rural dictionary

hickbynature · #1 01/04/08, 07:13 AM

I would like to collect words/acronyms (with definitions) we homesteaders use on a regular basis, which would not be found outside of the homesteading 'culture'.

I'll edit out phrases, and colloquialisms.

Citiots: urban dwellers, who think food comes from stores, and water from the sink. . . .
S.S.S: Shoot Shovel Shut-up.
R.F.D.:

If there are enough I'll document them. think ruraldictionary.com.

Thanks for contributions!

HBN

DamnearaFarm · #2 01/04/08, 11:22 AM

Tourons- tourist-moron hybrid who come to where you live to gawk at whatever it is Tourons gawk at.

wy_white_wolf · #3 01/04/08, 11:31 AM

Pilgrams - Citiots that move to country and then complain about it being country.

ladyrua · #4 01/04/08, 12:30 PM

You know what, I am TIRED of seeing all these "bash the city people" threads and comments - you're doing a fine job of perpetuating the sterotype of closeminded "hicks". I live in the city, you or some of your family probably lives or has lived in the city. WE'RE ALL JUST PEOPLE. Just because you already live in the country doesn't give you license or even *reason* to hate people not living there.

Maybe you don't know how hurtful this is - here I am trying to LEARN from people living in the country, and I have to sift through these hateful and nasty comments that pervasivly pop up.

It's sad, and it's not "funny" in the least.

Pelenaka · #5 01/04/08, 01:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ladyrua

You know what, I am TIRED of seeing all these "bash the city people" threads and comments - you're doing a fine job of perpetuating the sterotype of closeminded "hicks". I live in the city, you or some of your family probably lives or has lived in the city. WE'RE ALL JUST PEOPLE. Just because you already live in the country doesn't give you license or even *reason* to hate people not living there.

Maybe you don't know how hurtful this is - here I am trying to LEARN from people living in the country, and I have to sift through these hateful and nasty comments that pervasivly pop up.

It's sad, and it's not "funny" in the least.

A few postive elements cities add to live;

Major Medical Universities - that extend the life of premature babies, give organ recipients a reality, burn victims comfort, options to those inflicted with cancer, help those who are crippled walk.
http://www.urmc.rochester.edu/research/programs.cfm - responsible for HPV Vaccine (cervical cancer).

Museums more than dusty artifacts, and dark paintings of long dead Presidents. Many major orgs produce significant scientific research.
American Museum of Natural History - http://www.amnh.org/

Music, be it classical, country, bluegrass, jazz, soul, or rock no matter what what beat you follow there is a festival and like minded soul mates to share it with.
Rochester International Jazz Fest - http://www.rochesterjazz.com
Buffalo area - http://www.greatblueheron.com/gbh_images2007.html

Botanical gardens - a rose by any other name ...
http://www.nybg.org/

Urban farming because a tree or a tomato can grow in Brooklyn, Chicago, Kansas City, and Milwaukee. From feeding a person to large scale urban farming and aquaponics. Where every inch not acre matters, if you could apply the techniques in biointensive urban growing on a rual farm ...
http://www.added-value.org/
http://www.kccua.org/whyUA.htm
http://growingpower.org/

~~ pelenaka ~~
urban homesteader http://thirtyfivebyninety.blogspot.com/

Tater'sPa · #6 01/04/08, 02:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ladyrua

You know what, I am TIRED of seeing all these "bash the city people" threads and comments - you're doing a fine job of perpetuating the sterotype of closeminded "hicks". I live in the city, you or some of your family probably lives or has lived in the city. WE'RE ALL JUST PEOPLE. Just because you already live in the country doesn't give you license or even *reason* to hate people not living there.

Maybe you don't know how hurtful this is - here I am trying to LEARN from people living in the country, and I have to sift through these hateful and nasty comments that pervasivly pop up.

It's sad, and it's not "funny" in the least.

.....never mind.....

Hey I like dirt...it makes things taste good!

silentcrow · #7 01/04/08, 02:42 PM

I started out in the 'Burbs. Just because one lives in the city, doesn't mean they can't grow things. They just have less space to do it in. My dad grew tomatoes, grapes, plums, peaches, apricots and prickley pears. He also raised quail. Granted, we do get the occasional "tourist" that thinks they can do whatever they want while in the country, or just don't want to know the how and why of things before they rant about it, but don't let those few bad apples spoil the bushel. Learning never stops. Some of the city folk would like to learn, but if we only show a negative attitude, they may no longer seek that knowledge. That would be sad, indeed.

MtnGranny · #8 01/04/08, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ladyrua

You know what, I am TIRED of seeing all these "bash the city people" threads and comments - you're doing a fine job of perpetuating the sterotype of closeminded "hicks". I live in the city, you or some of your family probably lives or has lived in the city. WE'RE ALL JUST PEOPLE. Just because you already live in the country doesn't give you license or even *reason* to hate people not living there.

Maybe you don't know how hurtful this is - here I am trying to LEARN from people living in the country, and I have to sift through these hateful and nasty comments that pervasivly pop up.

