Old MacDonald

Alan Nafzger: Satire, FarmerCowboy.com, and “Keeping Up with Old MacDonald”

On the “Old MacDonald” Satire and FarmerCowboy.com

Debbie “Hayride” Harper: Today, we’re here with Alan Nafzger, the songwriter behind the satirical country parody “Keeping Up with Old MacDonald”, and a key figure in the creation of FarmerCowboy.com, a satirical site that brings humor to the often harsh realities of rural life. Alan, thanks for taking the time to chat with us!

Alan Nafzger: Hey, Debbie! Happy to be here. Always good to talk about satire and farming, two things that go together like a pitchfork and, well, a broken fence.

Debbie Harper: FarmerCowboy.com has made quite a splash with its mix of humor and social commentary. What led you to create a platform centered around farming satire?

Alan Nafzger: I’ve spent enough time on farms to know that humor is as necessary as a good rainstorm. You’ve got to laugh at the absurdity of things; otherwise, the daily grind would drive you crazy. FarmerCowboy.com is my way of giving farmers a platform to laugh at themselves while shining a light on the challenges they face—whether it’s corporate greed, unpredictable weather, or government policies that make zero sense to anyone who’s ever held a shovel.

Debbie Harper: So it’s humor with a purpose?

Alan Nafzger: Exactly. Satire is a tool for truth. FarmerCowboy.com isn’t just about telling jokes for the sake of jokes. It’s about giving people a way to process the struggles of rural life, wrapped in a good laugh. Farmers are tough, but they’re also the first to poke fun at the ridiculous things that happen out here.

“Keeping Up with Old MacDonald” – The Parody Song

Debbie: Let’s talk about your latest song, “Keeping Up with Old MacDonald.” It’s hilarious but also touches on some pretty serious issues. What inspired you to write it?

Alan Nafzger: Well, the whole “keeping up with the Joneses” concept is something we see a lot in suburban life. But out here, we’re not keeping up with Joneses—we’re trying to keep up with Old MacDonald! The guy had it all: cows, chickens, pigs, the whole deal. And then I started thinking, what if Old MacDonald, the symbol of the perfect farm, lost it all? What would that look like in today’s world? The song was born from that. It’s funny on the surface, but there’s a truth underneath about how many farmers are struggling to keep their farms afloat.

Debbie: The line “He had a farm till the bank took it away” really hits hard. What message are you trying to convey?

Alan Nafzger: That’s the reality for a lot of farmers today. We laugh at Old MacDonald’s misfortune in the song, but in real life, it’s not so funny when the bank comes knocking. The song’s a satire on the farm crisis, where small farms are disappearing because of debt and big business. It’s meant to be a wake-up call wrapped in a catchy tune.

The Modern Farm Crisis and Old MacDonald

Debbie: You’ve mentioned the farm crisis a few times. Can you explain what that looks like for farmers today?

Alan Nafzger: The farm crisis is this massive, ongoing struggle where small, family-owned farms can’t keep up with the rising costs of doing business. You’ve got global markets, corporate farms swallowing up land, and government regulations that make it harder to stay independent. The cost of equipment, fuel, seed—it’s all going up. Meanwhile, commodity prices are all over the place. So farmers take out loans just to stay afloat, and before they know it, they’re buried in debt. That’s when the banks step in, and suddenly Old MacDonald’s not singing about cows and chickens anymore—he’s selling his land to pay off creditors.

Debbie: So that verse in your song isn’t just a punchline—it’s a real problem.

Alan Nafzger: Exactly. There’s a dark truth behind the humor. When I wrote “He had a farm till the bank took it away,” it was funny in the sense that it flips the happy image of Old MacDonald on its head. But for so many farmers, that’s not a joke. That’s their life. They’re working hard, but they’re losing the battle.

Using Satire for Awareness – Old MacDonald

Debbie: Why do you think satire is such an effective way to address these serious issues?

Alan Nafzger: Satire lets you slip in the truth while people are laughing. It breaks down barriers and gets folks to listen who might otherwise tune out a serious discussion. You’re not going to get a crowd of people to sit through a lecture on farm debt, but you can get them to sing along to a funny song about Old MacDonald’s woes. And then maybe, just maybe, they’ll stop and think about what that song is really saying.

Debbie: Do you feel FarmerCowboy.com has helped people better understand rural life and the issues farmers face?

Alan Nafzger: I’d like to think so. We’ve had a lot of feedback from people—both farmers and folks who’ve never set foot on a farm—saying that FarmerCowboy.com gave them a fresh perspective. It helps farmers feel seen and heard, and it shows others what’s really going on in rural America. And if we can do that with a laugh, all the better.

The Future of FarmerCowboy.com and Satire

Debbie: What’s next for FarmerCowboy.com? Any new projects coming up?

Alan Nafzger: Oh, there’s always something cooking. We’re working on more parody songs, of course. But we’re also thinking about expanding into podcasts where we’ll talk to real farmers about their lives, but in that same humorous, satirical tone. We’re all about finding new ways to mix truth and humor—because there’s always more to laugh about, and always more to say.

Debbie: One last question: What do you hope people take away from “Keeping Up with Old MacDonald”?

Alan Nafzger: I hope they laugh, first and foremost. But I also hope it makes them think about what’s happening in the world of farming. If a catchy parody can get people to pay attention to the struggles farmers are facing, then I’ve done my job. And if they’re humming “E-I-E-I-O” as they do it? Even better!

Debbie: Alan, this has been a pleasure. Thanks for giving us a dose of humor with a side of reality.

Alan Nafzger: Anytime, Debbie! Auf Wiedersehen!