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If you grew up in rural Wisconsin . . . .

* You know how to polka, but never tried it sober.

* You know what knee-high by the Fourth of July means.

* You know it is traditional for the bride and groom to go bar hopping between the reception and wedding dance.

* You know the difference between ‘Green’ and ‘Red’ farm machinery, and would fight with your friends on the playground over which was better!

* You buy Christmas presents at Fleet Farm or Farm and Fleet

* You spent more on beer & liquor than you did on food at your wedding.

* You hear someone use the word ‘oof-dah’ and you don’t break into uncontrollable laughter..

* You or someone you know was a ‘Dairy Princess’ at the county fair.

* You know that ‘combine’ is a noun. ( and you just pronounced it as one)

* You let your older siblings talk you into putting your tongue on a steel post in the middle of winter.

* You think Lutheran and Catholic are THE major religions.

* You know that ‘creek’ rhymes with ‘pick’.

* Football schedules, hunting season and harvest are all taken into consideration before wedding dates are set.

* A Friday night date is getting a six-pack and taking your girlfriend shining for deer.

* Saturday you go to your local bowling alley.

* There was at least one, if not several, in your class who had to help milk cows in the morning and/or smelled like it.

* You have driven your car on the lake.

* You can make sense of ‘upnort’ and ‘baatree’.

* Every wedding dance you have ever been to has the hokey pokey and the chicken dance.

* Your definition of a small town is one that only has one bar.

* The local gas station sells live bait.

* At least twice a year some part of your home double as a meat processing plant.

* You think that the start of deer season is a national holiday.

* You actually understand these jokes and you will send your Wisconsin friends here to read them!!!!!

* You can go from using your heater to your air-conditioning and back to you heater in your vehicle and it doesn’t phase you.

* Not drinking at any major function (i.e.: baptism, graduation, birthday, funeral, family reunion, class reunion, etc.) is an outrage.

* You’ve been drinking at major functions (see above) since you were 14 years old ( or younger)!!

* You think everybody else has an accent.

* 60 degrees IS summer weather.

* You know what a “regular” is…and probably are one!

* “Upnort” is any town above 29 for you. (And you understood that!)

* “O-ya” is in your daily vocabulary.

* You or someone you know has a permanent campsite not far from your hometown, and you know all the “permanents!”

* EVERY restaurant has a fish special on Friday nights.

Now, as you all may know, I am from Wisconsin and I relate a little to much to a lot of these. I’m surprised I didn’t see anything about auto parts or the wonderful smells (besides cows) that you sometimes encounter!

6 thoughts on “If you grew up in rural Wisconsin . . . .”

  1. I loved your list. I'm a Texas girl but my dad grew up in Wisconson and still has family there, LOTS of them. I loved that you could take the snowmobile trails to all the bars. LOL Even though I was only 10ish nobody even cared I was at the bar with my dad.

  2. I'm a Utah girl but those were still pretty funny! Here is a few about Utah – You know it has to be a Utan when you're getting tailgaited for going the speed limit, and when that same person races you to the next red light. Thanks for the laughs.

  3. Hey, I just read this blog post and it is so true what you said about Fleet Farm. I grew up in Menomonie, and we always did our shopping for Christmas at Fleet Farm. They actually had like a Toys'R Us Selection. It was a treat to have it open each year. After I moved back to Menomonie from Minneapolis a few years ago, I was out buying my five year old son a John Deere Toy Tractor from Fleet Farm. Thanks for the post!

    Menomonie, WI, Fleet Farm

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Lisa Martin

Lisa Martin

In April 2006, Lisa began blogging to stay connected with distant relatives and friends. As she delved into blogging, she discovered the potential to assist others by sharing her experiences. Lisa has actively engaged in numerous exclusive media ventures. Notable among these are her participation in events such as the Sony Mommy Bloggers Event, the Pampers Mommy Bloggers Event, the Epson Event in Chicago, the Stouffers Event, a memorable yacht excursion with Lands End, collaborations with 1-800-Baskets, an exclusive tour for bloggers by Mrs. Prindable’s, partnerships with Hallmark, PopCap games, Chicago Cubs Mastercard Priceless Events, and Rug Doctor. In addition, she has collaborated with Nutrisystem on a weight loss initiative, teamed up with Buick and Chevy, and served as a brand ambassador for Sprint. Lisa's collaboration portfolio also extends to Disney, where she has participated in press trips for significant movies such as Frozen, Guardians of the Galaxy, McFarland USA, The Good Dinosaur, The BFG, and Cars 3. Notably, for projects like Frozen, The BFG, and Cars 3, she was granted the privilege of walking the red carpet and conducting interviews with celebrities. The impact of Lisa's blog has gained recognition, with The New York Times referencing her content. Moreover, she has been featured in interviews by respected publications such as the Southtown Star, The Chicago Sun Times, and inside.View Author posts