Sesquipedalian Farming

 In episode 95 of I Hate Talking, the hosts introduce the delightfully nerdy word “sesquipedalian”—a term that describes long, multi‑syllabic words or overly long‑winded speech. They trace its roots back to Latin, where it literally meant “a foot and a half long,” and joke about how perfectly self‑referential it is: a long, fancy word that means “long, fancy words.” The pair play with how it could be used both as a backhanded compliment and a gentle tease, and even touch on its brief popularity spike in recent years.

They then wrap up their mini‑series of experience reviews with a favorite spot: a rustic working farm turned family play destination. The farm blends real agriculture—pumpkin patches, flower fields, crops, and animals—with a huge variety of hands‑on activities: barrel‑train rides behind a tractor, towering plastic and burlap‑sack slides, tire and tube climbs, an enormous jumping pillow, tricycle race tracks, corn mazes, splash pads, bubble stations, and a gem‑mining sluice that unexpectedly sparked their kids’ rock‑collecting obsession. A petting zoo and aviaries with birds and butterflies round out the experience. They note that it’s dusty, imperfect, and far from “bubble‑wrapped,” but argue that this kind of managed risk actually sharpens kids’ awareness and coordination. Both agree they’ll keep going back, and close by promising future episodes that are thoughtful—if not too sesquipedalian.

Keywords: sesquipedalian meaning, word origin, long‑winded speech, family farm attraction, rustic play spaces, kids and risk, petting zoo, slides and splash pads, gem mining, I Hate Talking podcast.

