Barefoot in manure

WHY!?!?!?.

@scratcho Having walked barefoot on a farm since childhood, I don't mind it at all. I've even come to like the feeling of manure underfoot - it's warm, squishy, and softer than mud!

That's a trick used by herding boys in the old days. They were barefoot always and everywhere, regardless the weather conditions. Either their parents were too poor to buy shoes for them, or they thought it was unnecessary because it's much better for children to grow up without any shoes and to be hardened by walking barefoot constantly.
On cold autumn days, when they were out in the pasture with cows and the grass was already frozen, they put their bare feet in cow dung to warm them.
I grew up in a village and tried it. It's a good feeling.

@Barefoooter Yes! I sure wish I was one of those boys. I only ever got to do this a few times as a kid. Though if I was a cow herder, I wouldn't only just be stepping in fresh cow pats because of their warmth, but because it is also such good fun!

@Barefoot Scout We think quite similar about that. When I was a boy, I wished that my parents are too poor or not willing to by shoes for me, so that I have to be barefoot without any exception. An yes, it is a good feeling to step in fresh cow pats.

This makes for good and interesting reading.