On last night's 6 p.m. news there was a story about a farmer in Sheldon who was selling out his cows as part of a program to reduce milk production. He was a man that had farmed all of his life and because the price of milk is now about $3 per hundred less than what it costs to produce it, there is a program that helps farmers sell their cows, to reduce production.
The farmer was very emotional, and rightly so, as a way of life he had always been involved in was disappearing.
I was brought up on a family farm, and was not one of those that chose to remain a farmer, but I saw my father, who was a dedicated farmer, work all of his life taking great pride in his animals, crops and land. Back in 1952, I saw my Dad sell his farm and watch his 60 cows being sold at auction. His 60 cows included only one Jersey Cow that Dad had bought, the rest were all animals he raised. The farm had been purchased by my grandfather in 1895.
As I listened to the farmer on Channel 3 last night, he said he wasn't sure what he was going to do. Well, I can tell you what my Dad did. After he sold the farm he and my mother and younger sister and I moved to a second floor apartment on East Canal Street in Winooski. I got a job in Burlington and Dad got a job working second shift at Tulatex on Pine Street in Burlington. Now this all started in November of 1952. Needless to say, Dad was not that happy with that type of work and about this time of year, in 1953, dad was getting just a bit yancy not doing the usual farming type work.
It was then that he contacted John Reed, a Real Estate Agent in Colchester, who brought us first down to Hinesburg to look at a small bare farm there, but that did not appeal to him. The second place he showed us was a bare, 70 acre farm located here on the Fletcher Road. There were two large Tamarack Trees in the front yard and it was on a quiet peaceful dirt road about two miles from the village. We all fell in love with the place and Dad & Mother decided right then and there that they would spend the $4,500 and buy it. Dad purchased 8 cows and a brand new Farmall Cub Tractor from McGovern's in Cambridge along with some attachments and a manure spreader. Dad was Happy Again doing what he loved to do and as for us kids, well we were very happy too, especially to see him and my mother happy in their new home. They didn't have a lot of money, but they were in a place they loved and Dad was doing something he loved to do.
It is just so sad to see our family farms vanishing as for those that love that type of work, not only does it provide them with a great way of life, but provides the much needed necessities we all need.
If you would like to read the segment from last night on Channel 3, just click on the link below: