America’s farming families have a rich heritage of national history tied up in their family trees. Old farm houses carry secrets and surprises that no one could possibly imagine! Many old farms are being preserved and converted into monuments in America where people can visit and see how life was lived at one time in America’s beginning years. At ThisOldFarm.net, we will highlight some of the country’s most beautiful farms. Hear the stories of people who were born and raised on these historic properties and enjoy learning about history from a more personal perspective than any textbook can offer.
When I was a little girl I lived on a farm, complete with a red barn. Not a big farm but I was proud to tell everyone that we had a farm. My dad raised animals and planted a huge garden every year.
On this farm we had some… no we are not singing Old Mac Donald, although I did when people asked what animals we had. Anyway, my dad had a couple of cows and a bull. I was really little when he had them. He said it was pointless to raise them if my mom, sister and myself refused to eat Betsy. So no more cows.
He also had a chicken coop with what seemed like a hundred chickens when you went in to gather the eggs. Chickens are not very freiendly. We had a couple of hogs. The hogs were funny; they always got out of the pen. Watching my brothers and dad round these big ol animals back to their pen was hilarious. We even had a few turkeys, rabbits, a pony and goats.
The goats were my favorite they were funny. These guys ate everything in sight. We started off with two. Two females, one was pregnant when we got her. She never had less than three each time she delivered. At one time we had over forty goats. We didn’t eat the goats but by dad would drink the milk. They would slowly disappear, dad just didn’t tell us where they were going.
It was a lot of hard work living on my farm. During the summer my brother and I would put on our boots and head to the barn to gather eggs, clean stalls and pens, feed and water the animals and gallop the pony. I have a lot of respect for those that have farms of any size.
pWe visited a working farm this past fall with our home school group, and it was a great learning experience! We spent the whole day exploring all the different aspects of a working farm, and learning about why they are important today. /p
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pWe got to see farm animals, and learn about their different jobs on the farm, and the kids even got to pet some of them. We also got to learn about the different crops that grew on this particular farm and how they were used by people once they were harvested, for things other than just food. For example, there are lots of uses for all parts of the corn plant, not just the ears that we eat!/p
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pThe farm that we visited also had a pumpkin patch, and we all got to take a hayride down to the patch and pick our own pumpkins. There were pumpkins of all sizes, and we got to see up close what a pumpkin plant looks like before it becomes the orange melon. It’s actually a small white flower that turns to a green bud and then grows to the pumpkin we recognize today./p
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pOne of my daughter’s favorite parts was as we were getting to leave and one of the chickens laid an egg. She got to hold a real farm “fresh” egg! All in all, it was a wonderful day learning about all of the things that go into work on the farm. It’s definitely something we’ll do again next year as part of our curriculum! If your school group is looking for a great local field trip that will have everyone engaged, consider a farm trip – you’ll be glad you did!/p
When I was younger I could work on the farm all day, party all night, and start the whole process over again in the morning. Those days are long behind me. Not only can I no longer work hard and play hard all day and all night, I’m starting to feel things a lot more than I ever used to. Not only am I feeling the aches and pains of getting bumped by livestock and tripping over half buried equipment, old injuries from back when I was in high school seem to have returned to haunt me. I finally decided that the time had come to look into hot tubs and soaking tubs. I figured that if I had a nice hot tub to soak in some of my aches and pains would disappear.
I had no idea what I was getting into. I knew there were some different kinds of hot tubs, but I had no idea how many choices I was going to have to sort through. Not only did I find myself looking at but I also found myself considering some really nice bath tubs, used spas, and even Hydropool Swim Spas. It took a long time for me to decide which kind of tub I wanted.
I’ll admit that I was very tempted by the Whirlpool bathtubs, air tubs, and soaking tubs that I saw. Every time I looked at the various Whirlpool tubs for sale I couldn’t shake the idea that they should be very easy to install and I’ve been farming long enough to have a solid appreciation for anything I think will be easy.
