I once knew the man who farmed this land He worked himself to an early grave He grew what he could and He saved all he could save And now he's back to the earth Where he came from He married a girl named Katie They met in church on a Sunday They went their own way And they raised four kids And they tried to live As their parents did Oh what can be said Of a man and his wife When it takes all they've got Just to keep themselves alive I once knew the man Who farmed this land Well the first child was born In the winter time But he was small and weak So soon the baby died But they were strong So they went on And with the help of each other They raised four strong Now the farm which I speak of Now is all gone It's all been sold to a millionaire's son For a golf course and a business park Nothing to be grown Old Burl he would cry If he could see his farm gone Oh what can be said Of a man and his wife When it takes all they've got Just to keep themselves alive I once knew the man Who farmed this land I once knew the man Who farmed this land