Dating : 4 Every-Day Idioms Inspired By Farm Life

Get or have “all your ducks in a row.”

Modern day meaning?

To be organized and prepared. Frequently about a financial matter or a significant change or large proposal.

Where did it come from? There are a few different theories.

One theory is from the days when lawn bowling was popular and bowlers lined up all their pins, aka ‘ducks,’ in a row. Or perhaps from the carnival days when shooting galleries featured tin ‘ducks’ lined up ‘in a row.’

I don’t buy either of those theories.

Why? Because I’ve had ducks. And you know what they do? They walk (alright more like waddle) in a row.

Always the big boss hen (female) duck will lead the way, quacking loudly and insistently. The rest of the flock lines up, and away they waddle. In a row.

I wish my own affairs would line themselves up so neatly and nicely, of their own accord, as ducks do!

‘Don’t spill the beans.’

Meaning — don’t reveal secret or surprise information. Often maliciously.

Now Google says the origin of this particular idiom is from ancient Greece. People cast secret votes by putting a white or black bean in a jar. If somebody knocked the pot over, the beans would pour out and the secret revealed. Hence “don’t spill the beans.”

Hmm. Maybe.

I’ve grown, and sorted, a LOT of dry beans. And you know what is just about the worst thing ever? After you’ve spent a long day of running beans through cleaners and sorters, and a final pick for those persistent, bean-sized pebbles?

Well, that would be when you accidentally trip and spill a few hundred pounds of beans all over your barn floor. (Don’t ask me how I know!).

Or, even worse, when you have a jerk-wad employee that does it on purpose. (Also, don’t ask me how I know!).

Trust me, ‘don’t spill the beans’ has a very LITERAL meaning on my farm!