funeral poem for a farmer

aax

New Member
Location
devon
Im looking for a poem that starts with hang up your shovel your work here is done but cant seem to find it anywhere and would appreciate if anyone knew where to look thanks in advance aax
 

le bon paysan

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Limousin, France
Is it this one?
CLOSE THE GATE
For this one farmer the worries are over, lie down and rest your head,
Your time has been and struggles enough, put the tractor in the shed.

Years were not easy, many downright hard, but your faith in God transcended,
Put away your tools and sleep in peace. The fences have all been mended.

You raised a fine family, worked the land well and always followed the Son,
Hang up your shovel inside of the barn; your work here on earth is done.

A faith few possess led your journey through life, often a jagged and stony way,
The sun is setting, the cattle are all bedded, and here now is the end of your day.

Your love of God’s soil has passed on to your kin; the stories flow like fine wine,
Wash off your work boots in the puddle left by blessed rain one final time.

You always believed that the good Lord would provide and He always had somehow,
Take off your gloves and put them down, no more sweat and worry for you now.

Your labor is done, your home now is heaven; no more must you wait,
Your legacy lives on, your love of the land, and we will close the gate.

Nancy Kraayenhof.
 

Muck Spreader

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Limousin


This one by Nancy Kraayenhof ?

Close the Gate (For Dad)

For this one farmer the worries are over, lie down and rest your head,
Your time has been and struggles enough, put the tractor in the shed.

Years were not easy, many downright hard, but your faith in God transcended,
Put away your tools and sleep in peace. The fences have all been mended.

You raised a fine family, worked the land well and always followed the Son,
Hang up your shovel inside of the barn; your work here on earth is done.

A faith few possess led your journey through life, often a jagged and stony way,
The sun is setting, the cattle are all bedded, and here now is the end of your day.

Your love of God’s soil has passed on to your kin; the stories flow like fine wine,
Wash off your work boots in the puddle left by blessed rain one final time.

You always believed that the good Lord would provide and He always had somehow,
Take off your gloves and put them down, no more sweat and worry for you now.

Your labor is done, your home now is heaven; no more must you wait,
Your legacy lives on, your love of the land, and we will close the gate.


Cleverly disguised as a responsible adult, I’m Nancy Kraayenhof. Share your comments, questions or ideas with me at [email protected]


Read more: http://www.grit.com/blogs/blog.aspx?blogid=4294967364#ixzz2LzruPPVo
 

MF-ANDY

Member
Location
s.e cambs
here's the one i read at my father's funeral


THE OLD FARMERS PRAYER
Time just keeps moving on
Many years have come and gone
But I grow older without regret
My hopes are in what may come yet.
On the farm I work each day
This is where I wish to stay
I watch the seeds each season sprout
From the soil as the plants rise out.
I study Nature and I learn
To know the earth and feel her turn
I love her dearly and all the seasons
For I have learned her secret reasons.
All that will live is in the bosom of Earth
She is the loving mother of all birth
But all that lives must pass away
And go back again to her someday.
My life too will pass from Earth
But do not grieve, I say, there will be other birth
When my body is old and all spent
And my soul to Heaven has went.
Please compost and spread me on this plain
So my body Mother Earth can claim
That is where I wish to be
Then Nature can nourish new life with me.
So do not for me grieve and weep
I did not leave, I only sleep
I am with the soil here below
Where I can nourish life of beauty and glow.
Here I can help the falling rain
Grow golden fields of ripening grain
From here I can join the winds that blow
And meet the softly falling snow.
Here I can help the sun’s warming light
Grow food for birds of gliding flight
I can be in the beautiful flowers of spring
And in every other lovely thing.
So do not for me weep and cry
I am here, I do not die.
 

Sid

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
South Molton
Let the wealthy and great live in splendor and state.
I envy them not, I declare it,
For I grow my own rams, my own ewes, my own lambs,
And I shear my own fleece and I wear it.

By plowing and sowing and reaping and mowing
All nature provides me with plenty-
With a cellar well stored and a plentiful board,
And my garden affords every dainty.

For here I am king. I can dance, drink and sing.
Let no one approach as a stranger.
I will hunt when it's quiet. Come on, let us try it!
Dull thinking drives anyone crazy.

