Fall-Time Memories.

Today is October 1st. The cool nights we are now enjoying and the warm--sometimes HOT----days bring to mind many memories of my years spent on the farm. There was no end to the chores that must be done before the colder days of Winter set in. There was cotton to pick, corn to gather, peanuts to pull, load onto the wagon and haul to the barn, pasture fences to repair and the last of the garden vegetables were harvested, apples were picked, peeled and cut up into small pieces, spread out on a clean towel and placed on the roof of the chicken house in full sun where they stayed for several days until they were dried. We then placed them in bags and made fried apple pies in the Winter time.

My least favorite of all the chores would have to be picking cotton. Imagine, if you can, spending the long days in a "stooped" position, pulling a sack with a strap that fit over your shoulder. When the 12' long sack became full, we then hoisted it upon our shoulder and carried it to the wagon where it was weighed and empied. No wonder my back needed surgery!!!! We often would leave home before daylight, walk for 2 miles, pick cotton until almost dark, walk the 2 miles back home, milk the cows, feed the chickens, fix some food for ourselves (on a wood-burning stove) and finally fall into bed exhausted. The same routine would be repeated day after day all during September and October. We were paid $1.00 per 100 pounds. Few people could pick 100 pounds a day but the few dollars we did make were necessary to buy new shoes and a new coat for the coming Winter. We had no way to earn more money until the next Spring when we would hoe cotton and pick strawberries.

I am thankful for the memories!!! Dortha