Life on the farm

[buckeyefarmer]

A fall picture of the farm. Some of this land was cleared in the late 60s or early70s. Our cabin was where the back, green tree is. If you zoom the picture it was still there when this was taken.
Down the hill on the right, we once chopped some trees with axes and built a leanto shelter. Don't think we ever slept in it.

 

[oosik]

I have no pictures of my grandparents farm back in the Gudbrandsdalen valley in Norway. At one time there were pictures - tiny - very old - and a brownish rust colored. Anyhow - they raised pigs, sheep and a few cattle. My aunt traced the family and farm back to around the 1400's. She was somewhat unusual in that way - if you know what I mean.

The farm is still there being operated by cousins of mine. Never been there and have no desire to visit. From what I remember of the pictures and verbal descriptions - - most of the farm is fairly vertical with only a few fields where they raise hay, or whatever, for winter feed.

 

[oosik]

If you are so inclined to trace your homestead/given lands back a few hundred years. The way to do it is thru - government taxation records. At least in Norway - every third year or thereabouts - the local magistrate would send out the tax assessors. They kept track of everything on the given land. I use the term - "given land" because I don't know what it was called in Norway. But somewhere in the late 1600 or early 1700 the lands went from "given" to "owned".

The tax assessors records are very interesting to read - number/type of buildings - number and type of farm animals - number of indentured farm workers, men, women and children - crops and yield. Any major changes to the farm that would alter the amount of tax.

Last night I pulled out the voluminous tomb that my aunt had created and looked thru it. Her records of the family farm actually go back to the year 1050. Which is about the time the family generally agrees is when the land was granted and the farm started.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

The "old house"

This is the foundation from an old log house from the 1800s. This is on the far east section of the farm. The one picture from the 80s shows some of the remaining logs then, they are now gone. I don't remember seeing water in it until this picture.

There is a hand dug well next to the house, dad has a concrete slab sitting on it.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Dad on his 1st tractor, an allis chalmers. He built a wooden carrier. My oldest brother and sister on the back. He traded a team of horses for either this one or his first 8n. This taken around 1953.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

My great aunt and uncle were snowbirds after they retired. lived in Daytona for the winter, Pontiac during the summer. My Senior year of High School we took a class trip to Florida and visited daytona beach. My Aunt and uncle gave me a tour of the Daytona speedway, and ponce inlet lighthouse. Before I was old enough to go to school, they would visit, and we would drive all over the county sightseeing. These pictures from the 60's.

Here I am with my great Aunt. This bridge is no longer there.
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This bridge is still there and used. It was recently fixed up.
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This bridge is still there but not used.
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Last summer I was able to take my dad on a trip around the county, this is the same bridge above. Dad spent almost 40 yrs working for the county highway dept. He knew every road and practically every house in the county, and knew a lot of people.


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The bottom covered bridge recently collapsed.

 

[2LaneCruzer]

Anyone notice the '59 Chevy in the first attachment? Love it!

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Anyone notice the '59 Chevy in the first attachment? Love it!

Pic taken around 1963 or 64, and that's me at the bridge.....

 

[Citydude]

Glad you resurrected your thread Buckeye.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Glad you resurrected your thread Buckeye.

Thanks, i should go back and add to some of the writeups. I also have more pics to add to some of them.

Haven't been to the farm since June, as i got GBS and was in the hospital over 6 weeks, and am recovering.