You know you live in a farmhouse when...

...This is what you get to deal with before that first cup of coffee in the morning...

So, I have a farmhouse in Kansas, (I meant that to sound very "Out Of Africa"...you were supposed to hear Meryl Streep as you read it...although the choice of accent was up to you.).

Our farm was originally acquired through the Homestead Act, and was in the same family for over 100 years.  The next family were hog farmers.  And like a lot of Kansas farmers, they preferred to live in town.  So our house, (as old locals love to point out when they find out where we live)... was used to house pigs.  Interestingly enough, our old house in Ithaca, NY had previously housed hippies and chickens.   Past farm animal use is apparently quite a selling point for us.  The hog farmer was eventually a victim of shortsightedness as he and his family did end up living in the house, immediately post pig.   They tried to make up for this poor planning by covering everything and anything with plastic, faux wood paneling and green shag carpet.  Perhaps the environmental overstimulation helped them to forget...

Well, there aren't any pigs left, but we still have proof that we are a small but authentic farm.

To begin with, we have one of these....

Pretty awesome, huh,...it's a grain storage thingamagingy.  Please notice how the trees have been cleverly placed to hold up the structure during a strong wind.

And we also have this...

This is the hay/poop wagon (sorry kids, you never really used it anyways).  You can use it to haul hay and grain to the paddocks and manure to "The Pile".  Tractors, you know, are way over rated... they are expensive, they pollute the air, and you can't fix them with a pair of bike training wheels.  In fact, I would bet you money there are more tractors owned by people living in subdivisions around here than on farms.  We knowingly call that "All tractor and no livestock".  (But, ahem, if you hear of a reliable, cheap, used tractor in my area...please let me know).

We also have the original settler's cabin...

Again, cleverly being held up by trees.

We have power line poles mysteriously standing lonely in the middle of pastures...

And of course, the absolute proof that you have a genuine farm...

Yes...I took a picture of our manure pile. 

Comments

[Gettysburg Mom]

It's not every woman who could get away with posting a picture of a pile of poop on her blog, and have it work for her!! :)

[Cheap Like Me]

Love it! I am currently trying to persuade my husband to buy a sheep farm. Wish me luck. :)

[Cheap Like Me]

Love it! I am currently trying to persuade my husband to buy a sheep farm. Wish me luck. :)

[Farmgrrl]

Love the manure pile! I think it may be more lovely than mine...