The Farm

Yep! 100 acres of farm, not just any old farm, but a farm designed for a kid who loves to be outside. It had about 14 acres of woods that went on across the fence for what seemed like forever. Through the woods meandered a dandy creek that had small ponds of various sizes all along its banks. Cattail swamps were scattered here and there. Also, there was a large barn, a granary, chicken coop, pig pen, corn crib and a dilapidated old machine shed that, wonder of wonders, held a beautiful cutter. A cutter is a sleigh designed to be pulled by a single horse.

In the sleigh was a dusty, old, worn-out robe of an animal hide that later proved to be buffalo. The barn had 2 rows of stations for milking cows, a big box stall and four stalls for work horses. Of immediate interest was the fact that the lower floor was full of sparrows. By shutting the doors and windows you could close off all escape and then swat the birds with brooms. Grandpa’s dad informed him that each sparrow cost the farmers a bushel of grain per year so we had constant warfare with sparrows and starlings.

The previous owner hadn’t cleaned out the manure and a cow could stand on it and just clear the ceiling. There was a wheelbarrow and a plank that extended from the outside door to the top of the manure pile. Great-Grandpa was still doing carpenter work so the 2 brothers got busy forking out the mess, putting it in the wheelbarrow and dumping it over the back side of the manure pile. This went on undetected by Grandpa’s dad until it was all done. One night after supper Grandpa’s parents were talking about getting some milk cows. Great-Grandpa didn’t want to face the terrible job of cleaning out the barn to make room for the cows. The boys told him to come out to the barn so they could show him something. You can imagine his amazement to find it all cleaned out!

Grandpa’s dad was slowly buying the needed machinery to farm. He bought a “General” tractor, disk, drag, sulky mowing machine, etc. The neighbors had Belgium horses which were much more interesting to Grandpa than a tractor. His days were spent exploring the fields and woods. What a beautiful place. The creek and ponds were full of turtles and frogs, squirrels in the woods, and raccoon tracks in the mud. What more could a kid want?

So began a whole new phase in the life of my Grandpa. He had a lot of things to learn about: Such as skunks, trapping, country kids, getting shot at when walking 1 1/10th of a mile to school, and one room country schools with 1 teacher, troublesome girls, etc.

The Old Dutchman

Big changes were soon to come. One night at the supper table Grandpa’s Dad and Mom made the announcement that they were moving to a farm. Great-grandpa knew a man who owned a 100-acre farm. He was in need of someone to work and rent it from him. The fact that farmers were exempt from the draft probable had something to do with it also. So at the approximate age of 9 he went from a small city lot to 100 acres of land. Left behind were all the memories of youth. No more Cowboys & Indians, no more destruction of imaginary Japanese and Germans. Gone was the hotheaded old Dutchman neighbor who used to create some excitement.

Like the time he bought a radio and announced to one and all that he could hear all the way to Chicago. No one believed him of course because he had the first radio in the area. So he invited all the neighbors to show them what his radio could do. While all stood around in rapt attention he plugged it in and soon all the lights started glowing. This included a big green cat’s eye that changed, as you got closer to a station. There were loads of screeching sounds and a lot of static. For a couple of seconds there was far-off music mixed with static. The Old Dutch man was getting madder and madder. He finally leaped up from his chair, grabbed the offending radio and heaved it out the big window, smashing all the glass into the grass outside. This was the talk of the neighborhood for some time.

This same fellow had a garage that was cut into the bank on which was a cement top with an iron rail. You could walk from the grass right onto the garage roof. This fellow was a hard worker and made a little extra money in his day (outside of raising 9 kids). He had a big black car that had all the latest innovations on it. Grandpa’s dad had a Model T and later a Model A. These had a crank in front to turn over and start the motor. Now this big black car had an electric starter on it, which was the cause of much pride. On this particular day Grandpa was standing on the cement garage roof watching the Dutchman down below. His car had long running boards that sloped right up and became the fenders. On each of the front fenders was mounted a big chrome headlight shaped like a big bullet on a stem.

Anyways the Dutchman got in his car and stepped on the starter. The engine turned over a few times but wouldn’t start. Finally, the battery was dead. By this time the Ole Boy was really getting wound up. Now he lifted the hood and stood looking inside. Then he messed with a few things, got back in the car, but no battery power. So he set the gun and whatever and went out with the crank in his big hands. He turned the motor over and it started. Rushing back to the door he leaped inside only in time to have the car stop. So out again. He put in the crank and kicked it over. Again it started; again it stopped just as he was getting in. By this time he was turning blue and Grandpa was learning a whole new vocabulary. Now things were really getting interesting.

In a fit of terrible anger the Ole Boy grabbed a sledge hammer and with a mighty swing and crash, sent one of the headlights sailing off its stem and down into the road going tink tink tink. Then with another roar he changed the other headlight with a Dutch curse and a swing sent I tinking after the first one. By this time he was in a mighty rage and proceeded to pound with the sledge upon the hood of the car. Who knows how far this could have gone if his patient little wife didn’t step out and say in her accent, “Vell Jacob Vwat to tink yore doing dis time?”

So now its 100-acres of freedom, cats, cows, dogs and all that good stuff.

The Canoe and the Clubhouse

On looking back over the years, one event each summer still holds wonderful memories. Grandpa’s dad would rent a cottage on Wall Lake for 1 or 2 weeks. What fun! A fishing pole and a piece of bread could catch hundreds of bluegills and sunfish right off the dock. Of course they were small and had to be tossed back but still it was a lot of fun.

It was at this lake that he first saw a beautiful, streamlined boat with the ends turned up. Great-grandpa said it was a canoe and acted like it was as deadly as a rattlesnake. You get in one, go out in the water and tip over and drown. Looking around he noticed quite a few of those “canoes”. In the evening people would be out in them fishing or just paddling around. He watched anxiously for them to turn over and drown everyone, but it never happened. So the day came when a cousin came over. As soon as all the older folks had arrived they got into boats and left for a resort on the other side of the lake. The 2 boys put the dreaded canoe in the water and climbed in. How nice it responded to a stroke of the paddle. Soon they were cruising around the lake. Everything went fine until they met up with dad and mom on the far side. They looked at the boys in shock and horror. We were told in no uncertain terms to go back home before we tipped over. We got told again of the canoes propensity to turn over and drown all on board. This must be what makes them so popular!

On returning home, another problem had developed. There was a big Box-elder tree that grew on the edge of our lot. It bowed over across the fence and a large part of it was over the neighbors land. In the top of this tree was a tree house. It had been built by a bunch of kids that had over the years caused my grandpa and his brother a lot of trouble. On the outside the large letters were notices that those two could not be members of the “club”. The regular members jeered and taunted them. This went on for about 4 days. Finally they came up with a plan.

The younger brother went to work with an axe. Due to the great leaning of the tree it wasn’t long before there were snapping noises. The “club” at this point was offering free memberships, but it was too late. The screams brought out the parents just in time to see the whole tree and “club” came crashing down. It came down sort of slow and no one got hurt. Grandpa’s dad didn’t take to hot to this “affirmative action”, but he said that he was sick of all the box-elder beetles and was going to remove the tree anyway. It also taught the nasty kids not to mess with the 2 brothers.

Meanwhile the war raged on. Pearl Harbor and the resulting war was to make dramatic changes in their life style.