It's sad, and it's not "funny" in the least.

I don't think anyone said they hated people living in the city and I think you misunderstand the OP. We may not find it funny when city folk refer to us country folk as "hicks" but we ain't peeved about. The fact is, people are different based on where they live and every group has words/acronyms that they use about the others. No offense meant. When you move to your dream homestead and rich city folk start developing your view of the mountains with no regard for the land or its inhabitants (human & animal), you will probably come up with a few new acronyms yourself.

foxfire51 · #9 01/04/08, 03:00 PM

Leaf Looker: One who travels to the scenic and rural parts of the country, usually by automobile, to gaze at the scenery, particularly in the fall. Leaf lookers are often responsible for huge traffic jams in particularly scenic parts of the country. See also: touron .

FF51

seedspreader · #10 01/04/08, 03:22 PM

Wow, on top of it, city people are sensitive!

BWAHAHAHA.

(Did you say hick???? I Can't believe... oh, wait... you're right, we ARE hicks, why not embrace it?)

stanb999 · #11 01/04/08, 03:41 PM

We have
Weekender's Those that come up on the weekends from the cities.

Lakepeople Not unlike the weekender's But they got "money" and stay at their cottage's.

Outabout's or Walkers' They are out walking the county roads. Usually are in the way when driving. Only the above do this as well.

Village idiots..... This is what grows in summer at the county seat. They are always in the way and come in waves. They like little shoppes.

hickbynature · #12 01/04/08, 04:02 PM

Unlike "city slicker", "Citiots" is not a generalization of all people in cities, but rather, a specific description of folks blissfully blind or ignorant of their surroundings, a mindset perhaps.

Like any word, its context leads the meaning. It is sometimes overused, or morphed to mean something else, or perhaps used with frustration/vehemance.

It is also a description from the country/homesteading perspective, to dilineate a critical difference between we and they. Live in the country, with it's country ways, and deal with folks from cities who want country to be like city, and soon a descriptive word will be found.

Since city mouse and country mouse got married (7 years Thanksgiving) I can tell you I live with and see the difference in mindset.

LR, I do apologize unconditionally for offense taken.

HBN

FD2N4P · #13 01/04/08, 04:30 PM

sorry that some of you feel this way. i'm just trying to learn about a lifestyle i know nothing about. its like a kid in a candy store about some of these things. i wish you could all see some of this from my eyes. seeing a goat or holding a chicken, sitting on a tractor ect....sue

Farmerwilly2 · #14 01/04/08, 04:45 PM

Hickskinned or Countryhide: the ability to grow a thick enough skin to take a little ribbing and not feel outraged. A definate plus at the feed store or down to the general store, specially after getting stuck and having to get pulled free.

Cheryl aka JM · #15 01/04/08, 04:51 PM

I didn't know what SSS was but had seen it several times. Thanks for the definition

stonykill · #16 01/04/08, 05:06 PM

Country: a large vastly unoccupied space, whos occupants are hicks (see below)

city: a small place with tall buildings, noise,polution , packed with too many cars, trucks , busses, and most of all people

Hick: someone who can make due with what they have without wanting more(ie, drives a rusty truck, wears old clothes, sells citiots (see below) firewood, mows there lawn while they are in the city, takes care of their home while they are in the city, fixes their furnace...etc) often overheard making fun of citiots

Citydweller: a person happy to live with noise, polution, and way too many people, often overheard talking about things they think hicks don't understand

citiot: A city dweller who moves to the country, complains about all the hicks(see above) and slowly tries to change the country into the city, often heard complaining of woodsmoke and hicks

blithering citiot: best described with the example of Paris Hilton in " the simple life"

toothless hick: The hardest working man or woman you will ever meet

toothless citiot: put down the toothless hick, lost their teeth

:1pig:

Turkeyfether · #17 01/04/08, 07:23 PM

FLATLANDER: Those not used to mountain country living.The locals used to call me that. But I told them " I got just as much mud & manure on my boots as you have.
I was born & raised in Bayonne, NJ(for the first 24 yrs of my life, then the shore area of NJ) & now live in a village of 26 in Pa mountain farm country.I learn something new every year. My brother started a Virginia farm (FAITH FARM) 2 1/2 yrs ago & was in Virginia Living Magazine in December 2007.City Slickers goin' country!
BUT~~~~~
New Years I butchered a 25 lb or (greater) turkey.It was a lot of work since I don't have poultry butchering equipment.I brought it to my family in NJ . NO-ONE would eat it. One said "I'm not eating that" and ate a cold cut sandwich. I brought almost all the meat home.

There was nothing wrong with it. Beautiful, BEE-UUU-tee-full meat!! So, I just canned 12 qts of turkey soup & froze many many turkey TV dinners for dinners at work. Next year I will bring Cheese Doodles & potato chips & soda to 'get togethers'.You don't have to tell me twice.But, my food is as pure to organic as you can get.Pastured & grained without any chemicals of hormones.No sprays on my veggies since my chickens & turkeys eat all the buggies.
The City is just on a different radio station than I'm tuned into.

