Chester Chatter: Joys of being a farmer’s wife

| Jan 13, 2020 | Comments 1

By Ruthie Douglas
©2020 Telegraph Publishing LLC

Lately, I look out my big window above the hospital parking lot. It has looked more like spring than the dead of winter. The birds are chirping and hopping about.

Looking back in time, now is the time we spread our seed catalogs out on the kitchen table, planning what to order for the upcoming planting season. We begin on the pages for the fields — barley, rye, wheat and timothy. We also hope to afford some alfalfa but it is expensive.  But we do have plenty of manure to spread around.

It would be a big job to plow and harrow all the fields, then spread the seed. With a few sun-filled days and a few drops of gentle rain, the seeds start to poke through, turning the brown soil into a bright green. We sit on the big porch and look over the land at the great green fields.

We plant 7 acres in expensive alfalfa seed. Soon appear 7 acres of pink blossoms. Don comes through the back door carrying a bouquet he had just picked, beautiful and better than roses. It is a satisfying feeling being a farmer’s wife.

Scene and heard

Judy Henning joined up with friends from the Auxiliary of the Ludlow Legion to travel to Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia to remove Christmas wreathes from the grave stones.

Richard and Nancy Lockerby of Chester celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with a party at the American Legion Hall in Chester. A buffet and a band was enjoyed by all.

Get well to all those who are ill this season.

Will Prince Harry have a last name? If so, what will it be? Sussex?

Jan. 6 would have been Elvis Presley’s 85th birthday. I celebrated with his favorite — banana and peanut butter.

I will never forget the date Jan. 11. It is the day that our house on Green Mountain Turnpike burned down.

Answer to last week’s trivia question: According to Medievel Anglo-saxons, Jan. 2 the unluckiest day of the year to be born or to do any work.

This week’s trivia question: In the 1950s, how many working dairy farms were in Chester?

 

 

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Filed Under: Chester Chatter • Community and Arts Life

About the Author: Ruthie Douglas is originally from Springfield but has called Chester her home for 58 years, and has been writing the Chester Chatter column for more than 40 of those years. Ruthie is also a longtime volunteer throughout the community.

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  1. arlene mutschler says:
    January 15, 2020 at 8:43 am

    Ruth, are you back in Springfield Rehab? Im sorry. I and another bring pet therapy dogs. However, last week, our regular visit was canceled due to the illnesses that are rampant there. Be safe and well!! Sailor and I are going to be starting up an “read to the therapy dog” program at Whiting Library. Remember? You took a picture of Oreo several years ago? Oreo crossed the rainbow bridge last fall! Take care of yourself. Hopefully we’ll be able to visit for our next scheduled week?