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A lifelong farmer was excited to hear the news that someone had bought the farmhouse and land across the road from his, as it had lain fallow for quite some time, as had many farms in the new age of big farming co-ops. Finally, the day came when his new neighbor arrived and he was surprised to see that it was a very young man all by himself.
The farmer watched as the young man moved into the farmhouse and then walked across the road and knocked on the door to introduce himself.
"I'm your neighbor across the road and I wanted to welcome you and I must say that I am pleasantly surprised to see a young man wanting to make a go as a farmer these days."
"I just graduated from college with a degree in agriculture and I just love farming and the country," the young man replied.
"I'm determined to make a go of farming ."
"Well" said the old farmer, "it's not easy these days, and, no matter what they may have told you in farming, there's nothing like experience I say, so if you ever need any help or advice just let me know."
"Thank you very kindly," said the young farmer, "I'll be sure and do just that." And so they parted company.
Several days went by until one day there was a knock at the old farmer's door and there was the young farmer with a large tne-gallon style hat in his hand "Say neighbor," he said, "I noticed that out in the pasture behind your house it looks like you have quite a bit of milkweed.
It's been a long time since I had any nice fresh milk and if you don't mind, I would like to get some milk." "That's a good one, young fellow", said the old farmer, but the young farmer said, "No, I really would like some milk if you would be so kind".
And the older farmer said, "Son, I don't know what they taught you in school, but you can't get milk from milkweed." "I'd sure like to try" said the young man and the farmer said "Well then," if you don't believe me, you go right ahead" and then he walked back in the house chuckling.
Not long afterwards, there was another knock at the door, and there was the young farmer,his hat full of milk, who said "I just wanted to say 'thank you' for the milk, friend" and the old farmer said "Alright, I see the joke is on me and it was a good one.Where did you get the milk?
Did you milk one of my cows?" "Oh no, sir, I would never do that" the young farmer said, "I got it from the milkweed, just like I told you I would".
"If you say so, son" the old farmer replied and then turned back into the house thinking that his young neighbor was a bit of a trickster. A few days later, the young neighbor appeared at his door, hat in hand, and made another request. "Sorry to bother you, sir, but it looks to me like you have quite a bit of honeysuckle growing all along the fencelline up on yonder hill, and it has been a long time since I had any honey.
I was wondering if you minded terribly letting me get some honey." "Now lookee here," said the old farmer, "honey does not come from honeysuckle any more than milk came from those milkweeds. That's just the name of the plant and unless you are a hummingbird or butterfly you'll get nothing like honey from those plants."
"I'd still like to try, sir" said the young man, and the farmer just waved him on towards the honeysuckle, thinking I won't let him fool me this time and so he watched him took a peek out the window every few minutes as the young man made his way to the honey suckle and worked his way along the fenceline far up the hill.
Before long, the young man began walking back towards the farm house, whistling as he walked. This time the old farmer met him on the porch smiling and said, "Well young fellow, did you find out that you can't get any honey . . ." and then stopped talking and dropped his jaw as he saw that the young man was carrying a bucket filled almost to overlowing with golden honey.
"Wha, wha, where did that come from" he stuttered, and the young man said "Why, it came from your honeysuckle, sir, and I surely do thank you for it".
"Sure it did, son, sure it did" said the farmer and he turned his back and closed the door,trying to figure out how the young man got the honey without him seeing it. Finally he figured that there must be a hollowed tree the other side of the honeysucke and he had sim[ly missed it when the young man got the honey and so he'd been taken once again.
A few more days passed and there again was a knock at the old farmers door and the young man standing at the door, hat in hand. "What is it this time", the old farmer said, no longer in a mood to be played with".
"I don't mean to be a bother" said the young man, "but I was wondering if that might be your pond down at the end of the back pasture?" "It is", said the farmer.
"Well" said the young man, "Are those trees on the bank by any chance pussy willows?" and the farmer said "Wait just a minute, let me go get my hat!"
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