A Memory
There was once a young couple a long time ago who etched out a living through the sweat of their own two hands trying to survive living off of the land. These two people had both seen the depression at its worst. The depression was rough enough to make most folks curse but they kept on without looking for fault for they knew they must keep trying no matter what the result.
Now it was from my great aunt Grace, you see, who brought forth this story and told it to me of how she and my great uncle, Henry, labored for many hours each day working in that dusty hay. They did this so they could provide a sustainable source of food for the animals, one of which being the horse. This horse offered a great deal of help to them for he would pull the hay into the barn as well as many other tasks on the farm. It was this act of using the horse to pull that she remembered best for she did it more than the rest. This hay would start out lying on the ground until the horse and the rake came around and there it caught in the teeth of the rake. As this action of moving hay would take place, the men would fork the hay from the pile left by the rake up into the loft. The hay was ready for the year and this filled their hearts with cheer.
Now this work was rough and it was anything but fun but it was necessary in order to get the job done. Getting the job done meant securing this hay which fed the sheep and cattle along the way. Winters were rough on this Maysville farm but somehow they were able to make it through without harm. All thanks to this hay that was stacked in the barn.
As time went on and the age of mechanization came around, the work horses became more stable bound. Around this time a certain 1940’s gas powered machine showed up, painted in bright green with its yellow letters that could easily be seen. The letters read John Deere M on the side and it was powerful enough to take that hay lying in the field for a ride. As the gearshift gave a quick shake the tractor took off and began to rake.
Now times have changed since that story of the horse and the old John Deere, but it was my aunt you see who gave this old green tractor to me. When it appeared it was a bit rusty and tired from all its years, but it has since been painted up to a shine and it now looks quite fine. Today the presence of Diesel makes the scene in all tractors from Red to Green, but in this old gas tractor of the past, I have a memory of my aunt which will forever last.
Brent Ebert
Mineral County FFA
There was once a young couple a long time ago who etched out a living through the sweat of their own two hands trying to survive living off of the land. These two people had both seen the depression at its worst. The depression was rough enough to make most folks curse but they kept on without looking for fault for they knew they must keep trying no matter what the result.
Now it was from my great aunt Grace, you see, who brought forth this story and told it to me of how she and my great uncle, Henry, labored for many hours each day working in that dusty hay. They did this so they could provide a sustainable source of food for the animals, one of which being the horse. This horse offered a great deal of help to them for he would pull the hay into the barn as well as many other tasks on the farm. It was this act of using the horse to pull that she remembered best for she did it more than the rest. This hay would start out lying on the ground until the horse and the rake came around and there it caught in the teeth of the rake. As this action of moving hay would take place, the men would fork the hay from the pile left by the rake up into the loft. The hay was ready for the year and this filled their hearts with cheer.
Now this work was rough and it was anything but fun but it was necessary in order to get the job done. Getting the job done meant securing this hay which fed the sheep and cattle along the way. Winters were rough on this Maysville farm but somehow they were able to make it through without harm. All thanks to this hay that was stacked in the barn.
As time went on and the age of mechanization came around, the work horses became more stable bound. Around this time a certain 1940’s gas powered machine showed up, painted in bright green with its yellow letters that could easily be seen. The letters read John Deere M on the side and it was powerful enough to take that hay lying in the field for a ride. As the gearshift gave a quick shake the tractor took off and began to rake.
Now times have changed since that story of the horse and the old John Deere, but it was my aunt you see who gave this old green tractor to me. When it appeared it was a bit rusty and tired from all its years, but it has since been painted up to a shine and it now looks quite fine. Today the presence of Diesel makes the scene in all tractors from Red to Green, but in this old gas tractor of the past, I have a memory of my aunt which will forever last.
Brent Ebert
Mineral County FFA
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