[AT] JD Model 4C plow (child labor)

[DAVIESW739 at aol.com]

We kids on the farm my brother and 3 cousins  were made to work from time we 
were about 9 years old. I remember handling 100  lb. bails of alfalfa hay all 
by myself it weighed more than I did. We were not  allowed to drag it like 
some kids do today. Grampa was stern but we loved him  and loved us an treated us 
very good all those years on the farm. It was worth  growing up there I 
wouldn't trade that for all the rich kids stuff in the world.  
We had a 1935 IH 1 1/2 ton truck that hauled 3 ton of hay in the   spring and 
tons of cull plums that we spread out on the 5 acre hay field after  it was 
cut and cleared.  We dried the plums for feed for the hogs in the  winter.
We had plums of our own to pick and 5 acres of Alberta peaches I  hated peach 
season, if you have ever picked them you would know why. 
Grampa  didn't make us work all day we finished up by noon and then went 
swimming in the  river all afternoon. 
We were poor so we didn't have a tractor Grampa  borrowed a Cat D-2 from a 
neighbor I remember him letting me steer it when I was  very young.
I was the youngest and smallest of the boys so I got away with  murder. I 
still catch "H" from my cousins and brother for that. Two of the older  cousins 
passed away lately so there are on the 3 younger one left my brother and  my 
cousin Tommy who is 2 months older than me but twice my size when growing  up.  
As I said I wouldn't trade that life on the farm for  anything.
Walt Davies
Cooper Hollow Farm
Monmouth, OR 97361
503  623-0460