I grew up on this farm. Lived here with my parents and my siblings for my entire childhood. My parents owned 120 acres then. At that time, that was enough. We also had cows pigs, lots of kittens and always a farm dog. My mom had a huge garden. My memories include lots of playing outside, ball games in the neighbors front yard, playing in the creek, mowing lots of lawn, of course with a walk-behind mower. I learned how to drive a tractor at a young age. I was invited to a birthday party when I was twelve, but my dad needed me to drive tractor for the hay baler, so paid me $2.00 to stay home and work. This was when you didn't even think to argue with your parents. You just did it. It was a good childhood, and I would not trade it for a childhood in the city for anything. They sold the farm before I had my own family, so I never got to bring my children to my home place to play there like I did.

I was the oldest child of Luella and Walter Franck and lived there till I got married. As my sister wrote, it was a good life. We worked hard but learned a lot and I think it prepared all us for our life after the farm. We had lots of neighbor kids to play with after the chores were done. Those memories can never be replaced. Our three oldest boys would get dropped off there after school when they were able to help their grandparents. They always say they would work and their sisters.got to play as they were younger. Growing up then was a far cry from the computer world that occupies many kids now. We had the woods, the ditch (which was our swimming pool), lots of ball games with the neighbors, always something to fill our time. I will admit there were times when I was a teenager that town life looked good, but I still would not change my growing up years.