20 Signs You Were Raised Country

Some folks chose the country life. Others? Well, it chose them first. If you grew up somewhere the nearest stoplight was a thirty-minute drive and your Friday nights smelled like bonfire smoke and two-stroke engines, you already know what this is about. This one's for the folks who were raised country — not just visiting it on the weekends.

Here are 20 signs that the backroads raised you right.

You Grew Up Knowing How to Work Before You Knew How to Sleep In

1. You were doing farm chores before the sun came up while your city cousins were still in bed watching cartoons. 2. "Go play outside" meant you didn't come back until dark — and you were perfectly fine with that. 3. Your first job involved either a lawnmower, a hay bale, or somebody's livestock. Probably all three. 4. You learned to drive in a field long before you ever touched a paved road. 5. The words "we'll fix it ourselves" were spoken in your house more than "let's call somebody."

Your Social Calendar Revolved Around Small Town Traditions

6. Friday nights meant high school football, and the whole town shut down for it. Every single week. 7. You've been to more county fairs than concerts — and honestly, you preferred it that way. 8. The local feed store, diner, or gas station was basically your town's version of social media. Somebody always knew your business. 9. Church on Sunday wasn't a question. It was just what you did. 10. Your idea of a big night out was a bonfire, a tailgate, or a trip to the honky tonk. Maybe all three if it was a real good Saturday.

Nature Wasn't a Hobby — It Was Just Tuesday

11. You knew the difference between a deer trail and a cow path before you were ten years old. 12. Opening day of hunting season was basically a holiday. School was optional. Dad said so. 13. You've fished in a pond, a creek, a river, and a stock tank — and you had a strong opinion about which one was best. 14. Mud on your boots wasn't a problem. It was proof you did something worth doing. That's the whole idea behind the Earn Your Dirt T-Shirt — wear it like a badge. 15. Rainstorms didn't scare you. They were either a blessing for the crops or just a good reason to sit on the porch a while longer.

Your Wardrobe Told the Whole Story

16. A broken-in pair of boots and a worn-out ball cap were your uniform from about age six on. Still are, if we're being honest. Grab a Foam Trucker Hat or the Camouflage Trucker Hat — both feel like they've already been through something. 17. You've never once thought twice about wearing camo in public. To the grocery store. To church. Wherever. 18. Your closet has more flannels and graphic tees than anything that could be called "business casual." If that sounds like you, the Hick Guys Shirts and Hick Girls Shirts were made with your people in mind.

You Carry It With You No Matter Where You Go

19. You can take the kid off the dirt road, but you can't take the dirt road out of the kid. Doesn't matter if you've since moved to a city for work — you still notice the stars more than the skyline. 20. You're proud of where you came from. Not in a loud, obnoxious way. Just in a quiet, sure-of-yourself kind of way. The kind that doesn't need to explain itself. That's what Rural By Birth is all about.

---

If you checked more than half of these, you already knew the answer before you started reading. Country isn't a trend you pick up — it's something that gets in your bones early and never really leaves.

At HICK Brand, we make gear for the folks who were raised on backroads and built on hard work. Country to the Core — and we wouldn't have it any other way.