In the '70's , when I still lived in Bayonne & could see the Statue of Liberty from the top floor of my house, my husband & I wanted to go country A.S.A.P. I learned to can tomatoes.I had a 'Victory Garden' in my postage-stamp backyard. That was my start.

My mom was from Larksville,Pa & never knew she was a poor coalminer's daughter (of 13 children) raised during the Depression. They were raised country & had raised some of their own food,canned,etc.I remember being VERY small & trotting down the cellar , in Bayonne, & seeing grape jellies, canned pears, applesauce & peaches in an old icebox then used to store canned fruit.She carried this practice over into her early married life..
In the 70's,during the VietNam War & the 'Hippie ' rejection of mainstream society's values, my sister-in-law & I learned to can our Uncle Fritz's bread&butter pickles and also tomatoes, together.We would be 'Country People' living in the Jerseyshore area.
It was like a hospital operating room.Sterile & uncompromising lest we kill the family with BOT-UUUU-LISM!!

Now, canning is a part of everyday life. Fruits & veggies in the summer & fall & soups & venison in the fall & winter.
Recently,in October, I went to my Bayonne High Scholl 40th reunion. I am used to 'NO traffic.'An occasional Amish buggy or several cars on the road, but THAT'S IT! Well,my husband & I entered the toll booth at Newark Airport.Exit 14.Oh LORD!! Planes were flying low over the roof of the car for landing, tractortrailers were enclosing us & cars were compressing us .I wanted to dive on the floor under the dashboard for cover! How different from the '60's when I lived in Bayonne across from Hudson County Park under the landing route for planes/jets circling & taxi-ing for landing. They would circle over our house, sometimes make the walls shake, & I never paid it any mind in those days!

But, now I see stars at night I NEVER saw before!
I raise turkeys for Thanksgiving & Christmas.I need to put my order in for peeps for the spring so I asked around work for those who were interested. I sold many turkeys & chickens this past fall & the buyers just raved & raved about the meat quality & taste.Last night, one lady said " A $1.50/lb !! I got my turkeys this year for $0.19-0.29 /lb!!". She thought I was crazy to ask for such a price. I tried to explain that's a store promotion price & no farmer anywhere could afford to raise ANY bird at that price.She didn't want to hear it. ~~~ OK by me. I don't provide free food or slave labor.
Do you know that hayfarmers are getting $9.00/bale now because of the drought last summer? That Ethanol from corn is a farce & is driving food prices upward? That breeding mama cows are being slaughtered because farmers can't provide food for them THIS year, but NEXT year prices will be high to make up the losses? I have a friend who was a dairyfarmer & worked from before dawn to 10 PM EVERY day to make ends meet. His wife left him, because they had no life.
I charge $2.00/doz eggs & I still don't cover the feed bill for the chickens.

China & third world countries are providing our food now. Along with the 'INGREDIENTS' therein.

I am very thankful I have enough land to raise a large percentage of my own food.

stonykill · #18 01/04/08, 07:30 PM

Turkeyfether, I am sitting here shaking my head because they wouldn't eat your bird. I have had similar happen, and can't understand how people think food from the grocery store is cleaner and safer than any animal, wild or domestic you killed yourself.

Now in their eyes you are a hick. But thats ok, great even. You get it.

good post btw

Turkeyfether · #19 01/04/08, 07:46 PM

I am not a person to hold grudges or even be negative. But this just broke my heart.Such a beautiful bird to go to waste. ( well, it didn't. I froze it in meals & canned in soups).

EDDIE BUCK · #20 01/04/08, 09:37 PM

Not long ago I was in a city about 20 miles from home and was surprized to find that I had to speed up almost to the 35 mph city limit in order to not get run over. I was doing purty good till this car load of girls pulled up beside my old truck and hollared out the window "GO BACK TO THE COUNTRY". That shore didn,t make me feel very welcome to be in the city and after coming out of the tax office feeling like I had been held up and robbed I was kinda hopeing them girls would come back by and I was going to tellum I was headed back home in the country and they wouldn't have to worry bout seeing me no more till next year when Im bout to be e vic ted by them robbers at that tax place. Tell the truth I can't understand why there are cities, everybody that lives there wants to move out and those that don,t live there don't want to move in, and I don't blame them, so if those city folks want to move out, please leave them citified ways in the city and come on out an we'll get along jes fine, but please don't ask me to change my ways, that car on blocks in my yard is mine, them old washing machines at the edge of my yard, one is a dog house, and the other one is a flower pot. All them wires hanging off my house is christmas lights, wate till christmas and I'll turnum on and you can admireum when you ride by christmas. If you find a place kinda close by, I'll come over an hep you wire yours up like mine that is if you don't poke fun at my electricanal talent that has ben handid down from genraton to the other . Got to go, my dog is after a chicken................

Stop by tomorrow if you like chicken and dumplings. Hey dog drop that chicken.