Transcript

I Hate Talking: 0:29

Welcome to episode 95 of I Hate Talking. Hi everyone. So we'll jump right into our word or phrase of the episode, and that was a word that I think we discussed maybe in episode 92, which was technically our last episode, or in episode 94, which was technically 2 weeks ago. That's not confusing at all. Well, that is our continuity er. So today's word or phrase. Is sesquialian, OK, sesquialian. Yes, so basically the definition of sesquipodalian is characterized by long words or long winded. It can also describe a word that is polysyllabic, polysyllabic, multiple syllables. OK, yeah, it's appropriate that such a long word. Because it means long winded. I like it. Yes, -- so is -- that ironic? Like, was it intentional? Perhaps a bit so in the Latin, it came from. Sesqua, which means 1.5. And head or pest, which means foot. So. Then that became combined as sesquipolius, which means 1.5 ft long, literally, and then that became in the mid-17th century English as sesquialian, which is basically a word that is 1.5 ft long. OK, cool. So perhaps our podcast is a bit sesquipodillion or perhaps some of the words that we define and talk about are sesquipodillion and quite literally, the word that we are talking about right now is literally the word sesquipoalian. I like it though, and it's a fun word to say, says Quilion. How often is it used nowadays though? So, from the 17th century, it was quite popular and then around the Maybe 1870s, 18. Eighties, it slowly declined and now it is no longer very popular, though there was a slight uptick probably around 2018. That's weird. I wonder if someone on social media or music or something like that used it. They did, I believe in the Song That tool wrote, they use that word. So I do. Let's check and see when that song came out. But So I guess I'm wrong. It was not in a tool lyric or any of Maynard's bands, A Perfect Circle or Pacifier. It apparently is used to describe their lyrics, however, because a lot of the lyrics of Tool or Perfect Circle or pacifier are sesquipodalian in nature. Oh, OK, but who describes them? They describe themselves that way. No, the fans describe the songs that way. Oh, so the fans, I still wonder how the fans know that word. Well, Tool fans are very refined people. Says a tool fan. See, I thought it was in a song. I gotta check because I'm pretty sure it was. There's some other weird word that they use that is maybe similar in nature. No, uh, the word I was thinking was somniferous. Which is a sesquialian word that is used in the song Rosetta Stone, which is probably not. Get appropriate. So if you do decide to listen to that song, be forewarned. -- Is -- the word inappropriate or the, the other lyrics. So what does that word mean? Well, we'll find out next time. There you go. Alright, I can't wait. So that is our word, sescopodalian, and it is a fun one to say and it even has a fun meaning, I think, because it sort of defines itself. I like it because it sounds like something you could tell somebody if they continue to talk for a longer than appropriate time. But it's not rude. Like it wouldn't be rude. It's just like, well, that was a very Sasquat battalion story. Thank you. That's true. Or if they use big words to sound smart on purpose, perhaps you could say. You are sesquipedalian, and they'll probably take that as a compliment, even though perhaps it's a bit of an underhanded remark. -- It's -- kind of funny, yeah, as an insult. Yeah, let's not do that because that doesn't sound nice, but it is a funny idea. Perhaps so. I don't know if I would be offended if somebody described our podcast as Cesco Palian. I think I'd be impressed for podcasts. Yeah, -- it probably is a compliment -- that they would know that word. Yeah, it's cool. That's true. So I believe we have our final review of things that we have done in the past year or so, and this will complete our unknown number of episodes, miniseries on reviews of things that we have done in the past year. So, we're going to be talking about a unique and individual farm and like I said, it is unique and one of a kind, and there probably are many different farms across the nation that are similar in nature because it is an active farm with a pumpkin patch and flower garden and Different grains and vegetables that they produce, but it is almost set up as a field trip style thing that you can go to, and they have rides and activities and playground equipment and a variety of things that you can do while you are at this farm. Yeah, oh, we love it. We have had for about 2 years in a row had memberships there and went often. Uh, it is not somewhere to go if you're worried about safety, cause it is safe there, but also like, you're riding around, you're climbing farm equipment, and everything is very rustic and just used materials, like you're climbing up tires that they built into a big tower and that sort of thing. So if your number one concern is, um, Safety ratings or whatnot, like you want it all plastic and covered. This is not the place for those kind of people. That's true. So there is, like you said, many different rustic things you can basically go on a tractor ride that pulls barrels, barrels that they have cut open, repurposed with different wheels, and that the wheels are like legitimate like. Things that are used for wagons and stuff, but yes, it is a cutout barrel that you sit in and the tractor drives it around and pulls you behind it. There's other things that you can climb on, so the tires, there's some very large wooden swings. There's one that is like an entire wooden beam or plastic tube, I guess. It's like a drainage tube that is connected that's probably 20 ft long and has ropes on either end and it functions as sort of a very large swing. Lengthwise, so it goes end to end -- in -- that So lots of kids get on it and then you go back and forth, yeah, and there are some things that are older in nature where maybe it doesn't function as well, so they have like some. Metal pigs that you can ride on that you're supposed to like move the handle back and forth to propel it, but it really doesn't work. You have to like push it. Yeah, the parents behind it giving it a boost. Yes. And then they have slides that are made out of like plastic, huge sheets of plastic tile that you can slide down with a with like a burlap sack, burlap sack, yeah, you get climb inside the burlap sap or sit on top of it and it's about 2.5 ft or 2.5 floors, right. I don't think it's quite 3 floors. It's probably maybe 3 floors. No, not 3 floors. I would, I would call it 2, so probably around 20 to 24 ft. You climb, yeah, multiple staircases. There's several different sizes, but the very top is multiple staircases, you carry your burlap sack with you, and you have to, you use it, because if you don't, in the summer, you get burned. That is so hot. That's true. And then the slide tower also has additional drainage tubes, so like the 3 ft. Plastic drainage tube, they are set up as slides and you can slide down that on the burlap sack as well. They have a massive corn maze and sell pumpkins, and that's their big money maker. But yeah, they're all year round. They also do the same thing with like sunflowers and you can pick them or tulips and you pick them. Um, our kids' favorite thing is in the summertime because they have blow up. Water slides. And they have like a splash station where there's the water that comes from the ground. They just had the best time. They bring their swimsuits, go on the splash pad, they go down the water slides, and then they'll run off and do all the farm activities and then come back when they're hot again. It is one of their favorite ways to spend summer. Indeed, and there's, I guess like a big bounce platform as well. That -- is not something to do in the summer because that gets -- extremely hot. Oh yes, you get burned on that too. It's like a big rubber inflatable thing, I guess. Well yeah, it's just basically a huge bounce house with no walls or roof. Yeah, when you have to be careful because you can also fall off the edge. They do have plenty of warning and color-coded, but if you're not paying attention, you're just gonna fall off that thing. Indeed, and then next to that they have like a barn that has a Sort of funhouse tube that rotates so the kids can go inside and rotate the tube, which is probably like 8 ft tall and it's like a hamster wheel, yes, and ride in that. And then they have the like shadow things that where you can push the pins. Oh