Semi View: Clothing never a problem for farmers: Ag tsotchkes abound

It's so true, but it got me to thinking. (Very dangerous, I realize!)

I'm pretty sure if my two sons and husband weren't in agriculture they would be naked, or at least shirtless and cap-less. And they would never have a pen, a pocketknife, a rain gauge or a ... well lots of things.

Except for perhaps NASCAR, I can't think of an industry that does a better job of getting people to pay them to advertise their products.

I mean, when is the last time a doctor, pharmacist or even a patient was seen in town wearing a cap that said "Viagra" or "Prozac."

When is the last time you saw a jogger at the local YMCA with a "Lipitor" t-shirt on? Or even a new car buyer driving out of a car dealership with a "Chevrolet" cap on?

But in farming, it seems part of the deal: "the good deal" is to get

something ... anything "free" when you purchase seed, feed or a piece of farm equipment.

I recently saw an ad for a large metal building for farm storage. Purchase a $50,000 building within a certain date and receive a "free" jacket touting the company's name.

Now despite the fact that for that price you could buy enough tarps to cover your equipment and an all-new Sarah Palin-type wardrobe -- the farmer in me thought it sounded like a good deal!

"Look honey," I said, "Don't we need a new building? I heard it's supposed to be a cold winter; I sure could use an extra jacket!"

This kind of thinking has been prevalent throughout our farm life.

For instance, in my house right now we have approximately 6,567 caps, 10,345 pens and pencils, 533 t-shirts, 112 sweatshirts, jackets and pullovers, 54 coffee cups, 7 water jugs, 56 paring knives, eight rain gauges and two coolers all promoting agriculture products.

And the thing is, I'd be in trouble if I tried to get rid of any of them.

After all, they are our favorite kind of item: FREE.

Okay, so maybe not "free" but at least they are a "bonus" item.

One time I tried to get rid of a garbage bag full of old, well-used, musty

and just really nasty caps from our basement. They were brands and styles I didn't think anyone would ever wear again. (Hard to believe, but there are "styles" of caps!)

Apparently I was wrong!

Before the bag got burned in the trash barrel, it somehow made it back

into my house. Back to live in my basement with the thousands of other "misfit and out of date" caps.

Apparently I had forgotten the farmer's motto: "We might need those

someday."

Now I'm not complaining. I've gotten to expect the "freebies" as well as

everybody else. Of course, the caps aren't my thing, but I especially

enjoy the folding chairs and the sweatshirts.

In recent times, it seems like fewer of those freebies have been given

out, but I often wonder why. After all, not only do we (I assume) pay a

fair price for the products we buy, but also then when given a cap,

T-shirt or chair we wear or sit in them, well, everywhere. That means

"cheap" advertising for the company.

Recently on a Kansas City TV channel, I saw that people are being paid to put "advertising decals" on the back windows of their cars.

That's funny, considering John Deere has figured out how to get people to pay them for the privilege of advertising their product.

No matter where you go, you see people with t-shirts touting those green and yellow tractors and lawnmowers. And just look on the back of many Saline County farmers' (and others') pickup trucks: John Deere license plates they bought at a premium price.

In fact, who ever came up with the new John Deere marketing campaign is a genius. After all, they have millions of Americans buying their t-shirts and products, advertising for them.

If only we could be so smart.

Anybody want a Gorrell Farms t-shirt? Hey, it's gotta be better than being naked!