Photo 21-MAR-27

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Darrell and Opal Crane

216 ruth road Linneus me.
Darrell Crane bringing cow across road for afternoon milking.

This is where I grew up with my parents, sister Linda McGuire and brother David Crane

I love looking at these old pictures. My dad putting the cows across the road and cows headed for the barn and milking time.

Hi Donna,

That's a great memory of your dad and the cows. Can you tell us more about what it was like growing up in that area during that time period? We love hearing personal stories about life in rural America. Also, have you noticed any significant changes in the area since the photo was taken in 1964?

-Alexis

I grew up on the daily farm which my grandfather/grandmother had. My dad married my mom and they built the house that you see there from an old house at the "ruth house" which was an old house and mom and dad built around it....porch was all I remember as a child along with the 4 rooms and the upstairs bathroom. After my brother was born dad built the newest part of the house (on the west side of the house) which gave us a washroom and living room downstairs and mom and dad had a big bedroom upstairs. Stories have been told to us that dad made $33.00 week and he put $30.00 in the house - he worked the farm with the cows and they planted potatoes as well - made potato barrels and helped another barrel maker when they were first married.

My sister came along 2 years later and by then the house was the way I remember it for many years - nothing extravagant but it was very homey, Mom never worked outside the house ever so we always had homemade goodies and meals every day. My mother was a very good cook and we always had fresh bread and every summer she would can the vegetables from the garden. With our own meat, canned vegetables and always potatoes our meals were hearty.

My grandmother and grandfather lived across the road from us and my sister and i were always running across the road to "over home". It didn't matter which house we were in if we wanted to go home it was going "over home". It was great to have grandparents, my great grandmother and parents around as we were growing up.

As we got older then it was our responsibility to help drive the tractors in the hay field. I think we were driving the farm truck since we were 3 years old - just had to make sure that we didn't hit any hay bailed - it was the crews responsibility to keep the path clear!!!

It was hard work on the farm but most of it feel to dad and my grandfather. My sister liked helped around the farm and barn and I liked being in the house learning how to cook and enjoying "the women folk".

Many great memories and to this day I feel regret that our children did not have the same heritage that we had. Life for them would have been so different but things change. My brother and his family live in the farm house where my grandparents lived and our home burned about 8 years ago from an electrical fire - no one lived in it at the time so my brother has cleared the land so that nothing looks the same anymore.

Thank you for letting me tell some of my history. -- it was great remembering!

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 60 years since this photo was taken? Tell us!