yeah, that was new this year. That thing was so cool. Yes, so basically you can reset all the pins and then press your body or face or hands and arms in different formations and then that will appear on the other side. So it's like those things where You find in the clearance bin that you can buy that are just hand size, but this is a full body experience for that particular shadow pin board type thing. Yeah, that was really fun. And then they have a bubble station with like huge bubble maker things that use the ropes that form the bubbles that are many feet long. They also have like a tricycle. Racecourse, all different size tricycles for adults and for little kids. And they have ramps you can go up and down and of course you can race and that ends up being one of our kids' favorite always. They love that tricycle course. That's true. And then one of the things that we did that does cost extra money in our last trip here was the mining. So you can buy the Pre-packaged bag of dirt and gems and then use their slush box with the panning trays to search for gems and other rocks. I think even some fossils were available and everything like that. So we do not do that every time because it is a bit expensive, but we did that our last visit and all the kids seem to enjoy it quite immensely. Yeah, I was super surprised. So I bought our season passes last year. On like a Black Friday sale, and it came with like a coupon book, right? Like a free sunflower, a free pumpkin, and one was a free small mining bag, and we hadn't used it. I obviously go with the kids a lot more often cause you're at work. And occasionally you come. For a while or take the day off or whatnot. So one of the last times we went, you came with us and I was like, oh, we have this mining thing, the kids have been wanting to do it, but I haven't done it yet. And true to your fashion and your generosity, you bought each kid their own, because I would have made them all share that free bag. But you were very generous and let each one have their own, and I was shocked at how into it they were. I thought it was pretty hokey and didn't have high expectations, but the kids loved the gems so that they mined. And they have researched them. They got shadow boxes to hang up their favorite ones, and we still have them, and they are really into rock collecting now. That's true. So I think that is the majority of the activities. There's also like a food court style thing where you can get food and drink and things like that. And they have a petting zoo. Yes, we haven't even gotten to the animals. That was just all the eclectic collection of different activities which reflecting on it, it really is a lot of different stuff that is very eclectic, but it's very enjoyable. They also have a hay bale. Pulled by a tractor, and you go through all their fields of their actual lick farm, and it's like this audio recording that plays, and it has all these very hokey, very dad type jokes along the way that one of our kids in particular laughs every time. It does not matter how often they've heard those jokes, it's hilarious to them. And it's often when we are tired. And hungry, we sit on it and have our lunch and take like a 20 minute tour of the of their farm. And get to hear their jokes and then we get back off and play again. Yeah, so that's all kind of the unique, very individual type. For them and then there goes to the typical animal stuff, right? So they have vending machines where you can buy animal food to feed the goats. I think there's a lot of goats. There's a lot of goats. So, but they also have and pigs. Yes, there's llamas, sheep. My favorite thing is the bird aviary thing where you can buy a popsicle stick that has. Bird food attached to it and then you go in the aviary and then the birds. Which I guess are typically like songbirds or whatever will come land on the popsicle stick and eat the food. Yeah, and then they also have a butterfly one. They have a pony ride you can do that just the ponies walk around in a circle. We have Bunnies and tortoises you can feed lettuce too. And then they're working on opening a reptile house, I believe. Was that still closed when we were there or was that open? It, it has been open. We've gone a little bit, um, yeah, they have a sloth and they have, yeah, your basic reptiles like for a small reptile exhibit that's fun to look at for a couple minutes. Indeed, So A very eclectic collection of different things. I guess I've not really reflected on how eclectic it is, but it is very eclectic. -- So would you go there again or -- oh yeah, well, we go often and um we bring people with us all the time and it's one of those things that it definitely, I know the friends that would want to go versus wouldn't like our brother came, my brother came with his family. And I was like, you gotta do this, it's so much fun. And they had, I think, a really great time. Um, and, you know, there's other people that I wouldn't necessarily bring, cause it is all dirt, like you are. Even if you're not doing a lot of this stuff, you're dirty afterwards, cause it's all dirt and rocks and walking around in a farm, and so it's not like a leisurely stroll. It's very bumpy and, but like if you're risk averse, it's not a place for you might enjoy, but if you like the really old school farm hand. What they did, I picture in, you know, the 18, 1900s. Farm life. I think it's really fun. And so yes, I would go again. I have gone many times and brought many people with me. That's true. I would guess, yeah, I would go again. And I'm trying to remember if any of our kids have ever been seriously injured or even injured at all here. No, um, maybe like a little bit of rug burn from the heat of the slides or something like that. I think one of them did fly off the bounce platform at one point, but they landed and we're fine, right? Yeah, so no major injuries, maybe just kind of like, uh, ow, that hurt kind of thing. But you can get that from any park or any. Well, maybe the quote unquote risky equipment. Actually makes them more self-aware and careful and then therefore they don't get hurt because I'm thinking back to times that our kids have broken bones or gotten cut on different things that these were in very safe, quote unquote places with like a very Structured water park or water play area or just a. Parking lot with a drainage gate that those places are quote unquote, safe, and that's actually where they've had their worst injuries. Right, yeah, I think there probably is a false sense of security in the little like bubble worlds. It's well-meaning, right? Like we want to protect, especially the children, but ourselves too, but we want to protect our kids and give them the best. So we like kind of bubble wrap them and protect them. But then they don't learn self-awareness, they don't learn uh where their body is in relation to Other things. So, or you just take it for granted, like, oh, this is, we had a kid today fall down our steps, he's OK. But his hand is, you know, hurt. It's bruised, but I don't think it's broken or anything. He can move it fine. But he did get a bruise, and he, he was like, you know, but like, you don't think about it, right? Those are things like the steps are safe. You do them all the time, and then he tripped on a step and fell. So I think when you're put in those positions where you have to be aware, because there is a gap in the walkway, or you have to climb over something to get there, you have to be aware versus just kind of autopilot, assuming it's the safe, same thing as always. Yes, that's true. So. Perhaps the dangerous, risky farm is a good place to visit, where you can be able to leave the bubble wrapped world and enjoy some things in the dirt. Yeah, I think it's a really good time. All right, so, like we said, this is most likely, I think our final episode in our little miniseries on things that we've done in the past year or so. And if you are curious on anything else that we've done, do let us know in a comment or email or text message, and we will talk about words and other topics in the future. That's good, and we will try not to be. Susquepedalianpedalian or we will try to be that. Has anyone ever tried to be though? Yeah, I think so. You want to be long-winded. If you're like filibustering. But we're not filibustering people, we appreciate them and value their time. That's true. From your friends at I hate talking and until next time, remember, it is only through talking that we begin the journey to understanding.