Can We Guess If You're a Farmer or a Rancher?

By: Zoe Samuel
Estimated Completion Time
4 min
Can We Guess If You're a Farmer or a Rancher?
Image: Wiki Commons by Neil Palmer

About This Quiz

As the song goes, "Oh, give me land, lots of land, under starry skies above! Don't fence me in!" This is the song of the rancher, who needs wide open spaces and the ability to drive horses and cattle hither and thither with the seasons and the markets, depending on where the water and the money are to be found. The farmer, on the other hand, is all about sticking to a single spot and making it as beautiful and prosperous as they can. The farmer's community is larger, though still not too big, and they are very much bound up with their local town.

Both these approaches can be made to live in harmony with nature, and while they have some enmity as the farmer loves fences and the rancher abhors them, they will always band together against the townie—the urban-dweller who comes out of the city to enjoy what they've both built and protected all their lives. That's why, as the musical "Oklahoma!" reminds us, "The farmer and the cowman should be friends." They both protect something that they love, though they go about it in different ways.

Which of these attitudes suits you best? Are you the farmer, the rancher, a little of both—or something else entirely?

How many nights a year do you spend under canvas?
2-3
Up to 10
More than 20
None

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Which song about the Old West suits you best?
"Old MacDonald"
"Home on the Range"
"Don't Fence Me In"
"Save A Horse, Ride A Cowboy"

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What sort of boots are you most likely to wear to go out on a drizzly day?
Wellies
Hiking boots
Riding boots
Uggs

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How old did you learn to ride a horse?
10
7
4
20

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Do you ever regret the "civilizing" of the Old West?
Nope
Only because a lot of people were murdered.
Yep
Yes, it was more romantic before!

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If you're going fishing, what color is the jacket you put on?
Dark green
Olive
Brown
Yellow

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What is your favorite type of car to drive?
SUV
Hybrid
Truck
Convertible

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If you see a stranger while out on a nice country walk, what do you say to them?
I greet them by name. There are no strangers here.
I say hello and introduce myself.
I say hello politely, but with reserve.
Nothing. I don't want them to bother me.

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What is the youngest animal you've ever seen?
I see plenty being born!
A couple days
Zero hours old
At least 4 weeks old

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When was the last time you collected your own eggs?
Today
Recently
Not for years
You mean like IVF? I haven't done that.

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Do you know what "hilling" is?
Yep, and I do it!
Yes, though I have not done it, but I would.
Yes, and it is interesting.
No idea.

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When you see a river, how do you feel about that?
Happy, because I see the same one every day
Happy, because it is pretty and useful
Glad there's water but annoyed if there is no ford
I don't feel anything much!

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If you were halfway across a field when you spotted a herd of cows walking toward you, what would you do first?
Ignore them, they're just hungry.
Say hello, as they are my cows
Herd them
Run away!

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How do you feel about catching your own dinner?
It's too much work for me.
It's fun but I don't want to do it every day.
That's a normal day for me.
That's immoral! Buy it at a supermarket like everyone else.

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How far would you move for your dream job?
My dream job is right here!
I wouldn't. I have too many obligations.
10,000 miles
Up to 3,000 miles

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Where is your favorite place to chill in the evening?
My porch
My garden
On a mountainside
A bar

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What sort of dog do you have (or if you don't have one, what would you have)?
Labrador
Retriever
Sheepdog
Chihuahua

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What is the largest vehicle you are licensed to drive?
Tractor
Articulated truck
Horsebox
SUV I guess?

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What is your idea of the perfect weather?
Overcast and cool
Breezy and pleasant
Warm but not hot
Hot and humid

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Would you rather tread in a rabbit hole, or fall off a large straw bale?
Fall off the bale
Either is fine!
Tread in the hole
Either is bad!

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When you go away on a vacation, what is the first thing you worry about?
Looking after my animals
Calling a friend to housesit
I don't. I can't afford to do that.
Getting a good price on the flight

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How long can you go without looking at your phone?
Days
A day or two
Most of the day
An hour

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What feature would you absolutely love to have in your garden?
I have it—my porch!
A deck
I don't want to look after a garden.
A lawn

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What's your idea of "dressed up"?
A nice dress
Jeans and a tasseled jacket
Any jeans that are clean and have no holes
A suit

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If you were to find an injured rabbit in the countryside, what would you do?
Bop it on the head to put it out of its misery
Break its neck to put it out of its misery
Ignore it. I'm too busy to deal with that. A predator will get it soon.
Call a vet! Poor little diddums!

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Could you live in the 'burbs?
No, I would hate it.
Maybe, but I would not like it.
No, I would go mad immediately.
I already do!

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Who is your local nemesis?
Cowboys
That guy at church who is so self-righteous
Prudes
All my neighbors

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What is the silliest thing that city people do when they come to the countryside?
Dress like they are going to a ball
Freak out if there is rain
Fear animals that are clearly harmless
I don't think they are silly at all!

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If you lived in the city for a while, what would you miss most?
Community
Quiet
Space
I would not miss anything.

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What season is most relaxing?
Winter—the harvest is in!
Spring—it's just prettiest
Fall—the calves are strong!
Summer—no school!

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You Got: