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Tool Talk Discussion Forum

OT: The South Forty

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Slowpoke

07-01-2005 17:40:42




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Here's one for a hot summer day.....I was sitting in a restaurant a while ago, and overheard the phrase "the South forty". Why is it never the East forty, or the North forty, etc?
Where did the term originate? Antbody know?




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HuskerMedic

07-02-2005 17:00:03




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 Re: OT: The South Forty in reply to Slowpoke, 07-01-2005 17:40:42  
What was that old coffee commercial that used to be on T.V. years ago? The one where the farmer sits down, takes a sip of his coffee, and gets up (apparently disgusted over the taste of the coffee). The wife asks where he is going, and he says, "Out to plow the north(?) forty".



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Galen

07-02-2005 17:58:37




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 Re: OT: The South Forty in reply to HuskerMedic, 07-02-2005 17:00:03  
Yeah, but ya gots to remember - that's HOLLYWOOD - not the real world!



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Not much help, but

07-02-2005 00:20:27




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 Re: OT: The South Forty in reply to Slowpoke, 07-01-2005 17:40:42  
I forgot to mention the fellow also said "Missouri" when he said "the South forty".



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Galen

07-02-2005 06:19:16




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 Re: OT: The South Forty in reply to Not much help, but, 07-02-2005 00:20:27  
Well - THERE YOU GO! Missouri has thier own rules and regulations they follow. It's a whole 'nuther world down there! That's why it's the "SHOW ME" state - ya have to show them EVERYTHING! 8^)



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Slowpoke

07-02-2005 08:21:48




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 Re: OT: The South Forty in reply to Galen, 07-02-2005 06:19:16  
Galen... This site is better than the Sunday funnies!



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Carol Martin

07-01-2005 18:11:40




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 Re: OT: The South Forty in reply to Slowpoke, 07-01-2005 17:40:42  

Intrnet search came up with this....
The term "north forty," from which this paper takes its name, has agricultural roots tied to the Homestead Act of 1862. The Homestead Act allowed for the transfer of 160 acres (a quarter section) of unoccupied public land to each homesteader on payment of a nominal fee after five years of residence or a fee of $1.25 an acre after six months of residence.

Homesteads were generally laid out in four quarters on a north, south, east and west square of 40 acres each. "North forty" was a reference to the northern most block of the homesteader's property. Subsequently, rural people referred to property as the "north forty," the "south forty" or even the "back forty." It does not always mean an actual 40 acres--it could be more, or it could be less. Hence, the North Forty News--reaching the northernmost part of Larimer County and covering acres and acres of people and places!

- David M. Knotts

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JHL

07-02-2005 18:20:37




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 Re: OT: The South Forty in reply to Carol Martin, 07-01-2005 18:11:40  
If you will think about it call it what you want to. If it's yours doesn't matter. I call my back forty the back field, it has about 37 acres in it. Whatever. Just keep the taxes paid on it.



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genep

07-02-2005 08:16:19




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 Re: OT: The South Forty in reply to Carol Martin, 07-01-2005 18:11:40  
I ain't one to argue with the internet, but if a homestead was "laid out in four quarters on a north, south, east, west square", the 40's should be called the NE 40, NW 40, SE 40 and SW 40. To be designated as n, s, e, or w 40 acre parcels, the farm would have to be laid out like a cross.



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Stickler

07-05-2005 13:26:11




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 Re: OT: The South Forty in reply to genep, 07-02-2005 08:16:19  
My quarter is broken up into pieces referred to as the pasture, the slough, the yard, and the field (each roughly 40 acres). Although this year with all the darned rain, the field and the pasture are as wet as the slough. Never even got to seed. can we say 120 acres of lake two feet deep? Total loss. Cattle are up to their chests in mud in what's normally pasture. Calves are still in the yard by the barn, they'd drown if turned out, the water is deeper than they are tall. Still feeding hay and won't be any to bale. Couldn't get on it to do it anyway, the mud is so deep.

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txgrn

07-02-2005 07:17:37




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 Re: OT: The South Forty in reply to Carol Martin, 07-01-2005 18:11:40  
Very interesting. Around here it's always been the south forty.

Mark



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JHL

07-01-2005 19:27:02




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 Re: OT: The South Forty in reply to Carol Martin, 07-01-2005 18:11:40  
Sorry yank,down here it's the Back 40



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Rustyj14

07-01-2005 18:02:13




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 Re: OT: The South Forty in reply to Slowpoke, 07-01-2005 17:40:42  
Around this area, i always heard North Forty! (Western Pennsylvania) rustyj



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Vern-MI

07-01-2005 18:19:21




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 Re: OT: The South Forty in reply to Rustyj14, 07-01-2005 18:02:13  
The back forty in Michigan.



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Ludwig

07-06-2005 10:37:02




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 Re: OT: The South Forty in reply to Vern-MI, 07-01-2005 18:19:21  
Same in Maine.



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another mi.

07-03-2005 05:13:45




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 Re: OT: The South Forty in reply to Vern-MI, 07-01-2005 18:19:21  
Yep!!



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J. B. here

07-02-2005 20:57:56




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 Re: OT: The South Forty in reply to Vern-MI, 07-01-2005 18:19:21  
Where is "here" ????? In Idaho it's always been the North Forty.....



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Pajamafied John

07-04-2005 02:28:25




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 Re: OT: The South Forty in reply to J. B. here, 07-02-2005 20:57:56  
South Forty in Maryland. We have a "South Forty" that is really only a little piece of grassy area about 1/4 acre. But in our house it is the "South Forty"



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