After our naval base at Pearl Harbor, Territory of Hawaii, was attacked, the United States was not equipped for a war, but soon was at war with the Japanese and the German Nazis. Manufacturers switched from cars and refrigerators and farm machinery to war production. (One of the armaments on Danny Wilson’s fighter plane had been produced by Frigidaire.)
Toward the end of the war, the “Veteran’s Preference for New Farm Machinery and Equipment” was initiated by the Materials and Equipment Branch, Production and Marketing Administration, of the Department of Agriculture. County committees could issue veterans’ preference certificates for new farm machinery to World War II veterans who wanted to farm. Holders of the certificates with priority over prior contracts and commitments.
After Dad was discharged from the Army Air Force, he started tenant farming for Donald Shaw–with horses. I just barely remember the horses. One died while we were there and I learned about the rendering works at a tender age.
The only time we had a horse to ride was at the Shaw place, although I don’t even remember being around it. The barn was across the road from the house, where we were the only children at the top of the hill. I wonder who painted the sign.
Dad was given a certificate for new farm equipment but he couldn’t afford to buy a new tractor. His uncle, M.M. Neal, offered to trade his old Farmall F-20 tractor for Dad’s certificate. The F-20 was Dad’s first tractor when he and Mom bought a farm south of Dexter in the early 1950s.
I wish we’d thought to take photos of farm equipment in those days, but they were just part of our regular lives. I wish I had nostalgic photos of Mom wearing her apron in the garden or hanging the wash on the clothesline.
You are right about the photos, Joy. Life moves on, and we have no idea that we want to document it as we go. Farming with horses had to be a tough way to go.
At least he was used to it. It’s the way he grew up, and his father really enjoyed horses. He even had a matched team that people asked to pull the hearse to the cemetery!
That’s a great picture of the “slow children,” their dad, and trusty horse!
Thank you, Liz. It was evidently the landlord’s horse as it didn’t show up when the folks bought the Dexter farm.
Dad had a tractor (an old John Deer) but he always kept horses too. He also had a team of horses and would use them to pull a sleigh that took us to town when the roads were too snowed in for driving the truck. Us kids loved when that happened. So much fun.
Oh, I love your story about the sleigh, Darlene! This horse evidently belonged to the landlord since it didn’t show up when the folks bought a farm near Dexter. My only sleighride stories are from my mother and Grandma Leora, but oh, I’m so thankful to have them!
My grandfather and dad farmed with horses on their dairy farm before they got the Farmall.
Dennis, were you around them much? Did they have names?
Your post got me thinking about how long horses have been used for work, Joy. I was surprised to learn that the estimate is 5,000 to 6,000 years. The “slow children ahead” sign demonstrates that this is not a new concept either.
Thanks for your note, Pete. I love it when a blog post sends a reader (or myself) to do some research!
You have done such a wonderful job documenting so many things with letters and photographs. This time, your words alone suffice. I can clearly picture your mother hanging clothes in her green apron! I can picture the tractor and the garden too…
Bless you, Linda!
I have old photos of my grandparents and parents during WWII and the Great Depression. People who think they have it hard now should do a little research and discover how hard life was back then. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you, Dawn. I wish I’d listened to Mom’s stories when I was a kid! I’m the oldest granddaughter, so I’m the keeper of photos and letters from the 1800s!
It was probably too expensive for your parents to take many pictures with film cameras. But you do have a wonderful selection of photos to illustrate your posts from back in the day. 🙂