After a little bit of debate, I decided that since I’d been practical my entire life, I deserved to spoil myself a little bit. I’ve worked hard all my life and if I didn’t deserve a relatively big hot tub that could stretch out in. I toyed with the idea of having one installed inside my house, but the idea of having all the work and remodeling that was going to require put me off the idea. Next I toyed with the idea of setting up the hot tub in the barn. There was plenty of room for it, and the few changes needed would be really easy to arrange, and I wouldn’t have to worry about the weather, but after a little bit of thought, I went in an entirely different direction.
One of the reasons I’ve worked so hard was because I love the land, and I love the things I can do with it. In the end I decided to set up my hot tub on my back porch where I can look at both the corn field and the cow pasture while I soak after a hard day’s work.
It seems like no matter what part of the country you might be traveling in, there are at least some old farmhouses to be found. There are more farmhouses than any other kind of house. There are two reasons that there are so many farmhouses. The first is because most farmhouses are built to last. The second reason is because the farmers who originally built and owned the old houses took really good care of them. If you currently own an old farmhouse you know just how nice they really are, you also know that they sometimes need some renovations.
One of the things you are going to want to do is have an electrician come in and replace all of the old wiring. This is one renovation process you don’t want to put off. It is not at all uncommon for the wiring in old farmhouses to get chewed by mice or to just plain wear out. Wiring that has had all of the protective coating chewed away will throw sparks, which can lead to a house fire. Having a professional come in and inspect your wiring will keep your family safe.
The other thing that you are going to want to do is to replace the furnace. You really need to replace whatever the home is currently using with a HVAC forced air furnace. The furnace is going to be safer to use, more efficient, and keep your entire home heated as opposed to just the perimeter of the rooms. Since most old farmhouses already have heating ducts, the only thing you should need is the furnace itself.
There are a lot of rewarding things about owning an old farmhouse and also long as you keep the home properly maintained, it will last another 100 years or so.
If you are interested in the new technology called the electronic cigarette, you are certainly not alone. It seems that the entire world is fascinated with this new product as news reports and magazine articles seem to constantly discuss their benefits and risks. If you are new to the e-cig phenomenon, follow these simple tips to help you choose the best electronic cigarette for you.
First, take time to compare what is offered with each brand. Do side by side comparisons of the way each company build their cigarettes and what is included in your starter pack. Carefully check over v2 electronic cigarettes with a review, which can do a great job of comparing it against other products right within the review. Find out how many e-cig cartridges are included so you will know how long they typically last before you need to buy refills.
Second, try looking for promotions through electronic cigarette affiliate programs to get the most for your investment. This is a great way to score some e-cigarette discount codes that make the initial purchase a lot cheaper. You do not want to spend a ton of money when you first buy electronic cigarettes because you do not know for certain which brand is going to be the best.
Third, check out some e-cig reviews. You can read these on the internet. For instance, if you are considering purchasing the popular South Beach Smoke brand, do a quick online search for South Beach Smoke reviews. You can read about other people’s experiences with the company and their products. If you see repeated bad reviews (which is not likely with a brand like South Beach Smoke!), you should steer clear of their products when you do your shopping.
Fourth, you can ask friends and families for their recommendations. Even if your closest friends are not smokers, they probably know other people that are. They can ask around and someone within your group will have some information about the various brands available, such as Green Smoke Electronic Cigarettes, and where to buy them to get the best prices.
The final step is just to pick one and try it. You can purchase a starter kit for pretty cheap when you use a coupon or shop online. After you try it, decide if you enjoyed that particular model and flavor. If you are still unhappy, just try a different brand or read the Ploom Reviews to find out about another alternative. Each one is slightly different so you have plenty of options to sort through until you find just the right electronic cigarette for you.
Have you ever felt like you are living in smack dab in the middle of an episode of that old sitcom, Green Acres? I do, all the time. Never in my wildest dreams did I think that I would be living on a dairy farm. I love my husband and I have learned to adjust to the fact that we have cows, but there are some days when I just can’t take it.
