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Life Long Learning of a Mississippi Mule Man

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Lessons of the Mississippi Mule Man or What I learned about Life and Business while Plowing

This Mississippi Mule Man had inauspicious beginnings in Raymond, MS. My grandmother taught me the meaning of going out there getting things done day after day. I learned that those things over a period of time add up into something bigger, kinda like Jeff Olson's Slight Edge theory. While I wouldn't call it a serious enterprise, still I earned significant income from small deeds done daily. I started collecting scrap metal with Grandma Viney and over time as it accumulated. Off we'd go to Jackson, Mississippi and sell the precious metal cargo of iron, copper, brass and aluminum.. On a separate trip we'd "go off" to sell the soda bottles again producing a tidy profit for something that took extended amounts of time to collect. When there were enough bottles to be worth the trip, we'd set it up with a local driver for hire. After paying the transportation bill for a young pre-teen, it was no small amount of money to call mine. While I was no Buffett, with my upbringing in small town America, I did alright. That disciplined approach to work got me off and running to be a Mississippi mule man.

The desire to work even when the payoff was not immediate and the work not necessarily pleasant but worthwhile financially helped in my development as a Mississippi Mule Man.

Life long learning and inspiration can come from many directions

Serve With Gladness

In reflecting on my summers as a plowman, I have come to the conclusion that much can be learned in the daily routine of a Mule Man and Plower. I spent two summers on a local farmer's vegetable farm "working" a draft mule or two, gathering vegetables and serving customers who came many miles to buy fresh produce. Much of the work was as part of a team of man and mule. OBTW, I earned an extra 20% pay daily for having a great attitude, plus tips for giving great service to the vegetable buyers.
We've all heard when life gives you lemons to make lemonade, serving with gladness when the task is not to your liking sets you up to out earn whiners and complainers day in and day out.
Never let a day pass without some learnin.

Serve with gladness and it will show in your pay, whiners and complainers will never out earn you.

Mule Driver Gear

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New Guestbook Comments

  • Mujjen Feb 29, 2012 @ 3:05 am | delete
    What a great advice! This has also been my experience, not to expect big things but make the most of the small ones at hand. In the long run it adds up very well!
  • Jillynn Feb 3, 2012 @ 9:03 am | delete
    Fun lens. Good life lessons. Thanks!
  • Tipi Jan 24, 2012 @ 8:55 pm | delete
    Stopping back for another view!
  • goo2eyes Jan 21, 2012 @ 6:02 pm | delete
    very interesting and educating lens. i learned something from this and thank you for sharing.
  • COUNTRYLUTHIER Jan 21, 2012 @ 11:11 pm | delete
    Many thanks for your comments on my lens. It is always a pleasure to see you have read a lens of mine. I hope to see all your quizzes over the days to come.
  • d-artist Jan 16, 2012 @ 10:38 am | delete
    Interesting lens and great writing...check out my Mules painting on my "Delia the Artist" lens...I love this line 'If you can't be on time, be early'
  • ageloc120 Jan 8, 2012 @ 10:42 am | delete
    "lifelong learning" caught my attention. I find it interesting and fun...^_^
  • JoshK47 Dec 12, 2011 @ 2:39 pm | delete
    Interesting reading!
  • COUNTRYLUTHIER Dec 12, 2011 @ 6:01 pm | delete
    Thanks for visiting!
  • JaguarJulie Oct 15, 2011 @ 9:07 am | delete
    I was pulled in by the title "Mississippi Mule Man!" Mmm, that is an interesting story.
  • COUNTRYLUTHIER Dec 12, 2011 @ 6:02 pm | delete
    A belated thanks for visiting Jaguar Julie. It is always a pleasure to see you've stopped by.
  • Tipi Sep 27, 2011 @ 1:36 am | delete
    "If you don't change the view, the view never changes", now that is a cool line!
  • kansasww Sep 25, 2011 @ 3:58 am | delete
    Whose mule are you following-I can't say I ever had to follow a mule, but I do understand what you are saying, a great many young people today would do well following this simple advice.
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Get up early

If you can't be on time, be early.~ Harland Stonecipher

When you are a Mississippi mule man, the days start early. Grandmother had gotten me in the habit of getting up early and preparing to sell our various scrap and bottles.

When it came time during the summer to climb aboard the farmers truck at the crack of dawn before most civilized folks were stirring, I was on my way to the farm. When someone who was supposed to go to the farm slept in, I got my chance to board the red truck and head to the farm in their place.

We always got to the lot early, fed the mules, Bob and Hattie our mule team, a meal of sweet feed (mixed molasses, grain and supplements) before getting ready to start the work day. Your catch more opportunities when they approach than when you must chase them down.

Be ready ahead of time, opportunity may arrive early and leave you behind, or take you instead.

Get all the gear on

Prepare by knowing your equipment and making sure it's ready

Before heading for the field the daily ritual of gearing up had to be done. As I recollect, the blinders, collar, hinges, trace chains, and belly band were put on the animals for the day. All the gear had to be put on correctly and checked.
Being prepared in all aspects gives you an advantage.

Always check the equipment you work with and know its limitations so when you get started, all is in order.

Take a good lunch break after working hard

Take care of your body and it will take care of you

We got our work day started just as the sun peeped over the horizon and it was non-stop with an occasional pause for water. Pace yourself to get through the morning. Enjoy a good lunch and prepare to hit it hard after lunch. A mule man watered his mule and let him rest up during the mid day.

Take time to get refreshed and refocused at lunch. Be ready to give 100% again after lunch

Work hard for the afternoon

Even though we had plowed end to end all morning from sun up to the dinner bell. It was not too hard to get the mule back into the fields for the afternoon. Sometimes people get in their lunch and don't want to go back to complete the work day.

Finish what you start.

Knock off at the end of the work day and go home

Know when to knock off.

Believe it or not, a mule does not like to work much past the end of the day. They become obstinate, hard to work with and plain old cantankerous. We all could learn that at the end of the work day, it's time to go home. I can never forget one day clowning around atop old Bob as we headed back to the lot after a days work. Bob bucked me off as he did not tolerate fools well, and made his way up along the country road to the feed lot and waited patiently there at the gate until I walked the quarter mile to let him in the lot and to remove the gear.

Know when to stop, mules do!

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Whose Mule are you Following?

If you don't change the view, the view never changes!

One thing about plowing a mule, the view never changes and the mule has the best view at all times. You need to learn early in life whose mule you are going to follow. As another Mississippi Mule Man told me, "At lunch one day, I figured out there had to be a better way some where. I tied up my mule at lunch and as far as I know, my mule is still standing there to this day." That was probably 50 years ago for him.

Know if the mule you're following is the one you want to be behind for the rest of your life in business or career. If yo don't change the view, the view never changes.

Thanks for visiting life long lessons of a Mississippi Mule man.

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COUNTRYLUTHIER

Mississippian by birth and the Grace of God. Glad to meet you too! Currently a landlocked retired navy squid who has sailed the Atlantic, the Pacific,... more »

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