Dairy Farming with a City Girl
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- FAMILY BACKGROUND
- Don born in Kingston Township. Father English, mother German. Born 1918. Youngest of 3.
- FARMING METHODS
- Average livestock farm of 80 acres, farm crops and farm animals. Like most at that time farm was diversified. "We lived very well on farm." Farm machinery about 1925. Followed his father driving horse-drawn plow.
- TRANSPORTATION
- First car 1916 Dodge. Had a truck later to haul milk. When roads bad used sled or horse-drawn wagon. Had about 4 horses.
- FARM WORK
- Typical day for Don's father in the 1920's. Got up early (5am) milked cows (mother helped with milking), then breakfast, then to the fields. Mother never worked in fields. Traded labor with neighbors, the "threshing gang". Mother cooked for threshing gang. Took an hour off for lunch because horses needed to rest. Father would come in from fields about 4pm, have supper, then milk cows.
- CHILDHOOD WORK
- Typical day for Don as a boy.
- CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
- Walked to school. Carried lunch to school. School hours 9-3. After school helped with chores.
- FOOD & MEALS
- Farm breakfast consisted of fried potatoes, eggs, bacon or side-pork, milk, toast or bread, butter.
- APPLICANCES
- Ate canned pork, etc. Mother did canning.
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- FAMILY BACKGROUND
- Don born in Kingston Township. Father English, mother German. He is a true American. Half German half English a "True American".
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- LAND
- Average livestock farm of 80 acres, farm crops and farm animals. A big farm was about 160 acres. Like most at that time farm was diversified. All grain fed to livestock. "We lived very well off of it." Describes his farm, an 80 acre livestock farm, including dairy, livestock plus grain.
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- BUTCHERY
- Hog butchery done in winter because of lack of refrigeration. They butchered hogs in cold weather, winter was the "refrigeration."
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- FARM EQUIPMENT
- Don & dog followed father plowing in field. Single 14 inch riding plow pulled by 3 horses.
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- TRANSPORTATION
- Truck used to haul milk to Bowman (sp.?) milk plant when roads were good. In winter sleds sometimes used or when roads bad a horse-drawn wagon. Discusses purchasing their first car, and trucks, etc. Hauled their milk to the market by truck.
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- FARM WORK
- Typical day for Don's father in the 1920's. Got up early (5am) milked cows (mother helped with milking), then breakfast, then to the fields. Mother never worked in fields. Traded labor with neighbors, the "threshing gang". Mother cooked for threshing gang. Took an hour off for lunch because horses needed to rest. Father would come in from fields about 4pm, have supper, then milk cows.
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- FOOD & MEALS
- Farm breakfast consisted of fried potatoes, eggs, bacon or side-pork, milk, toast or bread, butter.
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- CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
- Drove a car to high school. Sometimes had to leave the car part way due to gravel roads. Sometimes stayed at friends when snow was bad, etc. Did have telephone. High School graduation in 1935.
- LAND ACQUISITION
- Started out helping dad farm. Discusses father buying land for his brother & helping brother farm as well. Started own farm and married at 21 in 1933
- FAMILY
- Wife was a city girl & did not milk cows. Got married the day he stared the farm.
- FARMHOUSE
- Home burned down, but farm buildings okay. Neighbors helped out.
- FARM EQUIPMENT
- Much equipment bought at auctions & picked equipment a little at a time.
- LIVESTOCK
- Discussion of prices of corn & hog production. Took a chance and made some money raising Hogs. Waited to start raising hogs until May when grass was up so he did not have to buy as much feed.
- FARMHOUSE
- Rebuilt farmhouse in winter. Father paid for new house.
- FARM EQUIPMENT
- Loading silo was hard work. Eventually got a corn picker. Corn that was not used as livestock feed was picked by hand.
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- FARM WORK
- All farms had livestock when he started farming. Started out with 9 cows. Wife was a city girl & did not milk cows. Got married the day he started the farm because (he jokes) he did not want to have to cook.