Most people know me as a city girl, and are rather shocked to discover I spent most of my childhood in Missouri! While I didn’t grow up on a farm, I’ve been spending a large portion of my visits home at my sister’s farm these days. This past summer my younger sister married her high school sweetheart, and then moved onto his family farm. This Christmas I had a chance to visit her in her new home, and meet a few of her pets. It was quite a change of pace and scenery for a city girl!
Taking it all in…(I am proud to say my sister — farmer’s wife– has also been caught on the farm in heels a few times too!)
First up…tractor ride! No question! They tell me this is an International, the red headed step child of tractors. It matches my hair, so it will do!
Who needs a playground and monkey bars when you have silos? Or grain bins? Not sure what they’re called, but I definitely got my exercise in on the farm!
Just horsing around on the farm. I guess this is actually a deer skull. They didn’t think this city girl would touch it, I showed them.
This is one of my favorite places on the farm. I first saw it in my sister’s engagement photos, first walked it at her wedding, and look forward to doing a little more exploring on future trips.
This is a lake in the small town of Labadie, MO. Nature at it’s finest.
This was my first encounter with Michelle the cow. She’s a rare red headed heifer.
I traded in my high heeled boots for these muck boots to take a turn feeding the cows. It’s only natural that when you buy a ginger cow and have a ginger girlfriend, that you name the cow after your girlfriend. So meet Cow Michelle. Apparently Red Heifers are even more rare than ginger humans! And they hold biblical significance. Who knew? But more than 2 strands of hair that aren’t red and they lose their title.
Luckily we had fabulous weather on Christmas Day and I had this opportunity to see many interesting parts of the farm. Tractor rides, climbing grain bins, animal skulls, exploring nature, and feeding cows. It was a jam packed day, but I hear the pigs are still awaiting my visit next time I’m in Missouri. Next time you find yourself in the countryside, don’t hesitate to visit a local farm. You’ll learn so much about the farm to table process.
Next time you get the chance to try something new (and maybe even challenging…I made wading trough “muck” look fun), say YES!! What have you said yes to recently?
Wow those are some strict guidelines for classifying a cow as a redhead!
Great pics, looks like you had a fun time.
Those are some fancy black boots for a trip to the farm! Did they end up needing major cleaning?
Luckily they didn’t get too dirty. I swapped them out for muck boots when I went to feed the cows!
Very cute! Love your enthusiasm and your ability to tell the story in pictures too.
I love the photos that go with your writing! It’s really nice to get such a beautiful picture of the farm that way instead of just picturing the farm in my head as I go along 🙂 A change of scenery is always good!!
Thanks. You’re so kind. Hopefully next time I’m at the farm we will be in spring or summer and its beauty will really pop!
These were such fun photos! I’m a total city girl as well and the sheer idea of working on a farm makes me grimace. Well done you!
Looks like you had a fun Christmas! I grew up near farms as a kid, was so much fun running around and seeing the animals. But these days I think I like to stick to the beach 😉
So fun! I’m glad you got to visit your sister “down home” on the farm. Sometimes a break from city pace is a good thing 🙂
I love this! American farms are gorgeous! My sister also kind of lives on a farm, but much smaller and it has pigs, ferets, birds and what not. I call her a farmer anyways haha. But there is just something about those American style farms I can’t get enough of 🙂
Thanks!! Their farm is really cool. I haven’t even seen it all yet. It’s massive and they have several plots of land all along a river.
That farm looks like a beautiful place to live – not sure I’d be up picking up a deer skull though!
Haha…yeah I think sleep deprivation played a part in that!
Change of scenery and being adaptable is so important. I like to get dressed up but my life in high school & college was horseback riding/always at the barn so I totally understand the trading heels in for muck boots. Great pictures! Thanks for sharing.
Gorgeous! I also grew up in the “country” even though no one would guess it from looking at me lol apparently i give off the “city girl” vibe as well . There is something nostalgic about being back in the country.
How fun. You get to be a city girl and keep your country roots 🙂
I admit that I don’t always keep my cool in the country, but it’s always fun to trip people’s expectations of a city girl up! Can I just say those high heel boots are fab?! It looks like it was a great time, especially since that weather was happening in December! 😀
The weather was a blessing! I was only home for 36 hours due to a canceled flight, so at least I could enjoy the weather!
We have family that live on a farm and have cows too! I would have never guessed that you grew up in the country, since your IG photos are all about the city. Good thing you changed into those farm boots so that you wouldn’t ruin your nice city boots 🙂
I grew up in a smallish town. My sister married a farmer and now lives on the farm. So we both went in extreme opposite directions!! That’s what keeps life interesting!
“More than two strands of hair that are not red and they lose their title” loled on that one.
That is an incredible farm!!!! I am no city girl so this place would be heaven for me.
It’s very remote. They pay for Internet by the byte (I forget which one haha). I’ll tell her to fix up that guest house and start a B&B 😉
Love this! The tractor pic is great! I grew up on a farm and if my sister lived here she would not be able to get rid of me!!
LOL some of these shots are HYSTERICAL!! You are definitely a city gal, especially in heels on that big ol’ tractor ;). Seems like a wonderful return home, though. I’m kind of itching to get back to a place where I can go horseback riding and chill with some cows!
Apparently my sister is guilty of wearing heels on the farm! It must run in the family. Apparently spring is the time to go next when all the babies are born!
This is so much fun. It has always been my dream to visit a farm, do some farming, feed the cattle and drive a tractor. Seeing your post, I shall definitely do it soon! 🙂
The cow feeding was clearly the highlight. You should see some of the high tech tools they’ve got there to feed those heifers.
What part of Missouri did you grow up in? I was raised (and I’m currently living in) Springfield, Mo. It looks like you had a really enjoyable day on the farm, and that’s really interesting to know about ginger cows! Thanks for sharing!
I was closer to St. Louis in a town called Washington. Cute little town on the river, but pretty quiet!
Awww! I love Michelle the cow! The farm looks like wonderful, and I think that when I’ve been in the city for too long, I need a break out in the country (or even desert) somewhere to recharge. It sounds like it worked that way for you, too. 🙂
They keep threatening to name one after me. I say bring it on! But that cow might be getting bedazzled!
I can totally relate as someone who grew up with their family living on “property” with horses and more. As soon as I was 18, I headed straight for the city. It is a nice experience visiting farms for sure – but I am much too social and like to be central to live in one. I did giggle at your boots and wonder when you would change them. Cute photos!