Shopping is out of the question, even if there were any malls close by, there isn’t any extra money, farming doesn’t pay very well, and after the milk prices plummeted a couple of years ago, my husband and I have gotten really good at pinching pennies until they plead for mercy! So I have turned to online bingo whenever I need a break from farm life.
There are several reasons to play bingo. The first is intellectual stimulation. Did you know that some experts got together and studied games and learned that playing bingo is actually better for you than playing chess or backgammon? Apparently, when you play bingo you are heightening your powers of observation and you will have an easier time remembering things. I am guessing that the younger you are, the more beneficial taking time to play bingo is going to be.
The reason I enjoy playing bingo is because of the chat feature that all the good bingo sites have. By using the chat feature I can talk to all of my old friends without having to worry about how big a cell phone bill I will be getting at the end of the month. Some of the sites have even started to go to video chat which means I’ll be able to see my friends.
Since money is really tight right now, I spent a great deal of time going over all sorts of different websites and reading reviews in my quest for the best online bingo site. I looked at UK online bingo sites and American ones. I also spent some time reading all about bingo bonus. In the end I picked the free bingo money site were I currently play because not only did they have lots of really high quality bingobonus games, but they also offered me several free game dollars just for signing up. This meant I could play bingo without having to spend my own money, something that made both myself and my husband very happy. Thanks to online bingo I can take a break every time I start hating the cattle.
The best part about living in the country, or just outside of town for that matter, is the fact that you and your family have the opportunity to supplement your grocery budget by growing fresh vegetables. There’s nothing better than a salad made from vegetables right out of the garden or being able to preserve quarts of veggies and sauces to cook and eat during the winter.
Your first decision when planting a garden is the site. The closer you are to the house, obviously the more convenient it will be to maintain. However, it is very important that a site is chosen that receives at least 6 hours of direct sunlight every day in order for the vegetables to mature and produce well. Soil quality and drainage are also considerations which will affect your decision about the garden’s location. Water must not be allowed to puddle or sit around the plants as this will cause rot and damage growing vegetables. Windy areas tend to dry out and even break off stalks of growing plants. The area you choose should be close to a water supply as well. It can be done, but dragging long hoses out to water a garden is backbreaking and unnecessary work. Last but not least, choose a place that can be visited daily so you can monitor the general health of your plants and watch for damaging insects and pests.
Deciding on what vegetables to grow will depend upon your family’s preferences and the purpose of your garden. Will the garden supply just your own family or are you planning to offer extra food to your neighbors and friends, or even to local shelters and charities? If you plant from seed packets, make sure you read the information about planting time based on the region of the country where you live because some vegetables are more hardy than others and can be planted sooner in the season. Make sure your cucumbers, squash, pumpkins and watermelon have plenty of room to spread. Potatoes and strawberries grow best in hills and elevated mounds to prevent the possibility of rot. Tomatoes must also be staked to keep them in the sun and off the ground. If you plant more than one row of corn, make sure the rows are far enough apart to allow pickers to walk between as they harvest the ears.
If you keep the soil tilled between the plants, and visit your garden every day to pick out weeds, you will be able to enjoy your vegetables as you watch them grow to maturity. Children especially can help with the care and weeding of the garden, and that effort will help them appreciate the end result when it comes time to harvest your bounty.
Tom loves his work as a dairy farmer in the beautiful country of Indiana. He grew up on his grandpa’s farm and walked every step his father did from the time he could walk. He knows farming like the back of his hand. He often even dreams about it. His grandpa handed the farm down to his father, and now it belongs to him. He feels the weight of the responsibility as the debt collectors knock at his door. Progress bears a hefty price tag and keeping up with the rest of the world means taking out loans for new equipment. He’d likely take a bullet for one of his dairy cows. His children have long gone, all girls. None of them interested in farming. They spent their days showing cows for 4-H. They even earned scholarships for college. They could not wait to bust through those screen doors and meet the big city. It was just him and Mama now.
