Farm History and More!

We were so fortunate to spend a day traveling around the countryside to see where my mom's side of the family grew up.  It was really special for my husband and children to experience the journey right along side me.
This aerial photograph of the farm was taken in the 1960's. The old farmhouse was still in place at that time.

Here is an aerial shot of the farm taken in the mid 1970's.  Grandpa tore the old house down and built the existing home. 

  Some of the buildings in this picture were destroyed in a tornado, and no longer exist today.

Pictured below is the home where my grandpa was born and raised. My great-grandfather built the homestead right across the road from where he was raised.

Below are pictures of my grandpa's granddad's place. The home was originally built in the 1800's, and he later built a smaller home next to the main house.  He moved into the smaller house and my Grandpa's aunt and her family moved into the farm house.   My Grandpa grew up with his cousins living just across the street from his house.

Here is the building where my grandpa went to school.  It is still an Amish schoolhouse today.

This class picture was taken in front of the school shown above, and it is now hanging in a restaurant in town.  My grandpa is the boy circled in white. He was in 7th grade and was about 13 years old in the picture.

A closer view of the home he grew up in.

I always love the look of clothes drying on a clothes line!

This is Grandpa's neighbor's house. The old home was torn down and a new Amish home was built two years ago.

This home is on the back of my Grandpa's property, and he sold it to an Amish family who makes beautiful furniture.  In fact, it is some of the most solid and well made furniture that I've ever seen.  They leave no detail unattended to. The family was so kind, and they gave us a tour of their wood shop that runs off of air compressors and a large diesel engine.  It was fascinating to see each step of the furniture making process! Their furniture is contracted to be sold to a company called "Simply Amish".

Here are some pictures of farmers working out in the fields.

By the time my grandpa was 12 years old, he was in charge of his family's farm while his father and older siblings did carpentry work. He farmed using horses, and once told me that he had an eight foot plow that he pulled around the field.  At the end of each row, he moved over 4 feet and then started back down the row. I can't imagine how tedious that would have been with horses.  One thing is certain, not many 12 year-olds today would be mature enough to do that type of work. Times have changed a lot!

Below are buggies starting to line up in a field before the start of an Amish wedding.  There were young men taking care of the horses while the families were inside for the festivities. 

I'll end today's post with this picture of a mare and foal.  This countryside is filled with some of the most beautiful and well bred horses around.  I never tired of watching them go down the road.