Photo 63-BIR-36

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Yes this is the family farm I (Ellen "Wilkening" Luhman) grew up on, as well as my father Ivan Wilkening. Ivan was born an raised on this Family farm from birth until the day he died 65 years later. His wife Rosalyn lived there another 10 years, since Rosalyn moved off of the farm, which is currently being rented out, all small out buildings are gone, no more corn crib, chicken houses, the storage shed to the North or Right of the tool shed is no longer there as well as the building we used as a car shed aka...garage now a days! Fruit orchard and 75% of the trees have been cut down or died. Cattle shoot is down, and the out building as well as the large barn are all now painted RED, instead of traditional white. There is now a two car garage up by the house, which we do not see in this photo. The 5 bedroom farm house if this was in color here; would have green siding 51 years ago, this was replaced several years ago by white siding and black shutters all the way around the house. Now in 2016 all previous pastures and surrounding hay fields, have been plowed up and turned into farm ground for corn and soybeans. Holstein Cows or calves no longer reside or live & are no longer milked everyday on the farm, as well as steers, pigs and chicken are all long gone also. The old stave silo was tore down and replaced with another larger Harvester, both harvesters are still standing today, just not in operation. Currently the road in front of the house is black topped, instead of just the path in front of the house back then to keep the dust from the gravel road down. Evergreens around the house have been replaced with modern landscaping. The farm is still in the original family, BUT as far as an actual working farm it is NOTHING like it was 51 years ago. The hustle and bustle of the busy farm, where everyone had chores or responsibilities, haying being but up in the hay mow, or corn being shield and put in the corn crib. tractors and wagon coming and going, the smell of fresh cut hay in the pasture or the sound of the cattle mooing at night, dogs barking and a barn yard full of cats running around, neighbors stopping by to visit are all silent and only left in the memories of seeing a vintage photo. This vintage photo of the farm I grew up on I (Ellen) was only 5 years old at the time this was taken. My mother still has this photo hanging in her current house she is living in, just a few miles away in a small farming town / community, where the good life is still lived, even if only in the memories of those who created it, many years ago.

Your Comment

Do you have a connection to this photograph? Maybe you grew up here or know someone who did? What has changed in the 59 years since this photo was taken? Tell us!