Sunrise - Where it all began: Childhood Reflections and Stories Taken from Life on the Family Farm

My writings tell of a time and a place, a family and neighbors, and a one-room country schoolhouse. The time is between 1937 -1945. During these challenging years, while preparing for World War 11, the country struggled with bringing an end to the Great Depression. The place is a farm located seven miles from the small town of Wessington, in North Central South Dakota. Along with other farm families living within a radius of three or four miles, we were isolated. We had no television or newspapers. The only news we received came from a small radio, to which we listened intently for national news and grain and livestock market reports. While we felt the repercussions of government decisions, our focus had to be on the management of our own farm production and way of life. As a carefree child, I enjoyed running bare-foot through the fields, gathering eggs, riding my horse to school, and playing with a barnyard full of animals. I was taught to obey my parents, endure hardship, mind my manners and practice hospitality. These values shaped my childhood and have stayed with me throughout my life. So partly for the sheer joy of sharing with my grandchildren and partly for the intense regard I hold for the people within, the following is a sampling of stories and reflections of the way we lived on the family farm.