I fell in love with this song the first time I heard it. My children attended a high school in rural southwestern Ohio and I heard it there as part of the spring band/choir concert. The choir director had the choir sing it two or three times while he was there. I always thought that he was trying to send a message to some of the parents who were farmers. Some of the kids were from large extended families who, over the generations, came to own very large farms and probably expected their kids to follow in their footsteps. The mention of pasture and plow takes on a poignant meaning when seen in that light. But then again, maybe he just liked it.