Remembering JKF, Part 2
Yesterday I said there would be a follow up of yesterday's story about JFK's assassination.
Back then we lived on a farm about 15 miles from town. Our house was about 1/2 mile off the road. We had one barn that was closer to the house where we had hay, a corn crib, a stall for the cow where she was milked or kept in bad weather, etc. There was a pig pen that was near the barn too.
Then the other barn was in a different direction, about 1/2 mile or so from the house. We raised tobacco and that was the barn where the tobacco stripping room was and the tobacco was hung to cure out. We had been stripping tobacco and had quite a bit already stripped, pressed, and ready to take to be sold.
That night while everyone was glued to their TV's watching the JFK news, there were thieves stealing our ready to go to market tobacco! The road was about 300 yards from the barn and they had parked there and carried it across the field. Back then the tobacco you grew was according to how much you were allowed, so you might be allowed an acre and a half and so you could sell as much as you wanted to. So if you had a lot of tobacco to sell folks thought you really had had a great crop that year!
I remember the guy used to come out and measure the fields and if you had over the amount you were allowed you had to get the disk harrow out and harrow it down!
Since then they changed the rules and you were allowed so many pounds instead. That cut down on the stealing.
The next morning after my Dad discovered that our tobacco had been stolen he was furious! He took a mattress to the barn that night to sleep on. He also took along his shotgun and he was hoping they would come back so he could kill the *#*$#&#'s! He was madder than a hornet! Naturally they didn't come back again. I was very glad they didn't too! I think Dad was disappointed though somewhat. He really wanted revenge on them! He always had an idea of who he thought had stolen it but he couldn't prove it. He found their tracks in the field and he said that one had a big foot and the other had a smaller foot!
So when I think of JKF's assassination I can't help but to remember that night when they stole our tobacco and how mad my Dad was!!
Back then we lived on a farm about 15 miles from town. Our house was about 1/2 mile off the road. We had one barn that was closer to the house where we had hay, a corn crib, a stall for the cow where she was milked or kept in bad weather, etc. There was a pig pen that was near the barn too.
Then the other barn was in a different direction, about 1/2 mile or so from the house. We raised tobacco and that was the barn where the tobacco stripping room was and the tobacco was hung to cure out. We had been stripping tobacco and had quite a bit already stripped, pressed, and ready to take to be sold.
That night while everyone was glued to their TV's watching the JFK news, there were thieves stealing our ready to go to market tobacco! The road was about 300 yards from the barn and they had parked there and carried it across the field. Back then the tobacco you grew was according to how much you were allowed, so you might be allowed an acre and a half and so you could sell as much as you wanted to. So if you had a lot of tobacco to sell folks thought you really had had a great crop that year!
I remember the guy used to come out and measure the fields and if you had over the amount you were allowed you had to get the disk harrow out and harrow it down!
Since then they changed the rules and you were allowed so many pounds instead. That cut down on the stealing.
The next morning after my Dad discovered that our tobacco had been stolen he was furious! He took a mattress to the barn that night to sleep on. He also took along his shotgun and he was hoping they would come back so he could kill the *#*$#&#'s! He was madder than a hornet! Naturally they didn't come back again. I was very glad they didn't too! I think Dad was disappointed though somewhat. He really wanted revenge on them! He always had an idea of who he thought had stolen it but he couldn't prove it. He found their tracks in the field and he said that one had a big foot and the other had a smaller foot!
So when I think of JKF's assassination I can't help but to remember that night when they stole our tobacco and how mad my Dad was!!
posted by Rachel at 7:38 AM
4 Comments:
Isn't it funny how the mind connects unrelated events. Good blog Rachel.
Rachel, thanks so much for the greeting. I hope things go well for you and yours thru this holiday period. I think sometimes people get into trouble when they expect more from a Holiday than is possible. You don't seem the type though. please enjoy.
Oh yes and I put up a Thanksgiving blog that I hope you'll be pleased with. Later.
Hi Rachel...
How interesting that these two things happened so that they are soooo connected to one another. It ceratinly was not a very good time, all around, was it?
Did you grow other things besides tobacco? When you describe all these things about the farm and your childhood, I feel like I'm watching a very detailed rich movie! Great gift!!!
I hope you have a WONDERFUL HAPPY HEALTHY THANKSGIVING!!!!
ENJOY!!!
Naomi, yes we grew some corn, just enough to feed the cattle through the winter. We also always had a BIG garden! My Dad did not believe in any weeds in his garden or his tobacco, which meant lots of work for us to help him do! I'll blog about that one of these days!
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