Soapweed
Well-known member
My journal entry for Sunday, February 11, 1968
I got up at 6:00 just in time for breakfast. Dad was real ambitious and had gotten up at 4:00. He couldn't sleep so thought he might as well use the time to good advantage. He went out and welded the tongue back on the hay sled, and did chores.
I put out the grain for the calves and brought them in on Hawk Eye. Dad caked the cows and heifers.
We headed down to the other end of the meadow—Dad driving the tractor and me bouncing along on the hay sled. I hadn't appreciated the driving job until today, but think my back would be a complete wreck if I joggled around like that every day. We pushed on some rough hay that had fallen off a couple days ago and fed it to the heavies. We then loaded on a butt of good hay and fed it to the calves and old bulls.
Dad got in the bulls that Ohlmans had bought, while I took the pickup out in the meadow and pitched on some rough hay for bedding. The bulls loaded unto the back of the pickup without giving us too much trouble. Then we went in the house and got ready to go.
We left for the Crookston and Valentine vicinities at about 9:45. The new pickup [1968 ¾ ton Ford 2wd] holds the road real well with a load, so we made good time. On the other side of Kilgore we made the right turn necessary to get to the Ohlman places too soon—about five miles too soon. We headed south, but the gravel road soon turned into a dirt road and finally to a poor quality Sandhill trail. Snow drifts and no fresh tracks led us to the conclusion that we were on the wrong road.
Dad turned the pickup around, and we backtracked a little ways and headed east. My opinion, as well as Dad's and Sandra's, was not too good of this particular area of the Sandhills. Sandy cornfields [before the age of irrigation], grubbed out pastures, and run down improvements were for the most part dominant. No one was home at the first two places we stopped at to inquire directions. A boy on a place belonging to Tetherows kind of got us headed on the right course. We arrived at our destination shortly after 11:00 and delivered the bulls.
We headed north on the right road (the one we should have come in on), and came out on the highway about half-way between Kilgore and Crookston. Dad, Sandra, and I proceeded on to Valentine (Mom, Sybil, and Nancy Jean had stayed home and gone to church). We ate at the Home Oil, smorgasbord style, with each plate costing $1.75.
The Northwest Nebraska Hereford Association is holding a sale on Valentine's Day. 4-H and FFA kids were invited to use these cattle for a judging contest, so we attended it. Dad wanted to get home to check the heavy cows, so we didn't stick around for the results. I doubt if I did very good anyhow.
After we got home, I snoozed an hour before going out to do chores.
Dad is oil painting a picture of Sybil sitting on a fence post at the Merriman Rodeo.
I got up at 6:00 just in time for breakfast. Dad was real ambitious and had gotten up at 4:00. He couldn't sleep so thought he might as well use the time to good advantage. He went out and welded the tongue back on the hay sled, and did chores.
I put out the grain for the calves and brought them in on Hawk Eye. Dad caked the cows and heifers.
We headed down to the other end of the meadow—Dad driving the tractor and me bouncing along on the hay sled. I hadn't appreciated the driving job until today, but think my back would be a complete wreck if I joggled around like that every day. We pushed on some rough hay that had fallen off a couple days ago and fed it to the heavies. We then loaded on a butt of good hay and fed it to the calves and old bulls.
Dad got in the bulls that Ohlmans had bought, while I took the pickup out in the meadow and pitched on some rough hay for bedding. The bulls loaded unto the back of the pickup without giving us too much trouble. Then we went in the house and got ready to go.
We left for the Crookston and Valentine vicinities at about 9:45. The new pickup [1968 ¾ ton Ford 2wd] holds the road real well with a load, so we made good time. On the other side of Kilgore we made the right turn necessary to get to the Ohlman places too soon—about five miles too soon. We headed south, but the gravel road soon turned into a dirt road and finally to a poor quality Sandhill trail. Snow drifts and no fresh tracks led us to the conclusion that we were on the wrong road.
Dad turned the pickup around, and we backtracked a little ways and headed east. My opinion, as well as Dad's and Sandra's, was not too good of this particular area of the Sandhills. Sandy cornfields [before the age of irrigation], grubbed out pastures, and run down improvements were for the most part dominant. No one was home at the first two places we stopped at to inquire directions. A boy on a place belonging to Tetherows kind of got us headed on the right course. We arrived at our destination shortly after 11:00 and delivered the bulls.
We headed north on the right road (the one we should have come in on), and came out on the highway about half-way between Kilgore and Crookston. Dad, Sandra, and I proceeded on to Valentine (Mom, Sybil, and Nancy Jean had stayed home and gone to church). We ate at the Home Oil, smorgasbord style, with each plate costing $1.75.
The Northwest Nebraska Hereford Association is holding a sale on Valentine's Day. 4-H and FFA kids were invited to use these cattle for a judging contest, so we attended it. Dad wanted to get home to check the heavy cows, so we didn't stick around for the results. I doubt if I did very good anyhow.
After we got home, I snoozed an hour before going out to do chores.
Dad is oil painting a picture of Sybil sitting on a fence post at the Merriman Rodeo.