most of your peers

4. YOUR SIBLINGS BECOME YOUR BEST FRIENDS.

Although you may have had your moments of throwing buckets at one another, the bond between siblings on the farm is unbreakable.

5. YOU COME TO UNDERSTAND LIFE AND DEATH.

You see animals being born and animals who die, and develop an understanding of the circle of life at a young age.

6. YOU AREN’T AFRAID OF A LITTLE DIRT.

There are no such thing as nice clothes.

7. YOU SHARE A FAMILY PASSION.

Everyone in the family is expected to help and knew each of their responsibilities.

8. YOU HAVE THE BEST STORY TIME.

Nothing could be better than your grandparents’ stories about the farm back in the olden days and seeing their faces light up as you carry on the passion for agriculture.

9. YOU KNOW WHAT THE BEST PART OF SUMMER WAS: THE COUNTY FAIR.

This is the absolute most important week of the year, where you saw the results of endless hot summer days pay off

10. YOU DEVELOP A DEEP LOVE OF THE LAND.

Every farm kid learns to appreciate the land and a forms a connection to nature.

11. YOU ENJOY A FREE-SPIRITED UPBRINGING.

Many of your summer meals are eaten straight out of the garden, and you run barefoot everywhere you go.

12. YOU LEARN WHAT IT MEANS TO BE SELFLESS.

By being part of a team, you learn to care for another person or animal besides yourself.

13. YOU LEARN THE VALUE OF A DOLLAR.

By working harder and caring more for your animals, you receive more money for your work.

14. YOU THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX.

Farmers are inventors and problem-solvers, and that goes for farm kids, too.

15. YOU KNOW THERE WAS NO BETTER PLACE TO BE RAISED.

You realize how lucky you are to have grown up on a farm and want the same for your kids because no other upbringing can compare.

Moral of the Story:
Sorry, but you can take the boy off the farm but you can’t take the farm out of the boy - even after 60 years!

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