OK, in the interest of honesty, I haven't lived on a farm in years. And years. And even more years.

But I did grow up on one, small though it was (80 acres strong).

Now, when I'm driving down the highways and byways 'round these parts, I see all different colors of farm machinery. I mean, it looks like a rainbow out there in the fields and feedlots. And I'm sure they're all good, all sturdy, all do the job.

But when I was a little whippersnapper, throwing that rubber baseball against the barn over and over and over, our neighbors, our farm friends, were one or the other.

They were Red. Or they were Green.

And there was a good chance that family was Red or Green for generations.

I'm thinkin' if you're of a certain age you grew up Red or grew up Green, and likely as not that's what you were when you took over the home place...and if your kids do, they will be, too. (Or maybe not, times change I guess).

Now, truth be known, my Dad really wasn't either. He was one of those rare birds that were a little of both. But then, he wasn't what you'd call a real hardcore farmer. He did other things and farmed those rented 80 acres just cause he loved...farming, the dirt.

So we had one of those Red ones, one of those Green ones. Back then (and perhaps still) farmers kind of farmed by numbers. Those tractor's all had an 'A' or a 'B', maybe an 'M' or an 'H' along with their name.

But one thing for sure: That neighbor over there was 'Red' and would never change. And that nice family over that way, they were 'Green' and don't try to change 'em.

It was kind of the same way with cars and pick-ups back on the farm. Basically, your family was either Ford or Chevy. (Oh, there were other brands, I'm speaking in generalities here!).

Oh, and there were always tons of good-natured kidding after church when the old boys were smokin' a Lucky Strike outside the church. The 'Green's' would poke at the 'Red's', and vice-versa. Same with the 'Chevy's' and the 'Ford's'.

'I don't know how you can cultivate with that thing', the Red owner would say.

'At least mine isn't always broke down'. the Green would reply.

Then a chuckle, a puff off the cig, and off to coffee and cookies at one of their farms.

So, if you grew up on a farm, what were you? Red? Or Green?

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