We asked our readers to send us their own version of the classic holiday song The 12 Days of Christmas. We were overwhelmed by your responses! In fact, we couldn’t get the tune out of our heads when reading your versions.
Have fun reading! And we hope you all have a safe and happy holiday.
On the twelfth day of Christmas my farmer gave to me…
1 dozen eggs
11 sacks of feed
10 bales of hay
9 rolls of barb wire
8 bills for paying
7 checks to pay em’
6 mineralized salt bricks
5 broody hends
4 pens to muck
3 point equipment
2 muddy boots
…And a renewed subscription to Farm and Dairy!
— Ivory Harlow, Chillicothe, Ohio
On the twelfth day of Christmas my dairy cows gave to me…
12 gallons of milk
11 bales of straw spread
10 dip cups spilled
9 fences broken
8 milkers malfunctioning
7 cows-a-mooing
6 skid steers dumping
5 blue ribbons
4 hundred-dollar vet bills
3 bales eaten
2 broken bones
…And a calf in a hoop barn
— Rachel Sherman, age 11
On the twelfth day of Christmas my tractor hubby gave to me…
12 gifts to wrap
11 rolls of paper
10 yards of ribbon
9 pies-a-baking
8 taters boiling
7 trays of cookie,
6 stockings hanging
5 pineapple rings
4 bones for puppy
3 bottles of nog
…And a honey ham baking in the oven
— Lynne Goehring, Fombell, Pennsylvania
On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me…
12 piglets oinking
11 cows-a-mooing
10 mice-a-running
9 horses neighing
8 chickens clucking
7 kittens playing
6 sheep-a-bleating
5 bales of hay
4 guinea hens
3 pitch forks
2 barking dogs
…And a rooster in the barnyard
— Mary Jane Bequeath, McDonald, Ohio
On the twelfth day of Christmas my farm gave to me…
12 bales of hay
11 ears of corn
10 sacks of feed
9 cats-a-hissing
8 jars of golden honey
7 stacks of firewood
6 quarts of maple syrup
5 old tractors
4 show heifers
3 dogs-a-barking’
2 Brown Swiss steers
…And sweet cider from an apple tree
— Justin, Casey, and Colton Scott, Gnadenhutten, Ohio
On the twelfth day of Christmas my farmer gave to me…
12 pairs of Work Gloves
11 greeting Cards
10 plates of Cookies
9 9,000 pounds of milk
8 packages of fudge
7 loaves of date bread
6 pairs of socks
5 winter hats
4 cinnamon rolls
3 cans of nuts
2 driveways plowed
…And a big shiny red milk truck
— Nancy Wells, Knox, Pennsylvania
(Nancy Wells’ father was a milk truck driver. Those were the things farmers would give to him)
On the first day of Christmas my farmer gave to me…
12 frozen waterers
11 grain buckets
10 bags of feed
9 rope halters
8 bales of hay
7 pairs of bibs
6 sweatshirts
5 heifer calves
4 calf jackets
3 bottles of colostrum
2 pairs of gloves
…And a pair of Muck boots
— Robin Schick, Knox, Pennsylvania
On the twelfth day of Christmas my farmer gave to me…
12 Belgians grazing
(now I need)
11 groomers grooming
10 hands-a-forking
9 harness cleaners
8 tons of horse feed
7 loads of bedding
6 feeders feeding
5 semis of hay
4 stock tank heaters
3 pairs of gloves
2 pairs of Muck boots
…And a year without vet bills!
— Shirley Ray, Shelocta, Pennsylvania
On the twelfth day of Christmas my dear hubby gave to me…
12 goat kids were jumping
11 cows were mooing
10 hens were cackling
9 piglets were squealing
8 goats were maa–ing
7 sheep were baa-ing
6 puppies whining
5 bushels of apples
4 big tractor tires
3 forage wagons
2 Harvestore silos
…And a combine in a bean field
— Deb Armington, Austinburg, Ohio
On the twelfth day of Christmas my farm wife gave to me…
12 Internationals
11 old red Cockshutts
10 Fordson Majors
9 Massey Harris
8 Allis Chalmers
7 Rumley Oil Pulls
6 iron-wheeled Russels
5 Gold Molines
4 Silver Kings
3 8N Fords
2 Case DCs
…And a bright green John Deere “B”
— Philip Lautzenheiser, Beach City, Ohio
On the twelfth day of Christmas my farm life gave to me…
12 sheep-a-grazing
11 swallows swooping
10 flowers blooming
9 lovely sunsets
8 pounds-a-losing
7 books for reading
6 county fair blue ribbons
5 yellow cats
4 naps on the back porch
3 rainbows
2 mocking birds
…And many happy summer memories
— Iris Eppley, Zanesville, Ohio
On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me…
12 Fords-a-running
11 ladies shopping
10 thrift stores with sales going
9 choirs singing
8 gardens growing
7 days in “Heaven”
6 books-a-reading
5 “golden” friends
(4 is missing)
3 beautiful grand kids
2 chocolate “Dove” bars
…And a wonderful boyfriend at my side
— Regina McNutt, Dellroy, Ohio
On the twelfth day of Christmas my farmer gave to me…
12 bales of hay
11 new fence posts
10 bags of horse feed
9 bags of bedding
8 horse shoes
7 new feed pans
6 packs of net wrap
5 bags of carrots
4 new manure forks
3 pairs of Muck boots
2 new 10-foot gates
…And a new barn to put this all in (I wish)
— Pat Stiphovic, Freedom, Pennsylvania
On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me…
12 days of work I didn’t need
11 bags of feed
10 bales of hay
9 baby kittens
8 neighbor’s horses
7 ungated cows
6 gray squirrels
5 trapped moles
4 baby rabbits
3 hanging doves
2 smashed turtles
…And a very dead deer on the tree
— Maryann Lee, Cadiz, Ohio
On the first day of Christmas my farmer gave to me…
12 cats-a-meowing
11 geese-a-honking overhead
10 chipmunks digging
9 trucks-a-honking
8 neighbors waving
7 chores needing my attention
6 shirts needing ironing
5 calls to make
4 gifts to wrap
3 “hungry” to be fed
2 prayers to “lift up”
…And a peaceful sunset up in the sky!
— Sally Miller, Berlin Center, Ohio
On the twelfth day of Christmas my farmer gave to me…
12 months of his love
11 mounds of farm bills
10 fingers milking
9 bales of hay
8 miles of fencing
7 calves-a-bawling
6 John Deere tractors
5 chambray shirts
4 mooing cows
3 smiling grand kids
2 great sons
…And a cow in the dairy barn
— Joyce K. Wetherell, New Alexandria, Ohio
On the twelfth day of Christmas my farmer gave to me…
12 cats meowing
11 bales of hay
10 pints of yogurt
9 blocks of cheese
8 ice cream freezers freezing
7 ducks-a-quacking
6 butter churns-a-churning
5 brown cows
4 milkers milking
3 blind mice
2 cackling hens
…And 1 bawling calf
— Roger and Marjorie Raybuck, Falls Creek, Pennsylvania
On the twelfth day of Christmas my farmer gave to me…
12 puppies yipping
11 llamas leaping
10 combines roaring
9 piglets squealing
8 horses bucking
7 chickens clucking
6 cows chewing
5 brand new tires
4 fence posts
3 John Deere Gators
2 Semi trucks
…And a four-wheel tractor just for me
— Denise Carpenter, Age 14
