10 Ways You Know You Have Farm Kids

Growing up on a farm is a wonderful life and I feel very lucky that my children have this opportunity. Having not grown up on a farm myself, some of the things that happen surprise me.

There are certain instances when you can’t help but know they are farm kids and often, they only happen because we live on a farm.

Do bear in mind that my children are all under seven so most of the things correlate to this age group.

1. If the parents of non-farm kids think by sugar coating reproduction, their children will be non the wiser, they need to pray there are no farm kids in their child’s class. At just three, my little boy doesn’t just know exactly how animals are born, he has seen it happen and, he has seen our rams and billy goat mating.

2. Whereas any parents feel annoyed that the beautiful wellington boots they bought have been outgrown and are still in a perfect condition, at the farm, we have the problem of wellies being wrecked before they are too small. I have had to buy two or three pairs of wellies in the same size a number of times due to the sheer amount of wear.

3. Leading on from number two, before G started nursery, I often wondered why I even bothered buying him shoes because he spent most of his time in wellies and, even now, they are still his number one footwear of choice.

4. To make things easier, parents often group vehicles into categories-cars and trucks, for example. You can’t get away with this with farm kids. They often know the difference between a load all and a dumper truck at 12 months old. If you are not familiar yourself, I suggest you brush up because if you get it wrong, you will be met with an extremely irate toddler.

5. It is not uncommon to have to try and get diesel out of a baby sleep suit or hair. Oops.

6. You can guarantee that if you go to someone else’s (pristine) house, when your children take their shoes off, half a bale of hay or straw will fall out of the shoe onto their freshly brushed laminate floor. Maybe carrying a dustpan and brush around with you is the answer.

7. Your baby has stood in or picked up several species of animal poo by the time they are 18 months old.

8. Forget pony rides, kids of livestock farmers will have also ridden a cow, sheep or goat by the time they can walk.

9. Mummy and Daddy are often the first words uttered by little ones. This still happens at the farm but be prepared for the odd ‘combine harvester’ to catch you unawares. Nothing shocks you more than a tiny little voice coming out with Massey Ferguson (proud dad moment, there).

10. You know how most parents mark the occasion of their children taking their first steps or say their first word? Well that still happens at the farm but first time on a tractor and first wellies are also marked too.

We love living on the farm. Life is never dull-especially with my little farm kids.

6 Comments

  1. I’m so jealous, I worked on a farm as a kid from 10 until I was 14 (was there for the horses and the riding school but it soon expanded). It was brilliant, I learnt to drive (Landrover, tractor, HGV), I learnt to care for horses, cows, pigs, sheep and hens. It’s long hours, in all weather’s but it was freedom and I loved it. I’d love that for my children but it would take a lottery win and a steep learning curve to get it.

  2. I grew up on a farm, I can remember doing all these things and more as a kid. It’s the best experience ever for children and I wish my kids have the chance to experience the same.
    Being chased across the yard by a rooster around 5 years old is a fond memory. The bloody thing got me and pecked my forehead when I tripped!
    Unfortunately my dad passed away in April and my mum had to sell up the farm.

    We do have some of dads chickens in our garden now and my girls adore them!

    Your kids will remember these experiences for ever xx

    1. Oh what a shame. I am so sorry about your dad but it is so lovely about the chickens 🙂 xxx

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