nickles Posted June 6, 2006 Report Share Posted June 6, 2006 If you ever longed for a simpler life...you might enjoy this galleryhttp://www.pbase.com/peterfree/lies__martin_vrankenken Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lin Evans Posted June 7, 2006 Report Share Posted June 7, 2006 If you ever longed for a simpler life...you might enjoy this galleryhttp://www.pbase.com/peterfree/lies__martin_vrankenken Hi Ken,Priceless! This reminds me of when I was a youngster in the late 40's - an old Dutch farm couple lived next door to my grandparents in Williston, North Dakota. My grandfather had a large wheat farm and a cattle ranch and used lots of the latest "gadgets" such as a tractor and various farm implements but we still milked by hand - always accompanied by the pair of "barn cats" who loved to get a squirt or two and hung around just in case bossie kicked over the bucket of milk, which happened too frequently when I was milking - Ha!The old Dutch couple living on the small farm down the road still farmed the "old ways" - cut their sheaves with a scythe, stacked them to dry like the old couple in the series, beat them with sticks to knock off the grain, etc.. They had a few chickens and ducks, a sow and a couple milking cows and the old man was very nice to me. He taught me to milk with "both" hands, how to pop the udder a few times to get the Jersey/Guernsey to give up some milk - LOL. It was a simpler time and I'll always cherish the memories. Thanks for a trip back through time.....Best regards,Lin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nickles Posted June 7, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 7, 2006 Thanks for a trip back through time.....Best regards,LinHello Lin,I loved your story...and your last statement above sums it up...so I must now relate mine and what the images reminded me of....In my highschool years in the very rurals of eastern Oklahoma, I made a little spending money in the hot summers by hauling hay and usually stacking it in the dark lofts of musty old rickety barns. I'll always remember one farm, in particular, that was several miles outside of the old abandoned coal mining town of Tahona, Oklahoma.The farm was owned by an elderly couple that I would guess were in their mid to late 80s. We were hauling a type of feed hay called millet, that had a very fine and bushy cat-tailish end whose fine seeds liked to float in the air and drift down your throat to snag because of there barb like ends....much like the seeds of dandelions that float in the fields. Not fun in a hot barn loft where you're gasping for air.The farm had no electricity and I didn't even see a a propane tank. A large water well set in front of the front porch with the accustomed draw rope with the attached well bucket sitting on top. The outhouse was way out back with a well worn trail leading to it from the back porch. There was a very old and dented up Ford pickup sitting near the house and I saw no tractors nor other farm machinery other than an old stone grinding wheel for grinding grains. There were a couple of mules and a couple of Guernsey dairy cows grazing in the nearby meadow. Close by the barn was a very well tended vegetable garden and an old singlepoint plow with wooden handles. Chickens roamed around everywhere with some entering and leaving the old wooden hen house. I also noticed three hogs in the pig pen.I tend to get long-winded but hope your getting the picture Lin...but I'm not through yet.Around lunch time the old woman came walking into the barn holding a heavy wooden tray covered with food...on it was a metal pitcher filled with moderately cool fresh milk, a piping hot loaf of fresh whole grain bread, two Mason jars filled with sweet home made preserves, and a very large mound of freshly churned butter. She says to us "I figured you boys was getting hungry"...and hungry we was...As I visited with her she told me that she had been born a few miles away. Shortly after her husband and brothers had built the place they got married and they had lived there right-on 60 years. They tried to get to town every 3 or 4 months.Now that's my memory from the images...I thought at first "wow" there still alive. What struck me most about that couple was how happy, friendly and pleasant they were to be around...and I will never forget them. I think they could probably teach us all a lesson.Sincerely,Ken Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LumenLux Posted June 7, 2006 Report Share Posted June 7, 2006 I enjoyed the photos also. Both your stories enrich the photos. Thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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