"I’ll be there in half an hour”
What it means to the general population: “I’ll see you in half an hour."
What it means to a farmer: "You will be lucky to see me in the next two hours."
“I’m tipping away”
What it means to the general population: “I’m kept going – not too busy, not too quiet."
What it means to a farmer: “Ah I’m kept going - dosed a few calves, spread the slurry, fixed the roof on the shed, scraped the yard and only a few more bits to get done now."
“I had a great lie in this morning”
What it means to the general population: “I stayed in bed until 11 this morning."
What it means to a farmer: “I stayed in bed until eight this morning." This is luxury and it usually comes when calving season has quietened down.
“Notions”
What it means to the general population: “High ideas you have of yourself.”
What it means to a farmer: "You’d want to get them out of you fairly rapid. Far from those notions you were reared."
“Frontage”
What it means to the general population: A house or a bit of land that faces and has access to the roadway.
What it means to a farmer: The most important thing you can have and you better be sure you find someone who has some to settle down with.
“Over the road”
What it means to the general population: Usually of close proximity to where you are.
What it means to a farmer: Usually around six miles away from where you are. This is why you take directions from any farmer with a pinch of salt.
“Are you doing anything today?”
What it means to the general population: “What are your plans for the day?”
What it means to a farmer: “Well if you have no plans, why in God’s name are you not over at the farm helping out?”
“It’s a grand day”
What it means to the general population: This is usually just a passing comment on the weather.
What it means to a farmer: A comment that is followed by an activity. “It’s a grand day… for spreading slurry."
“Prices are good”
What it means to the general population: This can mean a range of things to the general population - food prices, cost of clothes and the exchange rate to name a few.
What it means to a farmer: "Cattle are selling for a good price at the mart."
“I feel sick”
What it means to the general population: I feel sick
What it means to a farmer: For a farmer to admit that he/she is sick means they must be on their death bed. Farmers are hardy and there’s no changing that.
Rachel Hussey is a fourth year student in Mary Immaculate College in Limerick. She is hoping to secure a good steady job as a primary school teacher. The Kerrywoman is a geography enthusiast who knows a good soil sample and can tell her Limousins from her Belgian Blues
