wow, nice neighbor!! i think a nice warm apple cobbler fresh out of the oven would be appreciated. if he's a farmer, he's too busy to cook and if he has a wife, she'd probably love the gesture.

if you can find out what hobbies, if any, he has, a magazine subscription would be great.

something else you could get would be a couple of pounds of some sort of yummy gormet coffee. nothing foofoo, just something they might not normally buy for themselves.

sweet idea too. if you show your appreciation with something tangible, he's very likely to remember your ditches next time he's out. ;)

Dinner. A casserole of some sort, salad and dessert. Heck, just think of the price of the gasoline alone.
Nice guy.

A gift card to a local gas station? We have 4 trucks and 4 tractors, boy is the price of fuel starting to really hurt!- Ellen

I'd also suggest some sort of food dish. What's your specialty?
He may have on farm gas and diesel, so I don't know if I'd go w/ a gift cert. to a gas station. Just my take. I know we have off road diesel and gas delivered to the farm. I don't think either my grandparents or my father has ever been to a gas station!
Apples are probably coming on in your area... apple pie, apple cobbler... or peaches! I love anything w/ peaches. A good peach cobbler can't be beat!
Erin

The food item is a really good idea: we allowed a neighbor to do some trapping on our farm a few years ago. Doesn't he pop in one day with homemade rolls, cookies, bread and cakes his wife made??!!?? We were overwhelmed and have since gotten to really know those two. AFter having a lot of rude, thoughtless neighbors for the past 20 yrs, these two are really refreshing! - Ellen

Geekdean, you must be related to me. I left a bouquet of flowers on my neighbours gate because SHE took the time to e'mail me and "thank me" for always weed-wacking all the unattended boulivards on our dead end street and saying how nice the area looked. When there was road work being done on the highway, they dumped quite a few hugh dump truck loads of diggings on our empty lot. I know it helped them not having to haul it away. One of our local restaurants had Chinese Smorgasbord on Sundays so I gave a "gift certificate" to each of the truck drivers to take their wife out for dinner. I did the same for the young lad who put the siding on our house and garage, he got paid --but-- he did a fantastic job and ALL alone. There are lots of GOOD neighbours but it take ONE to spoil it.

Definitely homemade food. Even if the farmer's wife is the State Champion Good Cook, farming is long hard work and this time of year is usually extremely busy, trying to finish everything that needs attention before fall sets in. Apple pie, peach pie, blueberry pie.....all sound like a hit to me!

My uncle always plows our 1 mile long drive way in the winter. He blades the road in the summer.. helps with electrical, plumbing, mechanic problems..whatever.
They'll not accept money from us. We replay them with, gift certificates for the local restaurant, Home Depot certificates... a $20.00 in a homemade thank you card. My aunt is a quilter, she gets few "fat quarters"..a nice candle..a pound or two of coffee...My sister and I have a soapmaking business, we supply her with all the soap she can use..also all the eggs.
One neighbor traps on us in the winter... He came by with a hide last spring. A man and his son come from out of state each year during turkey season, they bring armloads of cheese (we love it!!). Another father/son hunting team help in the summer with chores.

Well thanks one and all for the suggestions. I guess it's going to be cheesecake and then some apple butter come fall.

Dean

Nothing says "Thank you" better than a homemade cheesecake! Could you move in next to me by chance?

I suggest make a painting. You send a picture of what you want painted to the site I added, and they deliver your painting.

First think about what a farmer loves and give that as a painting.

Karl

Here is a link that might be useful: Painting

In my understanding of farm "etiquette" around here, I would definitely go for the homemade food. Be careful not to get into a position where it feels like "payment for service", or over-respond in kind. This is a long term relationship and food and/or coffee and cookies is a good start. Official "gifts" are more awkward and may cause an uncomfortable feeling. Look for oportunities to help out--if you are going to town, offer to pick up something; if you see him out mending a fence, offer to help out. Establish a feeling of good will. Some more personal type gifts will seem more comfortable after the "getting to know you stage."