# Tips From The Old Timers



## 32-0-0 (May 30, 2017)

Have to drive to the big city twice a week...about 2 hours each way which gives me plenty of time to think. Started thinking today about some of my grandpas tips and sayings such as "castrating pigs only during a certain moon phase (forget which one) because they won't bleed as much" or "when the leaves on the peach trees thicken up then that means a hail storm is coming". There were many others but can't remember them all.

Anybody else have any old timer tips and sayings to pass on?


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## hillside hay (Feb 4, 2013)

"Beware the Pogonip"


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## VA Haymaker (Jul 1, 2014)

My Grandfather said, "There's a big flat zero in farming."

And

"Don't ever buy a farm with a highway running through it.'

????????????


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

My favorite saying my grandpa used to always tell me was "liberals are stupid".
Just joking, relax!
One of my favorites was "don't lie down with dogs, you'll get fleas".
"Red sky at nigh, sailors delight. Red sky at morning, sailors take warning"


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## Teslan (Aug 20, 2011)

Here it's said if you see snakes out sunning themselves on dirt roads a rain or at least cooler weather is on the way. For the most part it runs true. When seeing 2 or more over a day out on the roads usually in 2-4 days it will rain or be cooler. Works only in summer. 

If ants build up their mounds there is going to be rain.

If cottonwood trees produce a lot of cotton seeds it's going to be wet (I don't think this one is correct personally).

I'm going to have to pay attention to the leaves on peach trees thicken up if there is going to be hail. We don't have peach trees, but maybe another plant does similar. I'm not sure how it would work because hail is so random it seems to me. I'm not sure I want to know if hail is coming or not though. I might rather it be a nasty surprise.


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## 32-0-0 (May 30, 2017)

hillside hay said:


> "Beware the Pogonip"


Ok, I give up, I've never heard of Pogonip...what is it?


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## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

Related to the leaves, in the summer when we get winds that flip the light coloured bottoms of leaves up there is almost certainly a strong thunderstorm about to start.


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

slowzuki said:


> Related to the leaves, in the summer when we get winds that flip the light coloured bottoms of leaves up there is almost certainly a strong thunderstorm about to start.


The leaves of deciduous trees, like maples and poplars, do often to turn upward before heavy rain. The leaves are actually reacting to the sudden increase in humidity that usually precedes a storm. Leaves with soft stems can become limp in response to abrupt changes in humidity, allowing the wind to flip them over.


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## vhaby (Dec 30, 2009)

JD's old timer saying: "Red sky at nigh, sailors delight. Red sky at morning, sailors take warning."

I pay attention to this one...guess I'm an old timer now.


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## IH 1586 (Oct 16, 2014)

vhaby said:


> JD's old timer saying: "Red sky at nigh, sailors delight. Red sky at morning, sailors take warning."
> 
> I pay attention to this one...guess I'm an old timer now.


These saying are not working to good this year. Red sky in morning, we get nothing and if there is no dew on the ground it is going to rain. Has not been a morning yet with no dew and we are still getting rain.


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## carcajou (Jan 28, 2011)

In Alberta, a red sky at night is a good indication it will be windy the next day, not really an indicator of fair weather.


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## IHCman (Aug 27, 2011)

carcajou said:


> In Alberta, a red sky at night is a good indication it will be windy the next day, not really an indicator of fair weather.


Yes it does mean wind the next day. Red sky at night, Sailors delight I think comes from the time when ships used sails. They needed wind to be able to move. They didn't appreciate a windless day like us land lubbers do.


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

Plant in dust your bins will bust.Plant in mud your crop will be a dud.

Wait till barnswallows return to plant corn.

Wait until leaves are size of a squirrells ear to plant.

Be able to sit on ground with your bare ass until you plant.

Not many follow any of these anymore,plant as early as they can just to get done before the nieghbor.


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## 32-0-0 (May 30, 2017)

No more freezes after the mesquite trees starting leafing out...this one is pretty accurate from my experience.


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

IHCman said:


> Yes it does mean wind the next day. Red sky at night, Sailors delight I think comes from the time when ships used sails. They needed wind to be able to move. They didn't appreciate a windless day like us land lubbers do.


Yes, note key word "sailors".

Although I do like a windy day for drying hay, too.

Figured y'all liked wind for drying windrows of raked hay, too.


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## glasswrongsize (Sep 15, 2015)

32-0-0 said:


> Ok, I give up, I've never heard of Pogonip...what is it?


Uncommon occurrences, I believe.

If the hornets build their nest high, it'll be a bad winter.

Getchur finger outta ur nose!!! :huh:

Don't bet more that you can lose; especially on a sure-thing.

You keep doin' that and your face will freeze thatta way!!! 

