The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1927-08-10
Possibilities of Rural Home
Great Says Mrs. G. w. BeluiLle

look of pity and contempt that cross
ed her face as she expressed pity for
me, at the same time making the pre-
diction that 1 would not last two sea-
sons on the farm.
This poor woman and her viewpoint
furnished us with an ideal and we
mutually resolved that we would make
of Sunny Crest Farm a spot of which
people would say, eff l had a home
like that would love to live in the
country"
Our first act the following spring
was to enclose with an unobstrusive
fence a portion for lawn and a gen.
erous tract of ground for a vegetable
and flower garden. Then we began
to plant, plant, and often, sad to say,
to replant, trees, shrubs, vines, grass,
and flowers, annual and perennial.
We determined to utilize whenever
possible the wild things growing
about US, those accustomed to this
soil and climate, using many vines
for quick shade and not too many
trees, for we wanted sunshine to have
a chance at our domicile. Our neigh
bors were kind to us and generously
shared their treasures of roots and
shrubs, and we found that few dol
lars would buy a wealth of flower
and garden seeds. We resolved new
er to hire anything done that we
could accomplish by our own efforts,
and to make our heads and hands
save our pocketbooks whenever prac-
tical but to spend judiciously when
we found it necessary to add to the
tout ensemble of that spot we call
our home.
The senior member is very ingeni-
Gus and constructive and spends his
spare moments building all sorts Of
things. Our lily pool, our arbors, our
pretty lawn seats all are of his handi-
work. The junior member of the firm
is not gifted with constructiveness,
but is past mistress at giving advice
upon all subjects, including carpentry,
gardening, birdhouse construction, or
concrete work. The combination
works well.
And all this planting, every tree,
shrub and vine, is the work of two
pairs of hands; even the farm now
fenced and cross-fenced without the
employment of day of outside labor.
But let me add that planting and
building fence do not represent all the
labor, for this is real farm where
all the farm processes go on. Live
stock and poultry are kept, milking
done, hay cut and put away in season,
rotation looked after, and all daily
chores attended to.
Let me say here, lest some may
think otherwise, that fully realize
that the average farmer with his null
tiplicity of tasks cannot spend much
time building arbors and pergolas or
constructing lily pools. These may
not be for him; but for such as do
desire to beautify the country land
scape at small expense of time and
money, but few attributes are ne
cessary and easily attainable.
The greatest charm that a home
can have, whether it be a mansion,
lowly cottage or humble farmstead,
is perfect neatness inside the house
aid in the surroundings. That alone
will make any place palace. An
other is lovely bluegrass, which
grows abundantly everywhere in the
fertile soil of Minnesota. Anyone in
the country can have grass. Paint is
also great beautifier and the cheap
est improvement one can make.
A farm home neatly painted and
having a set of green grass, a few
trees, garden near by in which are
growing vegetables and few annual
flowers, will make homsite that is
a most attractive spot, and pleasing
picture for the eye to rest upon. The
woodbine and wild grapevine found
growing along most country road
sides furnish vines that may be had
Tor the digging.
Perhaps the present land deflation
will have one advantage in that there
will be less temptation to add to the
acreage, and instead farmers will
spend the surplus, if any occurs, in
adding those accessories that make
the farm home comfortable and beau
tiful.
have gone into details especially
for the benefit of the one class on the
farm for whom / feel have real
message. / refer to those married
pairs whose families are reared who
have reached middle life or more, who
desire to still continue to reside amid
the surroundings they have learned to
love through years of association, and
because of the companionship of low
ed neighbors and friends, yet are not
able to continue the actual
work of the present-day farm. So
many such move to town or the city,
there to stagnate and die of dry rot.
Instead, why not retire on the
farm? Turn over the active manage
ment and the big house to younger
hands and, choosing some view-com-
knoll or other favored spot,
build there a modern cottage or bun
galow, not too large, but modern in
every detail, and starting out like a.
pair of newly weds, evolve a home