Farmer Earl in front of painting by Dena Kleinosrge - subject, Earl branding
Remember my dad, Earl Kleinsorge? This song was written for him, and I’m happy he heard it while he was still with us. Farmer Earl is part of a collection of children’s songs that I wrote and that is available on CD or download.
Earl Kleinsorge was an unusually talented and bright man. He only went through 6th grade in school. But show him any agebraic equation and without writing anything down he’d simply tell you the answer and then look at you like you must be an idiot if you had to go through all those steps to find the end result. He started with nothing and built a great fortune in friends, family, and finances. Dena and Earl Kleinsorge seemed never to know a stranger, and when they were around there was always much laughter as well as Dad’s terrible jokes.
Daddy earned his place in my heart as my life-long hero one year when Little Orphan Annie came to be my responsibility. She was born to one of the feedlot heifers, and she needed to be raised on the bottle. I loved that calf. She was more like my pet than livestock. Usually I had a lot of calves at the same time. But THIS time it was only Annie, and she ran free in the yard. Her Angus fur was so warm in the sun and I would lay against her, guitar across my chest, playing for hours. She would run to meet the school bus, and life was perfect…
Until one morning when I went out to the barn and Annie wasn’t breathing. She had pneumonia. In a panic I ran to get Dad. He looked down and touched at my lifeless friend and looked into my eyes and took a deep surrendering breath. I began to cry. and he began to speak and I know what he was about to say, that there was nothing he could do. He looked so sad.
He looked down again, let out a humph and gritted his teeth. He yelled to stand back. Dad was such a big man. I always thought of him as Paul Bunyan. He reached down and grabbed Annie by the back heels and began whirling her around and around that barn. All sorts of secretions came flying out of her nose and mouth onto the walls of the barn, across my chest. It was the most amazing and disgusting thing I’d ever seen. When there was nothing more coming out, he laid her down and breathed life into her lungs. That was even MORE disgusting! One moment I was crying, the next I was laughing and hugging Dad and lying with Annie in my arms. He taught me how to feed her through a tube and give her antibiotics, and once again I could lie with Annie in the sun.
Now you know where the phrase in my song comes from Give it a Whirl, Farmer Earl. Daddy you’ll always be my hero. Here’s your song.
Thanks for making me smile today. Your dad sounds like he was amazing!
Thank YOU for taking the time to read me. Daddy WAS amazing and I’ll miss him every time some amazing happens in my life. Love you Dawna.
Love you, Dr. Mary. I remember when you sang it to us in Hong Kong ! John How and Wendy and Hilary and Heather and Dominic !
Oh John! So good to hear from you! Can’t believe you remember this precious song so specifically. :o) I do hope that your life is good and that you are all healthy. Can’t believe that Hong Kong was 13 years ago! Niki will be FIFTEEN in November. Stefi is 10. We’re still home schooling and loving every day. Tell Wendy and the rest hello and thank you for reading me. I’ve got to get more posted, soon. Too much is happening musically! Hugs, Mary
I remember getting a few of those “look at you like you must be an idiot” looks from your dad. Way back when I spent a summer putting up grain bins for him.
Quit a man, and reminds me of my dad who passed away in the fall of 1990.
Charlie
Hello Charlie! What a blast from the past! Yeah, Dad only went through 6 years of school. So, he figured if anyone didn’t see the reason for something, THEY must be ENTIRELY stupid! I have such good memories of you and I never thought you were an idiot. Of course, my first kiss on the cheek may have fogged my judgement. **little shy laugh, here* Thanks for finding me. I hope your world is doing well. Earl had an effect on many lives, mostly good. But I hope he didn’t scar you for life. **chuckle** I still can’t play cards due to the intensity of Dad’s teaching style. But, overall, he was a great father and taught me so much about right and wrong and the confidence that I could do ANYTHING. And he was RIGHT. Thank God I knew it. Dad died in 1999. Sorry to hear about your Dad’s passing and I’m glad that his memory lives on in you. Take care! Mary
I always thought so much of yours parents. And my folks did too! They were very special people. Dixie
Thank you Dixie for your comment. I was so very blessed to have them as my parents. There was never a mountain too tall to work across or go around and they practiced what they preached. They were creative and loving and didn’t come from easy backgrounds. They loved life and all the interesting people in it. God Bless and thanks again!
I really enjoyed your music. My parents were farmers and thank heavens for their Kansas ethics. Glad to make connect with you. Mrs. Hoy Business teacher at CCHS.
Oh Mrs. Hoy! Thank you so for your comment on my blog. And you are SO right about the Kansas ethics and how that has propelled me through life! I was a waitress so early and you know, I don’t think I’ve ever found another community that knew how to serve people like the establishments in Chase County!