We live on the farm Terry’s Grandfather created…Misty and her family live on the other part of our farm which was started by Terry’s Great Grandfather on his Mother’s side. (We purchased the farm from the estate many, many moons ago.)
The first photo shows the roses that Meta planted way, way, before my time. Those same roses must be 95 years old now. They are sweet smelling and every so short lived. I adore them.
Meta planted them on the side of the Tile House…the house you see behind them. We call it the Tile House because the whole little house is made from tiles.
When the Tile House was created this farm, the one we live on, was a farm and a Dairy. It was the only Dairy for the town of Delta.
In the Tile House Meta, and daughters, Benita, and Sally washed up the many, many milk bottles and cream bottles, which were filled with rich, lovely whole milk and delivered early in the morning or late in the evening twice a day.
Also, in the Tile House a milk cooler and a cap and bottler shared space with the cleaning tubs. Out in the barn, B.J., and sons, Jack (Terry’s Dad), and Kenneth milked, fed the cows. Then hauled the milk into the Tile House. (Remember this was all done by hand.)
In the the Tile House the milk was first filtered, then poured into the cooler, next into the separator for cream, and skimmed milk. then capped and bottled. The whole milk was just filtered and cooled and capped and bottled.
The wagons were loaded and off the boys would go delivering milk to the residents of Delta. Once in town they would leave the milk and pick up the empty bottles —Benita said some of those bottles were nasty, nasty, nasty…others were washed and cleaned– sometimes with little thank you notes inside. The cash for the milk products was always attached to a little envelope waiting with the empty bottles. Benita said, “It was rare that people didn’t pay and Father had to make the trip to town to visit with those who owed.”
Left to right—as I think I know them: Sally and her husband Bud, the tall son of Sally and Bud in the back, right in front of the tall son is (I think) Meta, then B.J. with his arms around Terry. Next to B.J. is Terry’s Dad, Jack, and another son of Sally and Bud. Right next to Terry is his best -friend and brother Roger and on the other side is his adored little sister, Carolyn.
The house they are standing in front of is the house we live in today. It also looks pretty much the same. 🙂
Of the years that I have lived here we have had the special gifts of older people telling us that they remember when Mr. Brown delivered their milk to them, or how Mr. Brown and his sons would willingly give you a free lift to town on the milk wagon so you could get groceries then taking you back home.
Benita told us that when Father found out about a little family who lost their Dad in a horse and wagon accident and couldn’t afford to have milk…he would drop off a bottle or two as a little surprise. Never asking for money…just saying: “Oh, I had extra today. If I didn’t let you have it I would have to pour it out.”
I always think of these little stories when I go into the Tile House, or even just glance at it out of the corner of my eye. It really is the little acts we perform every day that eventually creates giants.
A farmer’s wife on a farm in Delta, Colorado
Linda
what sweet heritage. 🙂
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Great post! I really enjoyed reading it. How wonderful that the rose still survives.
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Wonderful story! I love to hear the history of a place. Thanks for sharing!
-Lori
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What a special story. I love that your family has so much history there.
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Wonderful post Linda. I love this about farming – how one generation gives way to the next and yet the working of the land continues unabated.
Interesting what you say about getting four crops of hay per year if you are lucky. Do you not make silage like we do over here?
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What a legacy you and Terry have. How lucky for your family that you keep the flame alive.
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Thank you for these wonderful stories and photos. It sounds as if earlier generations of the Browns were as caring as the current generations.
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What lovely memories the tile house brings back. I love the roses. My grandmother had one of those bloom once a year ramblers.
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Lovely story. It’s so nice how you have embraced and kept Terry’s family history. Isn’t life, just regular ol’ life interesting! Thanks for sharing.
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This is what makes things keep going round and round.
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Brought a tear to my eye! Such a beautiful story. I love to hear stories fromCameron’s dad, Jake. He was born in the house he’s still in 75 years ago. Jakes grandfather built the house. Such awesome stories. I sit and listen to them all day, over and over. Priceless.
Cheri
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Oh, I loved the little story of leaving the milk for the family who couldn’t afford it. Sounds like my own grandfather who often did things like that. So nice to have that family history right under your feet!
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And that’s where the expression “The milk of human kindness” comes from…
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I bet that milk was a lot better for you than the milk you get in stores now. And I bet no one got sick from it, either.
What a wonderful history you have. ♥
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This is a WONDERFUL piece Linda.. these photos .. amazing.. all that milk.. speaking of which it is almost milking time for me.. do you still have some of the old milk bottles? and the crates?.. c
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A really lovely piece of family history to read. What kind and hardworking people they were. That beautiful rosebush (as well as the buildings) are truly wonderful daily reminders of them. Thanks for sharing that story 🙂
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Family stories are so fascinating, especially the ones that leave a rich legacy and help to establish roots, including for roses. Thank you for sharing slices of your family heritage.
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What a wonderful story. It brings a new twist to the tern “giants” in such a positive way. I can only hope to leave acts of goodness and kindness in such a way someone would want to tell others about it. Thanks for sharing.
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Beautiful post, Linda 🙂 You guys are so blessed to be able to live in and with such loving history. The roses are just gorgeous! (I am still amazed by your humming bird feeders)
)) hugs(((
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What a wonderful piece of your personal history. Thank you so much for sharing. I swear, I can smell those roses.
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What an awesome post, Linda – and a wonderful heritage too. What do you and Terry use the Tile House for now?
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Thanks Linda. I enjoy all your posts and this one was extra special.
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Lovely, interesting post! Such history…
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I love the roses! And the old photos! so nice to have connections to the place you live.
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Stories like that are priceless both because they are interesting and also because they become part of your family’s heritage. Looks like great pioneers. I’m looking forward to seeing all that first hand.
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You are so lucky to have the memories and I love the rose bushes. What a wonderful family. The pictures reminded me of long ago family reunions….thanks for sharing. This piece made my day!
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What a wonderful history your family has.
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How wonderful that you are keeping the family history alive! My family history is sort of fading. My parents never told stories for some reason and they are now both dead. I wonder if living on property that used to belong to family is what keeps the stories alive??
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