Hidden Spring Farm - "Remembering"
Remembering stripping tobacco, WHAS84 radio, the smell of the wood-burning stove, King attacking the radio when the barking "Jingle Bells" song first came out. Long walk over fences to the ponds to cut ice for livestock after the Winter Blizzard of Jan1978, cutting firewood for the Buck Stove in the new family room. Dressing in layers. Sorting numerous pairs of jeans hanging on that suspended bar in the laundry room. Warming newborn calves in the laundry room. Family time with indoor games of Tripoley, Rook, Hearts, Spades, Uno, Phase10, Life, Monopoly, Downstairs playing darts and pool,.Solids or Stripes, High Middle Low, 9-ball. Practicing band instuments, listening to music, reading, drawing.
Remembering to keep the fence rows clean so "gates swing free". Digging and tamping post holes, spacing the 3-planks with a block of wood, treating everything with creosote. Cutting/spraying/hoeing and later weed-eating weeds from fields. Using the hoe to cut thistles. Spraying Roundup on Johnson grass. Rabbit hunting. Dove Hunts.
Remembering hauling grains with an International Harvester truck with hydraulic lift, its wooden extension for hauling more straw bales, the red button, "bulldog", the huge steering wheel and getting elbowed if to close to the driver, hearing Dad say "Carl, get your head out of the way" when turning onto the road. Memorizing the perfect angle of approach to unload into the grain elevator hopper. Shoveling the last of the grain from the back of each truckload and calling cockle-bur "Porcupine Eggs". Remembering the purchase of the gravity wagon, and adding wooden rails to make it taller.
Remembering the sweet smell of molasses and the grind of the corn crusher, the sound of the hopper grate in the back, and the grain hitting the circular windows on the side. Remembering the urea smell pouring onto new-cut corn silage, the sweetened silage smell pouring down months later onto the motorized feedway after flipping the switch on the electrical panel, the dank smell of climbing the chute to take out another door, the greasy smell cranking the cable to lower the auger atop the silo, the smell of cow breath while unclogging the far end of the feed-way, the sense of accomplishment while hauling a last wheelbarrow after cleaning the floor of the silage room. Remembering we all climbed a silo, grain bin, and tobacco barn rafter with thought for a safety harness.