Life on the Tom Brakebill farm meant days of hard work for everyone, but, at the same time, was filled with many fond memories.
Land had been purchased at the end of World War I when land and interest were high. When the bottom fell out in ’29 it was difficult to eke out a living while making payments on the land. Thus it was very difficult to live until higher prices and a bumper crop followed World War II.
Field work was done with single row plows and other implements drawn by horses or mules. Tom couldn’t afford to hire help - nor would he have been pleased, so Dearie (his oldest daughter) became his other plow hand - an excellent one, in fact. As other kids became old enough, they joined the labor force in the fields according to the season. They chopped and hoed corn and cotton. They urged the team on as the grain was being cut and then shocked the bundles of grain until thrashing time.
While all this farm labor was going on, chores around the house were always in order. Mules and horses must be fed and cows (usually around seven or more) had to be milked before breakfast - seven days a week the year around. This task had to be repeated late each evening. It mattered not that the temperature was zero or that rain or snow was falling. While this was going on, Tom’s wife, Zora, was cooking hot biscuits made from scratch, oatmeal and a cup of hot water. The type of meat, gravy and eggs would vary.
The family didn’t realize that times were hard, as everyone else in the community lived the same way - only many with much less. There was always good food bought with the eggs and homemade butter that were sold at the grocery store weekly. Community parties were frequent. When a party was announced, everyone who heard about it went. Invitations and refreshments were not expected (no weight problems either).
