Lena Mae: 1959

Did you ever hear of holeing up sweet potatoe turnips?  Well, we did on on our farm.  Papa would did a hole in the ground and we children lined it with straw, and filled it full of turnips and potatoes. The hold was then covered with dirt so the vegetables would not freeze. Our cellar was filled to capacity with canned fruits and vegetables.  

The winters were always cold up in the hills of Northwest Arkansas, and we were so happy to see spring come.  About the 1st day of April each year, Mama would permit us to roll our long cotton stockings below our knees, and, as the weather go a little warmer we were allowed to shed our long handled underware.

Many was the time Mama made us grape jelly, out of wild grapes, we climbed to the top of some tree to get. One day Molly and I brought the cows from the pasture to be milked, and along with them we brought our pockets full of sheepshires.  After much begging on our part, Mama made us sheepshire cobbler.

Mama never had time to do any fancy cooking. I don't ever remember her icing a cake.  As soon as we smelled it cooking we would gather around to take care of it when Mama took it from the oven.

Our main crops were corn, wheat, oats, alfalfa, and soybeans.  When we were not planting or reaping a crop, we were mending fences or cleaning out the barn to store a new supply of grain.  We would hurry to get our work done so we could have some time to play.

Papa took pride in keeping our barn filled with corn, oats, and hay. I believe we had the largest barn in our neighborhood.  It was built on the side of the hill, therefore we had underground concrete stables.  We loved to play around the barn.  The loft was just high enough for us to jump out of the window without breaking our legs.  The barn doors sagged a little because there was always children swinging on them