In Honor of Farmers…

Old Farmers Day

When : Always October 12th

 Old Farmers Day honors the hard labor of farmers throughout American history. Early American culture was heavily a farming culture. Early settlers cleared fields and pristine woods, to farm the rich land. They brought seeds and farming methods with them. They found new seeds, and learned new methods along the way. Many of those new farming methods came from Native Americans, who were already farming the land.  

The month of October is a very appropriate month to celebrate and honor farmers. At this time, the harvest is largely complete. It means that farmers can take a break from their labors, to enjoy this celebration.

A farmers’ work is long and hard. It certainly doesn’t make a person rich. It has its good years, and its bad ones. There is no guarantee of a good crop. Weather, pests, and disease problems often prove disastrous. But, through it all, farmers have persevered. And, their ceaseless hard work sets an example for all.

In honor of farmers and farming I made the following card.

 Here’s what to do:

1)    Cut a 5-1/2″ x 8-1/2″ piece of Real Red Card Stock and score it at 4-1/4″.

2)    Cut a 5″ x 3-3/4″ and a 4-1/2″ x 3-1/4″ piece of Very Vanilla Card Stock.

3)    Cut a 4-3/4″ x 3-3/4″ piece of Soft Suede Card Stock.

4)    On the smaller piece of Very Vanilla stamp the barn image from the Stampin’ Up! Farm Life Stamp Set in Basic Black Ink. On the bottom half stamp the wheat image in Old Olive Ink.

5)    On a scrap piece of Very Vanilla stamp the farm animals from the same set.

6)    With Stampin’ Up! Pastels color in both images.

7)    Hand cut out the animal image.

8)    Out of another piece of Soft Suede punch a Large Oval using the hand held punch.

9)    Layer the card as shown wrapping a piece of Real Red or Red Gingham Ribbon around card and adhering the animal image with Stampin’ Up! Dimensionals.    

As Americans, we tip our hats to all farmers for their contributions to American culture, values,society, and the economy.

Here is a poem my father taught me when I waas four and I still remmeber every word of it. I thought it fit in with todays farmer theme.

LAZY SHEEP

“Lazy sheep, pray tell me why In the pleasant fields you lie, Eating grass, and daisies white, From the morning till the night? Everything can something do, But what kind of use are you?”   “Nay, my little master, nay, Do not serve me so, I pray; Don’t you see the wool that grows On my back, to make you clothes? Cold, and very cold, you’d be If you had not wool from me.   True, it seems a pleasant thing, To nip the daisies in the spring; But many chilly nights I pass On the cold and dewy grass, Or pick a scanty dinner, where All the common’s brown and bare.   Then the farmer comes at last, When the merry spring is past, And cuts my woolly coat away, To warm you in the winter’s day: Little master, this is why In the pleasant fields I lie.”

Happy Old Farmers Day!

Supplies you’ll need to make this farmers card. Email me your order at diane@lakesidestamper.com  or order online 24/7___________________

STAMP SET:    Farm Life (114411) W

PAPER:    Real Red Card Stock (102482). Very Vanilla (101650), Soft Suede (115318)

INK:    Basic Black (101179), Old Olive (102277)

FRILLIES:    Red Gingham Ribbon (104827) retires, Stampin’ Up! Pastels (120962)

TOOLS:    Extra Large Oval Punch (119859), Dimensionals (104430)