Thanks for the memories, from another former farm kid. Learning to plan what to do before getting to the corner, or to the row end, was absolutely crucial on my dad's 160 acre Wisconsin dairy farm. Since it was dairy, there were fences around every field; since it was hilly (thanks to the last ice age), and there were more than a few "gullies", there seemed to be more corners than straightaways. If I tore up a section of fence, I got to repair it in addition to the other chores, giving added incentive to get it right the first time.
Anticipation is probably the most useful skill every farm kid learns to master.
I agree. However, since fewer and fewer kids get to learn on the farm, I would add that playing baseball (or softball) also teaches anticipation. Baseball, unlike basketball and even football which rely more on reflex and instinct, is a series of "set pieces". Players have time to review before each new play where they are and what their options are for the next play. There are choices to be made, but they are finite in number and anticipation will give you a "first step" advantage. "You can't teach speed", but you can teach anticipation.
Learning to plan what to do before getting to the corner, or to the row end, was absolutely crucial on my dad's 160 acre Wisconsin dairy farm. . . .Ahhhhhhhh yes!
But did you have sprinkler irrigation stand pipes hidden in the crop just waiting to be "harvested". Of course we marked the valves with stakes before harvest, but ya just hate to waste anything. Ya gotta come as close as possible to the stakes and not waste ANYTHING. . . . OOPS!
Growing up on a farm in North East Alabama was instrumental in my completing flying School in the U S Air Force (56H). Anticipation was very necessary in flying because if you don't plan ahead you likely will not make it.
I now realize a lot that I learned on the farm helped me more than growing up in the city and not learning mechanical gadgets like tractors combines, and planters.
Learning the mechanics of the airplane was absolutely necessary to detect any problem just as it was on the tractor.