Once you get your house and ground paid for, NEVER borrow against it.

Use your handkerchief often and don't have physical relations while on your back (he might have worded that one a little differently  ).

Mark


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## Bishop (Apr 6, 2015)

Grease and oil saves fuel and toil.


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## hog987 (Apr 5, 2011)

Use your head to save your heels


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## IHCman (Aug 27, 2011)

JD3430 said:


> Yes, note key word "sailors".
> 
> Although I do like a windy day for drying hay, too.
> 
> Figured y'all liked wind for drying windrows of raked hay, too.


Yes that is one thing that wind is good for.


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## vhaby (Dec 30, 2009)

32-0-0 said:


> No more freezes after the mesquite trees starting leafing out...this one is pretty accurate from my experience.


No mesquite trees here, but pecan trees behave similarly.


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## luke strawwalker (Jul 31, 2014)

Don't plant cotton til the pecan trees start to bud out... danger of frost is past...

Very true-- haven't seen pecan trees get frosted off, not in all my years anyway... though it was awful close a time or two.

We always planted cotton by that old axiom, and never got frosted... but darn close a time or two... One year we planted cotton and got a spell of COLD wet weather-- temps in the mid-30's overnight after about 3.5 inches of rain... and it stayed cloudy, cold, and wet for several days after that before it FINALLY started warming up some and the sun came out a bit...

Took that cotton TWO FULL WEEKS to come up-- I had just about figured it had rotted the seed but sure enough it popped up to a good stand-- just took it's sweet time doing it. Made pretty good cotton that year as I recall-- not barn bustin, not terrible either... decent to pretty good IIRC...

One year right out of high school when I was working for United Gas Pipeline, I was doing the farming when I got home and on weekends... got my fields all worked up and about ready to plant, and got slammed by a rainy cold spell. Was kinda disgusted because on my way to work, there was a field of cotton that the guy had busted a nut over and got it all worked up and planted and it had just popped up out of the ground when I got rained out. Stayed cool and wet for about two weeks before it FINALLY warmed up and dried up. I got out there and planted and in 3 days my cotton was up to a full stand. His had been up about 3 weeks by this point and should have been about 4-5 inches tall by that point with several true leaves on it, but it was STILL in the "forked cotyledon" stage, not even the first true leaf on it yet... it had just gone into "stasis" waiting on warmer weather. A week later, you couldn't tell the difference between his field and mine-- mine was a week old, his was 4 weeks old. Stayed neck and neck all season, but mine made a lot better at harvest...

Later! OL J R


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

Couple more:

Use your head for something other than a hat rack!
What a leader tolerates, a leader endorses.


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## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

Not catchy but always use the right tool for the job was one I heard my grandfather repeat.

Other one when asking why my old neighbour cut his first cut so late was don't cut hay until the boys are out of school.


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

Probably the all time great old saying that applies EVERYWHERE is:

"ABSOLUTE POWER CORRUPTS ABSOLUTELY"


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## hillside hay (Feb 4, 2013)

32-0-0 said:


> Ok, I give up, I've never heard of Pogonip...what is it?


freezing fog. Quite common in Feb in these parts


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## Farmerbrown2 (Sep 25, 2018)

Just remember son you where looking for a job when you went there. You'll be looking for one when you leave.


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## BWfarms (Aug 3, 2015)

In the spring if your fancy turns to the opposite sex, you've been wasting the winter.


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## Farmerbrown2 (Sep 25, 2018)

Just heard this one today at a safety meeting. In reference to a labor stripping locate wire with a knife toward himself and getting cut . "Cut away from yourself so you get your buddy bloody "


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## Wethay (Jul 17, 2015)

Measure twice, cut once.

Work smarter, not harder.

Learn from the mistakes of others, you won't live long enough to make them all yourself.


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## rjmoses (Apr 4, 2010)

Grandfather: "Let the tool do the work." (Kids nowadays don't even know how to use a hammer.)

Grandmother: "Take care of the edges [when cleaning] and the centers will take care of themselves."

Ralph


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## Aaroncboo (Sep 21, 2014)

Better to wear out than rust out.
Feed the animals before yourself.


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## Aaroncboo (Sep 21, 2014)

There's a book by Jerry apps called rural wisdom that's full of nothing but these sayings and stories of that era


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## vhaby (Dec 30, 2009)

When working with bolts and nuts- "Righty tighty, Lefty loosey."

From our classic country radio station: (slightly modified)

Treat your spouse like a thoroughbred and s/he will never be a nag.

Don't drink the water under the outhouse... it will give you a crappy attitude.


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## Thorim (Jan 19, 2015)

My late fathers favorite saying when he was mad (which was most of the time lol) was my a$$ sucks buttermilk lol


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