Life on a farm is more than just growing and harvesting crops or feeding fodder to livestock. A wide variety of slang words, phrases and idioms are used to describe people and specific situations. In this quiz, we'll take a look at 35 different words and phrases that have been popular throughout many years of farm life.
Let's take a look at two of these idioms. For example, do you know what it means to "get one's goat?" It actually has nothing to do with goats themselves. Rather, it means to make someone upset or irritated. An example of a sentence with this phrase would be "I can't stand talking to him anymore, he's just been getting my goat lately!"
Another example of a common farm phrase is "put out to pasture." This means that a farmer must retire from their line of work due to their old age. An example sentence would be "My aging father wanted to keep working, but the boss put him out to pasture and hired a young developer instead."
If you think you're an expert on farm slang words and phrases, than we challenge you to score at least a 70% on this farm slang quiz! Show us what you can do right now!
When you sell crops for money, this is known as a...?
Cash crop
A cash crop is when a farmer sells fruits, vegetables and grains off of the premises of the farm. For example, "I earned lots of money from all the cash crops that I sold over the past week!"
Farmers wear heavy shoes when doing farm work. Do you know what these shoes are called?
Auger
Broadcasters
Yield Mapping
Clodhoppers
Farmers wear large shoes when doing farm work so they can protect their socks and feet from things like wet soil and manure. These are known as clodhoppers, which also make quite a bit of noise when you walk in them!
Farmers typically wear jeans on a farm, but do you know what they're called?
Britches
You won't catch a farmer without wearing some britches (or jeans) on a farm. Here's an example sentence, "Hey buddy, have you seen my britches? I've got some farm work to do!"
When farmers put fertilizer on top of soil, what is this known as?
Top dressing
Top dressing is the layer of fertilizer that farmers put on top of soil to help plants grow. For example, "I can't find the top dressing to put on this soil, have you seen it?"
Wild animals that cause a nuisance to farmers are known as...?
Taters
Broadcasters
Varmint
Varmints are wild animals that may eat or destroy farmer's crops. Examples includes rodents, crows, foxes and wild boars. Here's an example sentence, "Where did all of my crops go? Those varmint must have eaten them again!"
When you burn down trees to make room for crops, this is called...?
Ranching
Smallholding
Slash-and-burn
Slash-and-burn is when trees are cut and burned down to make room for new crops to grow. For example, "Here's the area of trees that we need to slash-and-burn."
Some farmers live on a really small farm. Do you know what that's called?
Fallow
Ranch
Smallholding
A smallholding is simply a very tiny farm that farmers live on. For example, "I think I'm going to move into a smallholding since I"m getting too old to look after my big farm."
Farmers actually call their cows "boss," because the old Latin word for "cow" is "bos." Farmers may also signal their cows to move by saying, "Come here Bossie!"
Some cows are brown in color. Do you know what they're nicknamed as?
Brown shellers
Brown Swiss
Another name for brown cows is brown swiss. For example, "We're going to need some brown swiss on this farm if we're going to produce high-quality dairy products."
When farmers use their crops and livestock to live off of (but not to sell for money), what is this called?
Mechanization
Ranching
Subsistence farming
Subsistence farming is when a farmer uses their livestock and crops to live off of. There is typically not enough leftover to sell for money or for profit.
When you grow crops and raise animals on the same farm, this is known as...?
Hydroponics
Paddy field
Mixed farming
Mixed farming is when crops and animals are grown and raised on the same farm. For example, "If I were to be a farmer, I would utilize mixed farming since I love vegetables and animals."
When a farmer chooses to raise crops instead of livestock, this is also called...?
Arable farming
Arable farming is when a farmer focuses on raising crops (like fruits, vegetables and grains) over animals. For example, "I prefer doing arable farming since it's easier to maintain."
One of these words also means "corn." Can you spot it?
Nodule
Offal
Silage
Maize
Another word for "corn" is "maize." Maize also refers to a type of plant that is used to feed livestock. For example, "I'm going to need some more maize if I'm going to feed all of these animals."
A person who helps to raise cattle is called a...?
Cattle farmer
Cattleman
A cattleman is simply someone who helps to raise cattle. For example, "I'm getting too old to raise cattle myself, I need to hire a cattleman to help me out on this farm."
When a farmer raises crops and livestock to sell for profit, what is this called?
Paddy field
Commercial farming
Commercial farming is when a farmer raises livestock and crops for the use of sales (aka profit). This type of farming also utilizes large fields of land and heavy machinery.
Do you know the type of field where rice is grown?
Silage
Grain field
Paddy field
Rice is grown in a paddy field, which is a very wet or flooded type of field. For example, "I'm having a tough time growing rice in my paddy field this year because of how hot and dry the climate has been!"
When a farmer primarily raises livestock, this is known as...?
Pastoral farming
Pastoral farming is when a farmer primarily focuses on raising livestock for food. These types of farmers don't really raise crops either. For example, "I think I'm going to switch gears by transitioning into pastoral farming this year."
In the context of farm life, "cereal" actually refers to crops that they grow, such as barley or wheat. For instance, "I'm going out to harvest some cereal today."
A cab does not mean a taxi with regards to farm life; it's the place where farmers sit in a tractor. For example, "I left my wallet in the cab, can you go get it?"
Some farmers grow peach trees on a farm. Do you know what this is called?
Peach orchard
A peach orchard is a group of peach trees on a piece of farm land. For example, "I think I'm going to start a peach orchard to sell some peaches for extra money."
As the name implies, apple cider is made from a cider mill. The juice is removed from apples to create that sweet and slightly tangy apple cider that we're all familiar with.
Corn kernels that taste a bit sweet are called...?
Sweet corn
Corn kernels that taste sweet are simply called sweet corn. This is also used to describe the young age of the corn. For example, "I'm going to use some sweet corn to make a delicious side dish for dinner."
When a farmer uses GPS data to look at certain aspects of their farm, this is known as...?
Value chain
Chemigation
Yield mapping
Yield mapping is when a farmer uses GPS data to look at positive and negative trends of their farm, such as the quality of the crops being grown. This can also help a farmer notice certain problems in their crops.
What is it called when a farmer breeds certain types of fish?
Fly fishing
Fish farming
Fish farming is the process of breeding fish, which can be used for profit or as food for the farmer. For example, "I'm going to be transitioning into fish farming starting next year."
Plants are sometimes grown in water instead of soil. What is this known as?
Agronomy
Paddy field
Mixed farming
Hydroponics
Hydroponics is a method that is used to grow plants in water instead of soil. For example, "I'm going to study the nutritional value of plants through the method of hydroponics."
Another word for a house is a home, which means that the answer is homestead. A homestead is a fancy word for a farm, which also includes all of the animals and buildings.