Out of your element? The real answers to the Regional IQ questions

There are some things that are unique to a given part of the country. Because I've been able to travel a lot I know a few of these. See what answers YOU know to these ten questions. Will post answers tomorrow.

1. T or F Yum yum nothing like an olive eaten fresh from the tree.

False. Fresh off the tree they are very bitter; must be processed first to be edible. It is a trick people sometimes play to urge you to eat a fresh one.
2. T or F The Golden Gate Bridge is red.

Red or orange. Not Golden.

3. Why are some farming field round instead of square?

The irrigation is from a center point in a line that pivots around the field - and doesn't water the corners. Thus the circles from the air.
4. How many crops can be on a citrus tree at one time?

One reader pointed out that you can have multiple kinds of citrus on one tree through grafted. Let's assume only one type of citrus. Our grapefruit tree in the back yard has a few shriveling fruits from last season that we couldn't reach, the fresh fruit that we are eating now and will continue to pick as needed through early fall, and the small new fruits coming on for next year's harvest - three at once. You will almost always see new fruit setting on before the current crop is picked so two is also an acceptible answer.

5. Sometimes on a country road you will come to a wide grate the full width of the road right to the fences, and 4 to 6 feet deep. What are these called. (Hint: NOT snake fences.)

The grate (see right) is called a cattle guard. On open range where the cattle are not fenced into small spaces you want to contain them and they won't usually cross this scary spot.

6. If you are in St. Louis, MO what is a soda? If you are in Manchester, NH, what is a soda?

When I grew up near St. Louis a soft drink was a soda.  When I asked for a soda in Manchester, I got it with ice cream in it. The locals informed me that if I wanted a diet Pepsi I needed to ask for a tonic.
7. What is that man-purse worn with a kilt called?

Sporran
8. How do you pronounce Arkansas, as in the Arkansas River?

Ar KAN ses, not AR kan saw.
9. How do you pronounce the capital of South Dakota?

Pierre is pronounced Peer
10. What is a buggy if you are in Atlanta?

A shopping cart.

Sometimes when a book is being edited I realize something is regional that I take for granted. When I say someone tucked into a meal, it gets changed every time. It means eats hungrily - but evidently is not a phrase that very many people use. Tell me if you have ever heard it before.