The Far Side has depicted unique and truly singular versions of different occupations and ways of life throughout the history of Gary Larson's beloved comic strip. Farming has especially been a huge part of The Far Side, which shows the bizarre things that can occur on a farm. Likewise, The Far Side shows some interesting aspects of farming that actually make farming out to be the most dangerous job in the world.

From homicidal cows to baby-stealing chickens, farming gets a most unnerving makeover in The Far Side, where farmers meet peril at every turn. While barnyard animals may seem like well-mannered and kind animals, The Far Side offers up a different version of events.

10 "That Cowhawk's Back"

June 16th, 1988

Hawks can be incredibly dangerous and ferocious predators, both in the world and in The Far Side. However, the hawks of The Far Side must be doing some intense strength training, because they lift animals that are unfathomably heavy to the hawks of the real world. In The Far Side, a farmer is very upset at the sight of the dreaded cowhawk coming back to his farm and, worse yet, taking one of his cows.

Being as heavy as they are, cows are not typically in danger of being stolen by predators, especially birds of prey. In contrast, the cowhawk is an obvious exception, as this strip evidences. While farmers know that they must protect their animals from nearby predators, protecting their cows from the cowhawk is an occupational hazard that the farmer must contend with in the world of The Far Side.

9 "Baby or Egg"

January 2nd, 1982

As a farmer, innocently enough, takes the chicken's eggs into her house, the chicken goes a step further, taking a baby from the house and bringing it back to their chicken coop. That is a tit-for-tat that veers on the extreme. The chicken has apparently had it with the eggs of their flock being stolen, deciding to get even and take for themselves a human baby for the flock to have for breakfast.

As shocking a sight as it is to see her baby being taken away by a chicken, the woman from this Far Side strip does not seem all that worried. She must still be in shock. Regardless, the woman may be a bit more fearful from now on every time she has to collect eggs from the hens.

8 "They're Back"

April 19th, 1984

Keeping the crops free from pests and animal damage is one integral and stressful part of being a farmer, which is already a demanding profession. Making matters worse, a whole rabbit infestation at a farm can mean some serious damage to the crops that the farmer needs to produce. As a farmer in The Far Side strolls through his farm, he sees that the rabbits, who he once vanquished from his grounds, are back.

He knows the rabbits are back thanks to their tiny little hat rack that they have placed conveniently by their rabbit hole, with some nice crops right by the entrance. Usually thought of as cute and cuddly animals, rabbits are instead considered a major pain for farmers everywhere, being one of the many perils of farming both in The Far Side and in reality.

7 "Farmer Brown Froze in His Tracks"

1986

Cows are reliably sweet-natured creatures, being farm animals that are usually a pleasure to handle; the key word being usually, but not always. It turns out that cows can be pretty mischievous animals if not downright diabolical, as this Far Side strip illustrates. Two cows plot to kill the farmer and use him for meat, separating his parts into cuts like spare ribs and shoulder chops.

Unsurprisingly, things get a little tense between the cows and Farmer Brown...

Farmer Brown sees this, catching the cows in the act. Unsurprisingly, things get a little tense between the cows and Farmer Brown, which tends to happen when you know that someone (or some animal) is planning on killing you. While farming tools may seem like the most perilous threat to farmers, it is revealed that it is actually the cows that pose the most danger.

6 "Tomorrow He Dies"

December 30th, 1981

After the farmer has taken their eggs, the hens decide then and there that the farmer dies tomorrow. The Far Side often points out how hens having their eggs taken is an atrocity for them, being something that they must avenge rather than just a part of their day-to-day routine. The farmer may have no idea, but he had better watch his back, or else he is going to have his cause of death be "homicidal chicken."

Never really a threatening animal, chickens do not typically inspire fear in people and especially not in their farmers. However, these hens have been pushed to their absolute limit, ready to get violent on their unassuming farmer. If the farmer wants to live, he should probably consider switching to a vegan farm instead.

5 "We Thank Thee"

March 18th, 1992

A part of being a farmer with animals is usually having to use these animals for meat, which requires, of course, their death. Some chickens get their very lucky day in The Far Side. When a tree falls down on their farmer's head, the chickens' prayers are met, and they escape death for another day.

Managing to avoid becoming chicken nuggets for now, these chickens get the break of a lifetime, but at the ultimate misfortune for their farmer. Handling an ax would seem like the most dangerous part of the farmer's day in The Far Side, but it turns out to be the nearby tree. A cause of grief for humans is a cause for celebration for chickens, who remain eternally grateful to that tree and its opportune timing.

4 "When Careers and Allergies Collide"

December 23rd, 1985

Career choices can be incredibly hard. One would think that allergies would play a part in one's career choice, yet that is apparently not the case for everyone, as this Far Side strip illustrates. A sheep farmer decides to herd and farm sheep for a living despite having an allergy to the animal so bad that it makes him break out in hives and be puffy all over.

As a result, the farmer ends up taking on an appearance similar to that of his sheep. Being exposed to an allergy trigger is highly dangerous, especially if one is exposed all the time, prompting one to think that the sheep farmer may not be the brightest person. Being a farmer already comes with its dangers and hardships, but adding on an allergy to the main source of farming woes adds a whole other level to his agony.

3 "Grisly, Yet Strangely Hilarious"

January 7th, 1992

A gang of cows enacts their revenge on Farmer MacDougal by using an automatic milker. The cows hold nothing back as it is revealed that the scene the police found at Farmer MacDougal's was a grisly sight - yet still funny due to the murder weapon of choice. The violent and vengeance-laden actions of the cows make one want to enact a dairy-free lifestyle after seeing what happened to Farmer MacDougal.

In The Far Side, milking kills... literally, being an unexpected safety threat for dairy farmers of the upside-down world.

The farmer is just innocently reading the paper, completely unaware of the horror that is soon to find him thanks to the cow mob. In The Far Side, milking kills... literally, being an unexpected safety threat for dairy farmers of the upside-down world. Anyone contemplating a career as a dairy farmer in The Far Side should think again after the Farmer MacDougal case.

2 "Everyone Just Chickens Out"

Unknown Date

As a farmer rests comfortably in his own home, a flock of chickens stands outside his house, just about ready to strike and enact their revolution. Based on the chickens' pitchforks and baseball bats, it was not going to be a peaceful revolution. However, treating the farmer as their dictator, the chickens and their attempts at revolution come to naught as they all get scared and "chicken out."

The chickens chickening out seems to be a running occurrence for them as this comic strip marks yet another time that they have gotten so close to their coup only to get scared off. An unusual peril of farming, a chicken uprising could cause a lot of danger for the farmer... if the chickens ever become brave enough to actually follow through with their revolution.

1 "Lulu's Adventure"

January 15th, 1983

A cow named Lulu takes a joyride on a tractor around the farm before losing control of the huge vehicle, crashing it into the barn. Needless to say, Lulu's fun time on the tractor was put to an end. Animals are unpredictable enough, but put one on a piece of heavy machinery, and it is just asking for trouble.

At least Lulu shows remorse for her destruction of the barn. Luckily for the farmer, they were not in the barn when Lulu crashed into it. Otherwise, the farmer would definitely have been face to face with peril. Lulu may have had a blast until her driving mishap, but the tractor will surely be under lock and key from now on to avoid any more perilous tractor joyrides that could put the farmer and the farm in some serious Far Side trouble.