I have lawns and bowers. I have fruits and flowers,
And the lark is my morning alarmer.
So you jolly boys now, here's godspeed the plow.
Long life and success to the farmer.
The First and last verse's are on a mug that my mum gave to me. My oldest son read it out in front of a packed church at my mums funeral. Full marks to him cause I couldn't have done it! Brought a few tears to my eyes, still does when I see the mug on the sideboard.
 

llamedos

New Member
Let the wealthy and great live in splendor and state.
I envy them not, I declare it,
For I grow my own rams, my own ewes, my own lambs,
And I shear my own fleece and I wear it.

By plowing and sowing and reaping and mowing
All nature provides me with plenty-
With a cellar well stored and a plentiful board,
And my garden affords every dainty.

For here I am king. I can dance, drink and sing.
Let no one approach as a stranger.
I will hunt when it's quiet. Come on, let us try it!
Dull thinking drives anyone crazy.

I have lawns and bowers. I have fruits and flowers,
And the lark is my morning alarmer.
So you jolly boys now, here's godspeed the plow.
Long life and success to the farmer.
The First and last verse's are on a mug that my mum gave to me. My oldest son read it out in front of a packed church at my mums funeral. Full marks to him cause I couldn't have done it! Brought a few tears to my eyes, still does when I see the mug on the sideboard.

That brought tears and softened this hard heart. Beautiful.
 
Hi, I was wondering if anyone has any poems or prayers like the funeral ones above that could be used at a wedding in order to pay respect to heritage and grandparents who have passed away?
 

Alicecow

Member
Location
Connacht
Henry Brewis wrote some interesting ones in his 'Sep the peasant farmer' books, eg, 'Don't Laugh Til He's Out Of Sight', available from Old Pond Publishing, now 5M Publishing. Good for a chuckle, not sure about weddings or funerals, (mercifully) I have not needed any for those reasons.
 

PFH

Member
  • The Farmers Creed

    I believe a man's greatest possession is his dignity and that no calling bestows this more abundantly than farming.

    I believe hard work and honest sweat are the building blocks of a person's character.
    I believe that farming, despite its hardships and disappointments, is the most honest and honorable way a man can spend his days on this earth.

    I believe my children are learning values that will last a lifetime and can be learned in no other way.

    I believe farming provides education for life and that no other occupation teaches so much about birth, growth and maturity in such a variety of ways.

    I believe many of the best things in life are free: the splendor of a sunrise, the rapture of wide open spaces, the exhilarating sight of your land greening each spring.

    I believe true happiness comes from watching your crops ripen in the field, your children grow tall in the sun, your whole family feel the pride that springs from their shared experience.

    I believe that by my toil I am giving more to the world than I am taking from it, an honor that does not come to all men.

    I believe my life will be measured ultimately by what I have done for my fellowmen, and by this standard I fear no judgment.

    I believe when a man grows old and sums up his days, he should be able to stand tall and feel pride in the life he's lived.

    I believe in farming because it makes all this possible.
 

jimmer

Member
Location
East Devon
20150711_214941[1].jpg


i wrote my own wedding vows and had them carved on a plaque
 

Amcnab

Member
Location
mid wales
Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone,
Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone,
Silence the pianos and with muffled drum
Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come.

Let aeroplanes circle moaning overhead
Scribbling on the sky the message He Is Dead,
Put crepe bows round the white necks of the public doves,
Let the traffic policemen wear black cotton gloves.

He was my North, my South, my East and West,
My working week and my Sunday rest,
My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song;
I thought that love would last for ever: I was wrong.

The stars are not wanted now: put out every one;
Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun;
Pour away the ocean and sweep up the wood.
For nothing now can ever come to any good.
 

banjo

Member
Location
Back of beyond
I know some of these poems are for sad occasions, but I've always loved poetry for some reason. All the words have been thought through and many poems have taken years and years to finish. All the words have been paired down and the end product means more somehow.
There is a poem I heard about a blade of grass growing until it's life has finished, just like a farmer, can't remember it at the moment though.
I will try and find it unless anyone else has it?
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

  • 0 %

    Votes: 80 42.3%
  • Up to 25%

    Votes: 66 34.9%
  • 25-50%

    Votes: 30 15.9%
  • 50-75%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 75-100%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 100% I’ve had enough of farming!

    Votes: 7 3.7%

Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

  • 1,292
  • 1
As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
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