SEGMENT: FAMILY BACKGROUND, CROPS, & FARM WORK
Judy Stark>NIU Collection>NIU Collection, Segment 19
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- FAMILY FARM
- Came to live on farm with Ron in 1974. Farm in Cloverdale was sold and parents and grandparents bought the farm where they live now. When in-laws passed the farm was left to husband and sisters. His aunt and uncle bought the house next door on the farm. The Stark farm is located on Malta Road 7 miles west of DeKalb, 2 miles north of Malta. 180 acres on Stark farm. Own 3 farms. Their oldest son is buying the last one with them. 6 generations of Starks on farm. Describes where old farm in Cloverdale was on Army Trail Road. Town name has changed to Bloomingdale. They do not rent any of their farm land. Interviewer comments on the décor of her house. Buildings on their farm; barn, corn crib, machine shed, stone block building for machinery. Previous owners used stone block barn for hogs but they keep their hogs in their barn.
- LIVESTOCK
- They raise feeder pigs which they buy at 40 pounds. No farrowing. Have bought them from neighbors and now in Wisconsin. Got them for extra money and to help son earn extra money. Used to have 5 or 6 cattle to eat for themselves and family members. Cattle were mixed breeds.
- CROPS
- Mold, mainly corn but some beans. Corn and beans not yielding as much as years past. The beans are not good this year because too much rain and they get mold at time of ripening. Describes levelness of their different farms. Farm on Queen Road is more hilly.
- FARM WORK
- Judy has an outside job. Does not do field work. Their children do most of the work now that their older. Used to work at dryer when men had to leave farm to watch dryer. Discusses preparing lunches for her family when they work in the fields. Usually eat in the truck or on the combine. Never have hot meals in fields, just sandwiches. Recalls story her husband's grandmother would tell about fixing large meals at noon for all the hired hands during harvest time. They would eat something lighter at night, called "lunch." Discussing the dryer and keeping watch for overflow or fires. Notes fear of machinery and accidents.
