num_pages: 251
description: Pioneers turned the Great Plains from a desert of grass into some of the best farms in the world. This is one story amongst the thousands. A young Norwegian man in a strange land gambled his future on becoming a successful American homestead farmer. It could only happen if he somehow persuaded the reluctant Norwegian girl he loved to leave her cherished country for America and marry him. Her coming was never a sure thing because unlike Norway the Great Plains had no beautiful trees no mountains only scant rain and brutal winters. Like so many he came alone and didn't speak a word of English. He worked on his aunts farm to learn this new prairie farming. He was building up enough to start his own farm and pay for his sweetheart to come to North Dakota. Settling the wild prairie frontier was hard heartbreaking and even fatal for too many. You needed more than hard work to keep from failure while trying to turn 160 acres of buffalo grass and rocks into wheat fields and pastures full of cows and horses. They worked sweated bled cried and prayed while breaking the virgin sod hoping for a bountiful wheat harvest to pay for it all. They learned most of it the hard way enduring tragic prairies fires children's deaths deadly illnesses drought loss of neighbors invasions of grasshoppers and bank failures. They eked out success because they were young strong stubborn and never lost their spirit sometimes scraping by when others gave up. They were typical of the hard working humble but proud pioneers Settling the Wild Prairie.
language: None
title: Settling the Wild Prairie: Author of Homesteaders Hopes
publisher: None