Growing up, we lived on a once thriving Wisconsin dairy farm. By the time we moved there (about 1950), it had not been farmed for a long while. The buildings were mostly empty, except for the one stall in the lower barn where we kept "Cookie", our pinto pony. A lean to on the granary had a rusty old, steel lugged Minneapolis Moline tractor sinking into the dirt floor. Daddy had stuff stored here and there, which provided more fodder for our fertile little minds!
The old barn, granary, chicken coupe and spring house were some of the greatest imagination stimulants a bunch of kids could have. The huge dairy barn was wide open. There were ropes to play Tarzan on, swinging from beam to beam, or landing in the hay loft. The old silo had long since collapsed with age, but the concrete foundation was easily fitted with a makeshift roof and provided a great fort or dungeon as the need arose. The barn served as a venue for many childhood fantasies. A circus tent one day, it could just as easily be a king's castle, broadway stage or rodeo arena the next.
Animals, too, found the deserted
sheds attractive. Every time we entered, dozens of pigeons would head
for the windows and doors, fleeing from our innocent threat to find
safe refuge on the roof. It seemed we were always finding a 'coon or
'possum or stray cat hiding on top of the stone walls where they met
the wood floor
from above. Our dog, "Lucky" would sniff them out and alert us,with
frantic barking, that danger lurked up there. Sure enough. Our
inspection would reveal a pair of yellow eyes staring back at us.
Warned of the dangers of rabies and sharp teeth, we gave these critters
a wide berth.
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Those old buildings are long gone, first the granary, then the barn were dismantled. I can remember hours of labor pulling nails, sorting and stacking those boards! In 1959 we moved into a new home. Much of the sheathing on the floors, walls, and roof were boards salvaged from these structures.
My sister still lives in that home and I like to think that the heart of that old farm still beats there.
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All page contents and photos Copyright 2009 by Richard "Andi" Landsee, All Rights Reserved.
