Shuckin' Corn and Shockin' Wheat

As a lad, agrarian affairs held for me very little charm. I could hardly wait to escape that toilsome Hoosier farm! From early dawn when my Dad would have me rouse, There were always things to tend be it garden, hogs or cows! Milkin' a herd of cows began the daily farm routine. This was done by hand since we had no milkin' machine. There were hordes of horses, goats and chickens to be fed, And the onerous task of curryin' the mules, Clyde and Fred! Tater bugs must be picked from acres of pertaters, And weeds to hoe from never endin' rows of termaters! The old John Deere was cranked to plow and harrow the fields, To prepare to plant the corn and wheat for our annual yields! In summer came the shockin' of sheaths of golden wheat, Fightin' nettlesome sweatbees in the swelterin' Hoosier heat! October brought no respite since we shucked the corn by hand, Pluckin' rows upon rows of the stuff that never seemed to end! Nowadays, I'm told that farmin' is done with relative ease, By a new breed of sodbusters with agricultural degrees, Ownin' air-conditioned tractors and fancy milkin' machines, Sportin' Stetson hats, alligator boots and smart designer jeans! Robert L. Hinshaw, CMSgt, USAF, Retired (© All Rights Reserved)