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Barefoot In The Sand: Remembering the Waning Days of the Hopewell Community (1998) Bruce C. Gragg 86/123
EACH HAD CHORES TO DO
It is very difficult after so many years to recall events in any kind
of order, in terms of which thing occurred first. As we grew older,
more and more chores became ours. Vera usually helped with cooking, I
helped tend the livestock. As I got a little older I began doing the
milking and other barnyard chores. I began doing the barnyard chores
about the same time I became active in the 4-H, so they all worked
together. We always had a cow in milk, and with several cows that
created no problem. If I had been a little older and maybe a little
smarter I could have very well been the inventor of VELCRO. After all
the many times of getting slapped beside the head by a cows tail full
of cockle burrs, I should have thought there was really a purpose in
life for them. On a cold morning that will get your attention rather
quickly. We usually had a good supply of milk and milk products and
most always could carry milk to school when the weather was cool, it
would keep until lunch. During this time two of the Pafford children
(Barbara Jinn and Bernard)developed Diabetes, they needed milk and
when they didn't have a cow in milk we would take milk to them on the
bus and someone would meet the bus and get it every morning on our
way to school. That was usually Vera's job she being the oldest.
We all helped with the gardening and field work. When either of us
had to go out to the barn at night, it was always frightful
experience. The barn was about a hundred yards from the house, which
didn't seem very far going but coming back it was miles. While going
out we would always have a light, plus we could look back at the
house and feel secure, but on the way back we never knew what was in
back of us we had no lighted window to help see what was out there in
back of us. Nothing awful ever caught us, but we weren't sure it
wouldn't at the time. In daylight it was just a short stroll when
going to the barn, but at night that was a different situation. Vera,
reminded of this dilemma we faced when necessary to go to the barn at
night. That hundred yards turned into a hundred miles at least. We
had about four plots of land dedicated to garden. We always planted
very big gardens, growing most vegetables that were suited for the
soil in our area. During the times when the season was very wet the
rice and sugar cane did exceptionally well, but when it was dry they
didn't do very well. Some of the vegetables planted would last for a
very short season, others would last for a year or two, such as
collards and other greens. Papa believed in watching the moon and
almanac when planting or transplanting, if the signs were not right
nothing was planted or set out. In the garden by the "Waldron" house
garden, we had collards grow about 6 ft. tall. Mr. Tommy Melton, our
school bus driver, just had to stop and see for himself after we told
him about them. He had never seen such a sight. He kept asking about
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