Coolest fence ever. Technically, this photo is more in the style of Rancher Friday or Cowboy Friday than Farm Friday, but hey, farm, ranch, cowboy…they all wear boots, right?
Have you ever noticed boots on a fencepost?
What is the signifcance, you ask?
As you might imagine, the interweb is filled with explanations, but I looked to Allens Boots, an Austin, Texas bootstore legend (yes that’s bootstore not bookstore) which wrote about this very subject on their boot blog…
Various reasons include 1) a way to indicate the rancher was home, 2) a method to protect fenceposts from moisture, or 3) to symbolize the rancher had passed away.
Who really knows.
But when every fencepost from here to the horizon has a boot stuck on it, I call it farm art.
Grace Grits and Gardening
Farm. Food. Garden. Life.
[tweetthis]Boots on a fence post. I call it art.[/tweetthis]
Musical Pairing:
I Wanna Be A Cowboy – Boys Don’t Cry
This farm art photo is courtesy of my author friend Lynda Beck Fenwick who blogs about the life of Isaac Beckley Werner (Kansas homesteader, agriculturalist, inventor, journalist, scholar and political activist). Lynda shares detailed information based on Werner’s daily journal dated August of 1884 to June of 1891. His writings provide a fascinating and true glimpse into American history. Be sure to check it out.
Lyn Fenwick says
Thanks for the link!
Ian Holland says
Maybe a very large family?
Talya Tate Boerner says
Maybe so Ian.
Lyn Fenwick says
Actually that is exactly how the boots got there…a couple with 4 daughters, all still in the community, whose husbands and sons create lots of boots!
Talya Tate Boerner says
Thanks Lyn!
Dorothy Johnson says
Ian’s point is well taken. It would takes lots of pairs of boots to for some ranch/farm fence posts to all be covered. A fun picture!