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Along with the hardships, the early settlers had many good times. Family life in those days was much better than in most homes in our modern times. Because of the lack of automobiles, telephones, radios, and television, the fun part was in community affairs such as husking bees; when all the neighbors assembled to husk the corn which was in piles. The women had quilting parties when several women would come to one home and quilt for some hours. No doubt there was much conversation as well as some gossip. Dances were common and we feel sure they were enjoyable affairs. Reading material was scarce as compared with today. Two of the remembered magazines were the Delineator and The Youth's Companion. Wallaces Farmer has also been published for many years. Then there were "Spell Downs" in the schools. Two leaders were chosen and each made a selection for his side. We can be sure the best spellers were chosen first. There were also "Cipher Downs" which were managed about the same as the "Spell Downs". In order to bring this writing up to the present we should mention that the population increased as the time went on. Land that had been covered with water during rainy seasons was drained by dredge ditches and V shaped ditches, so call Strickland ditches. Tiling became a common practice and is still being done in places needing it. Many thousands of dollars were spent for these drainage projects. As a result of this drainage many hundreds of acres of valuable land was brought in to production. As a consequence the farm population increased until during the 1960's and perhaps during the years previous to the 1960's farms became larger and the farm population decreased. |
Machinery also became larger and methods of farming changed. When the prairies were first plowed in the pioneer days much flax was planted for the first crop, for it aided in breaking up the root growth of the sod. Wheat was also a necessary crop because of its food value for humans as well as live stock. Corn was always a necessary crop and as the years go by the yields in bushels per acre have increased until some farmers are producing as much as 200 bushels per acre, or more, and many farmers have this figure as a goal. Years ago many acres of oats were raised but in more recent years oats have decreased in acres. Today the production of soy beans has become profitable and yields of fifty bushels or more per acre often attained. For the last thirty years or more the Soil Bank Program has been in common use. This means that a certain percentage of the farm land is taken out of crop production each year. This land must have cover crop of oats or seeded down for hay land. Another thing that has become common practice is the use of insecticides and weed killers. as a result, soil pollution as well as air pollution creates a problem for a clean America. the use of commercial fertilizer has become a common practice. The pioneers used corn to make hominy which gave variety to their food. Many years
ago when the corn factory was operating much sweet corn was produced around
this area. Perhaps another comparison between the pioneer days and the
present is the growth and the change of the live stock business. Many
of the early settlers brought a cow and a few pigs. As time went on this
business increased until today we often see several hundred feeder cattle
in feed lots on the farm. Also many farmers produce hogs by the hundreds
each year. Story continues |