The evenings are quiet and lonesome without the chatting. He never was a man of many words, but he loved hearing the sounds of giggles and fairytales coming down the stairs. He missed that. The youngest of the clan had bought them a computer for Christmas. He had spent the week at home sharing bingo sites with her daddy. She knew one thing about him, he loved bingo. She has been playing at college and she gave him a crash course in all of her fluffy favourites. He resisted at first, but then when he saw the joy it brought to see him play, he marched on.
Before too long he had taken the tour of bingo sites and played wowbingo, landmark bingo and wonderbingo. He spent long days on the farm and always found himself back at home tired and weary. Mama always greets him with a kiss and he finds his way to the shower while his sweetheart finishes up dinner. Most nights it’s fried chicken and biscuits. In the summer there’s a wide array of fruits and vegetables among the today as Mama grows a mean garden. The eat dinner with few words between them and find their spots in their chairs.
Mama crochets while Tom watches the news. He turns it off with his nightly comment of “What’s this world coming to?” He knows she won‘t answer, but he asks anyway. He sits in his chair and he misses his girl. Mama says Bess called today and she made an A in statistics. He mumbles “That’s good” from behind his newspaper. He grows tired of the paper and walks over to the desk. He flips on the computer and plays a round of wonderbingo on his favorite bingo site. He checks on his cows before he and Mama retire for the night. Tomorrow will start all too soon.
Farming in the 1940’s seemed like Boot Camp to us. Because of World War II, there were no hired men to take up any slack in the chores and duties necessary to keep a farm running smoothly. Our family, however, filled the bill with seven girls all working from the ripe old age of 6. Farm equipment was rudimentary at best, with our John Deere tractor being the only piece of modern farm machinery anywhere around.
Our horses labored as hard as we did, with teams pulling hay wagons during dawn to dusk days of harvesting and storing feed for the cows. At first, we had only a small herd of about 15 head, but they had to be fed, milked and taken to pasture and brought in again to the old barn every evening before dark. The milk had to be separated with a hand crank and the cream was used for cooking while the milk was sold and loaded into creamery tanks. With our father’s stern hand and loving guidance we all learned how to drive the tractor, how to milk and herd cows, how to bail hay, and how important it was to raise food to feed others including the soldiers fighting overseas.
Our dad was an eighth grade graduate who took advantage of quiet evenings by reading as much as he could so he could keep up with his children who all eventually graduated with college degrees. However, we could always entice him to play a game of checkers, which he inevitably would win no matter how rough the day had been. The years of breathing hay dust overtook him in the end when he succumbed to Emphysema at age 72.
The life of a farmer in the mid-1900’s was simple yet demanding, physically exhausting but rewarding, and a choice that only the strong of heart could endure. Their love for the land and their persistence through those years in American history should always be remembered, admired and appreciated.
We are all subject to the high commodity prices that have resulted in a major cost increase in all kinds of food products. Partially to blame for the increase in commodity prices is the steep spike in oil prices. Is it possible that commodity prices could increase to a level where they actually destroy demand? This is a question that has puzzled economic analysts. They insist that based on the model of supply and demand, a change in consumption due to a change in prices does not actually represent a change in demand. Confusing, right? Let’s break it down a little more.
Shifts in consumption can be caused by a variety of different factors. One big factor that often affects commodity prices today is the profitability for end users. For example, let’s look at corn. Corn has several end users ranging from people to livestock to companies that use corn to produce ethanol. Greater consumption in any of these areas does not mean that the demand slacks off in other areas. The market sift dictates that the corn goes to whoever pays the most for it. So when beef becomes a hot commodity and cattle raisers decide to increase the amount of their herd, their consumption of corn goes up as well. This increase in consumption actually often results in an increase in price, even as the demand for the product goes up.
The laws of supply and demand are not as cut and dry as they were centuries ago. With so many factors impacting prices and consumption it is hard to pinpoint one reason why prices rise so steeply at times. The thing to recognize is that even severe increases in commodity price will likely never destroy demand completely. The usual result is a shift in who or what consumes the commodity the most at any given time. As market analysts look for ways to better predict certain trends, it is safe to make the assumption that moving into the foreseeable future prices will continue to rise, and consumers will simply have to find ways to pay for what they need.
