Page 10 - North Haven Magazine Issue 19 Summer 2021

A FARMER’SARMER’S
A F by Susan A. Iverson
MEMORIES
MEMORIES

Part II - A Farmer’s Life

I hope you enjoyed the first part of this two-part series about the Brocketts and Arrowdale
Farm. There were so many charming stories in Richard Brockett’s written memories that I
have chosen a few to share with you in this second part.

Richard Brockett recorded his memories of to complete tasks that required lots of hands,
life on Arrowdale Farm, from his childhood like corn husking bees. Brockett recalled
to his retirement and beyond. Much of his how large groups would gather to husk a
reminiscing focused on chores; he recalled farm’s corn harvest, and a few “red ears” were
having to load firewood into a bin every thrown into the pile. The person who found
morning before school (he hated that job!). a red ear then had to kiss a person of his / her
The family home used wood for heating and choice! Work was hard but farming families Richard Brockett at Arrowdale Farm
his mother used a wood-fired range for cook- like the Brocketts made it enjoyable.
ing, heating water, and ironing clothes, so
wood getting was a constant chore. Among Reliable transportation was critical to the cess adequate space to support dairying. As
his other duties were keeping ice in the ice farms and roads were few in early North Ha- Richard and the rest of the family looked on,
box, milking cows, and taking them to and ven, so farmers sometimes built their own. the cows were loaded into cattle transports
from pastures, and cleaning the stables. The Many were “corduroy” roads, so called be- for their long trip. Herman and Paul Neubig,
family also raised most of the food they used; cause they were made by smoothing a path always there before, were present to help load
he remembered bringing grain to the grist over which trees were laid side to side with the cows and say goodbye. Richard reflect-
mill to be ground into flour, eggs gathered a top dressing of dirt. Horse-powered carts ed that it was a hard life; only worked eight
from their hens and stored in water glass in made their way through mud, snow, and ice days a week with two days off per year! But
the cellar, fruits and vegetables canned by his all year long. Because farmers like the Brock- he also acknowledged that it was a good life,
mother, and home-grown pork, sausage, ham, etts had the know-how and equipment, the especially for kids – no time to get into mis-
and bacon. All this was before electricity was town often hired them to clear heavy snow chief. As he so wisely pointed out, “Farmers
available and paved roads were the norm. from the side roads or make muddy stretch- today still make a hard living, and not neces-
es more passable. Richard’s father was hired sarily a decent one. People should thank their
for several years to maintain the town’s side lucky stars there are still farmers.” And so, we
roads – he would use a team of horses and should thank our farmers for the bounty they
a steel road drag with two blades to smooth continue to provide us. Visit a local stand –
the roads as the spring mud began to dry. He there are several still here in town – buy their
took great pride in the finished product! products and support them as they have sup-
ported us.
Aside from growing crops and raising live-
stock, farmers contributed greatly to the
well-being of a community. The Brockett
farmers were no exception. In addition to
Brockett Barn with Windmill running the farm, Richard acted as substitute
air raid warden during World War II. His
brother, also a farmer in North Haven, volun-
Each season on the Brockett’s farm brought teered to collect and deliver milk weed pods
many tasks to be completed. Besides prepar- gathered by the county’s children. The pods
ing the land, planting, and harvesting there were used by the military to stuff the life-sav-
was weeding, animals to care for, cows to be ing vests of airplane crews and ship personnel Arrowdale Farm venue for farm to
milked, and transportation of goods to be ac- when supplies of the usual stuffing became
complished. Everyone in the family, as well unavailable due to wartime rationing. When- table dinner
as hired men, worked together to get it done. ever severe weather blocked roads, farmers My sincerest thanks to North Haven Memo-
Often neighbors contributed their efforts would be the ones clearing fallen trees or rial Library’s online research tools, particu-
as well. Richard wrote about the times that shoveling heavy snow so that everyone could larly for the local newspaper archives. Also,
the Neubig family helped the Brocketts, and pass. It seemed to me that farming families thanks to the archives of the North Haven
vice-versa. When the Neubig’s barn caught brought an element of family to the commu- Historical Society. Richard Brockett’s essays
fire, the Brocketts and others got the cows nity. there recalling his days as a farmer are in-
out of the barn and into the pasture, but the valuable; if your family has reminiscences
cows still had to be milked. Folks herded As farm profits shrank and land became like these, please consider sharing them.
the cows to the Brockett’s farm, where both scarce, the hard decision to move the farm
Neubig and Brockett cows were milked for was made. Richard had retired and his son
the next three months until a new barn was Ted ran Arrowdale Farm. Ted bought land
built. Farm families also gathered seasonally in upstate New York, where farms could ac-

10 North Haven Magazine - Summer Issue 2021