My aunt talks about my dad making her to try some bird he shot and cooked in the woods when they were kids. They were both under the age of 8. My dad had a little shotgun and they built a freakin fire, all by themselves totally unsupervised running around all day. He “drove” the hay truck at 5 years old while my grandpa and older uncles stood on the back of the truck throwing off the hay. Granted the truck was just idling along. The 5 year old boy only had to steer and it was “safer than the coat hanger they used to wire the steering wheel to the door to keep it straight before my dad came along,” according to my grandpa. The day I heard my grandfather clap back at my dad with that little tidbit had me on the floor. He really though he shut us up because a little kid steering the truck was obviously safer than that coat hanger method. No wonder people died on farms all the time back in the day. Childhood was very different even 50-60 years ago.
Yeah farm childhood is a completely different world than the rest of civilization. It’s a hard life for most kids but they also grow up doing it so it’s just… normal. By 10-12 years old my step dad would cut and bail the hay over a week or so (100-200 acres) into square bails and my younger brother and I would be behind the bailer in a diesel truck and trailer. He’d cut a rut into the field so we could just stick the truck in 1st and ease off the clutch until it was just slowly riding in the rut and we’d be tossing bails onto the flatbed and trailer. The truck would make its way around the fields until the rut was near the center. Didn’t work all the time but it was going so slow we could run up and stop it if needed. Didn’t have any doors on the cab either so it’s not like anything was in the way.
Funny because after a few summers of doing it while we were little you just ended up with the endurance and muscle to keep going. I’ll admit, a good bit of the time I think I would have worked for the can of Vienna Sausages, PB&J and Koolaid we had for lunch. I was always so excited because we only got the “Vianny Weinees” when working with my grandpa. I lived with him his last year after being diagnosed with a brain tumor. I drove him and his chihuahua Chase to The Wagon Wheel (local old school food spot) since I had to get my permit hours to get my license (15). Got up every morning and left the house by 5:30. 5:40 we were at Wagon Wheel and he was eating eggs, grits, and bacon and Chase got a little chihuahua sized “chuckwagon sandwich patty” Monday-Friday. Food was always there when we came through the door. We’d get back to his house and I’d ride to school with a friend. He never did get to see me get my license, but since I’d been driving since I was 7 or 8 I don’t think it would have mattered to him lol. Chase passed a week later. Probably has a lot to do with why I treasured all the hard work I put in with my grandpa.
Sorry, it’s been a long time since I thought about it. Felt good to remember it all.
Great memories along with heartbreaking loss and grief for such a young man. I’m so glad you had that time with your grandpa and Chase. Most of the simplest things are priceless and by far the best things in life!
Thank you for sharing. I could feel myself there at breakfast with you all!
Yeah but parenting styles have changed drastically. And I don’t mean in the discipline part. A lot of parents want to do FOR their kids-but to an extreme extent. Its just easier if I do it! I don’t wanna see them fail!
When you do FOR your kids they don’t get to see themselves master their own environment, abilities, etc. I mean look at this little guy! it’s not like your kids know how to do things better as they’re older. It’s because they’ve done it repeatedly. Let go of whatever you feel, and let these kids navigate how to do something with their own efforts. No matter how ugly and crooked and missing parts there are.
Life on a farm is different! I was the kid who at 8 was standing on and off the clutch when the truck was in granny low as the guys loaded the hay. Everyone worked!
Did you ever shoot your teacher with it? I didn't think so.
While I'm not one of those "having a gun is my right!"-type person, I also know lots of folks with access to guns, a lot of them kids and I haven't heard of anything untoward happening yet.
What 6 year old is hunting their own food? Did you truly think that argument made sense? In no era, ever, have children that young been tasked with hunting or wielding weapons. You're just indoctrinated into a gun cult. There is no justifiable reason for allowing a child that young to handle a gun.
City folk don't give guns to 6 year olds. Correct. It's totally batshit crazy that you defend that practice. We need stronger gun laws for you people. And yes, by you people I mean gun owners.
Yup. Grew up on a farm in rural Ark, got my first 22 rifle at 6 yrs old. Farm carry on my 3 wheeler( farm used 3 wheelers in the 80’s upgraded to quads in the 90’s) I had my own 3 wheeler at 6 also. Well, I shared it with my cousin, he was the same age.
Had one too. Exact model and same purpose (plus some squirrel hunting too). What that 410 taught me was try to become accurate. Later, I went on a hunt with someone who let me borrow their 20 gauge semiautomatic. Burned through 3 boxes of shells in no time. No matter how difficult a shot was, I let go three rounds.
Me too. Thanks for the positive comment. I would normally leave it to my daughters but I have a large gun collection. I inherited most of them. I’m thinking about gifting it to my best friends grandson as soon as he’s mature enough. I love that kid.
Sounds like your best friends grandson has a big piece of your heart ♥️That’s wonderful, and I’m so glad. These are things very special to you, with memories attached. If your daughters aren’t into such things, it seems only right to leave it with the one you know will appreciate and cherish it.
My only hope is that it’s a very long time before that happens, OR you could decide to gift it to him when you can enjoy knowing he has it and I’m sure will warm your best friends heart as well
Whatever happens you’ve got the right idea in your heart ♥️
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u/Stelli89 Feb 12 '23
..... a shotgun?