farms, farming and the farm...

On first glance it appears the title here is nothing but a repetitive litany. However, in our house there is a large difference between these phrases and each entails its own quirks.

1. Farms- now where I am from a farm is something that has crops, typically in a large quantity and mostly edible. But here in the east south(?) a farm is any piece of land over 2 acres that has some sort of animal or outbuilding available on it. FYI this is not a farm- a farm is as described above and encompasses many more than 2 acres!

2. Farming- contrary to my belief this is not just working the land full of harvest-able, edible crops it is the process of anything agricultural. Again the venacular of the area throwing me for a loop. Just so we are clear- farming is the process of working dirt to grow said edible crops...

3. The Farm- is the not just any farm but home of my in-laws, which entails approximately 55 acres, cows, a dog, several cats, barns, and lots of random equipment. Ok, here this is the way of distinguishing location, Although as of last year- we have grown to have "the farm" and "the new farm" (the lease we hold)

Now I explain this all for a reason. In our house we have a farm (leased) but we do not grow crops, well maybe a bit of hay and an odd tobacco patch, that are edible by humans-  we have cattle instead.  We farm but it is cattle we raise not crops. At "the farm", where husbands parents live and my children occasionally filch a meal (if I am lucky), is where my husband spends his entire life free time. 

Now many may ask what difference does it make- a rose by any other name and all that- but in reality there is a world of confusion created by these terms.

So for all you westerners, anyone west of the Mississippi River that is, we have a cattle ranch of about 155 (shared) acres where we run 35 cattle pairs, we have hay, a small alfalfa patch, and some tobacco.

Now hopefully it is clear- we are not dirt farmers (not that there is anything wrong with that) and we do not row crop anything...

For further questions see the unabridged version of the Crazy People who Talk Funny Dictionary!

Country Festival...

I have experienced festivals, and parade days, holidays and fairs through out my life both here and out west. However, there is something different about being a part of an annual event within an event. When I was young the girls and I would make yearly treks to different rodeos and events always with one goal in mind. To get into as much trouble have as much fun as possible in a brief time. These road trips would almost always include alcohol in copious amounts and late nights with little or no sleep. Sometimes we would have accommodations upon our arrival but many times we would just wing it and stay wherever.
As a married couple with small children we don't often go anywhere that is a kid free zone and we have almost never planned to be out till undetermined times multiple nights in a row.  This weekend was different. We attended the annual Pigs on the Porch party at the home of a friend's parents and were gone nearly all weekend off and on. The people we met were fabulous and we enjoyed wondering the festival a few blocks away and visiting with new and old friends in between. The affair was only one county over from home yet the difference in the people here was marked. Gone where the snotty reserved, judgmental cliquey, and status orientated people of home and instead there were open, friendly, fun loving people who didn't care about our my pedigree and community social status. This breath of fresh air has been one of my happy times here and I hope that they will have us back again soon.

Out west...

      It's been a little while since I posted, partly because I was busy, partly because I was out of town and probably mostly because I am a slacker... But really I was out of town on a little trip I have been anticipating for weeks and possibly months!
     We moved to Kentucky from Oklahoma five years, three months and ten days ago- (but who's counting) and I miss it desperately. The reality is that even though I was raised way out west in Wyoming I feel like I "grew up" in OK. I spent the majority of my 20's there, I met the love of my life there, and I found out who I was there. Oklahoma is somewhere I never wanted to go in the first place but ended up loving- it is home to wide open spaces, spectacular storms and Bedlam football! 
It is home to me

Every time I cross the Mississippi River heading back east I cry for missing the smell of the wind, the comfortable atmosphere and the friendly faces I know and love. This feeling of loss may seem strange since I have now lived in KY the same length of time as I lived in OK but it is there none the less.
      But back to my trip... I had an amazing time! I saw old friends, met new ones, ate fabulous local food and even brunched with a girl from my high school in WY. Though I missed my boys at home- I still cried when I left knowing that I would once again be missing the lives of my friends and seeing the growth of their children and them mine. I wouldn't trade my family for anything but most days I sit and wonder if we made the right choice leaving our lives out west behind to move to where the bluegrass grows...