—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, May 7 1977 56 By DIETER KRIEG Some of the dearest recollections I have of my life on the farm involve my grandmother and grandfather. They were exceptional people -- a quality which can easily be illustrated by mentioning that even at their respective ripe ages of 87 and 92, they were still travelling across the ocean. Many people dare not un dertake such an adventure at 60 or 70 years of age. For them to travel the great distances between America and Germany during their latest years is just one indication of their hardiness and good health. They're qualities, I suspect, which were fortified by their many years of life on the farm. My grandfather - affectionately called “Opa" by all in the family - was an octogenarian by several years already when my father purchased his own farm. My grandmother was close to it. Nevertheless, a day didn't pass that they didn’t provide significant help with the farming operation. Opa was always up with the sun -- rain or shine, Summer or Winter. He'd occupy himself with anything from feeding heifers and chopping wood, to digging fencepost holes and carrying milk. Meanwhile, Oma helped out in the garden and kitchen. By lunchtime they both had in teresting stories to tell. Oma might remark on how swiftly the asparagus was growing, while Opa told of his observations in the heifer pasture while he was repairing fences. The' world wasn’t old to either of them. They found their surroundings in teresting and it kept them young, I’m sure. Both kept active to “keep from " getting rusty," they said. Chores as we know them were never chores to Opa. Rather, they were pleasure and delight. At times, I believe, they were even a privilege for him as there wasn’t anything he seemed to dislike more than doing nothing. That’s not to say he didn’t rest. Nearly every day Oma and Opa would sit on the front porch awhile, with our dog “Shep" at their side. They were as relaxed and content as gentle breezes combing through the trees on the lawn. Always welcoming somebody they could talk to, their company was equally appreciated by all younger members of the family. Opa dug hundreds of fencepost holes by hand; he fixed fences nearly every pasturing season; he carried up to two tons of milk to the milkhouse per day; he cleaned up the premises whenever he could; he walked across snow-covered fields to feed youngstock at a second farm and he found delight and satisfaction in it all. What’s more, both he and Oma were the type of grandparents a person can’t help but love dearly. And their love for their grandchildren was just as strong. I’ll never forget those years of life on the farm when Oma and Opa were with us. CURTISS Distributors and Dealers Serving Your Area: Bemville, Pa. 19506 John Bidder 717-866-6867 Elverson, PA 19520 Mert Stroble 215-286-9173 Franklin, NJ 07416 Robert Kitchen 201-827-4659 Hamburg, PA 19526 Oouf Lesher -- 215-562-3206 Lebanon, PA 17042 Lynford Knssmger 717-272-6824 LMsport, PA 19533 Bill Hart 215-926-2465 Lundell, PA 19354 Wm Downing 215 942-2688 McVeytown, PA 17051 James Swigart 717-899-7372 Manheim, PA 17545 Cliff Gibble 717-665-4252 Mifflinburg, PA 17844 Dave Dietrich 717-966-2438 Mifffintown, PA 17059 John Zendt 717-436 6386 Millville, PA 17846 Don Harding 717-458-5367 Philfipsbun. Ni 08865 Wm, Shandor 215 253-2773 Poyntelle, PA 16454 Duane Giles 717-448-2911 Quarryville, PA 17569 Carl Boyan 717-786 2645 Schwenkesviße, PA 19473 Wm Shamlme 215-287-6500 Stewartstown, PA 17363 Marvin Joines 717-993-2281 Sunbuiy, PA 17S01 Wilfred Deppen 717-286-7290 Towanda, PA ISB4B Chas Robbins 717-265-5026 BREEDING CITTLE FOR YOUR NEXT GENERATION
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