With the summer winding down, Jasper and Alice took us to the Fonda fair. Nick and I had never seen bulls being judged, or pigs or pie contests. It was a real country fair. Jasper was telling his fellow farmers about some of his farm adventures with me and Nick. That caused a lot of laughing. We really had a great day.
The time had arrived to harvest the oats. A huge machine called a Thrasher was rented by a group of farmers. It cut the oats and separated them from the chaff. It bagged the oats and blew the chaff into the barn. The farmers went from farm to farm, helping each other; we went to six farms after ours was done. The wives came too and made the most spectacular lunches. It was a lot of work, but also a real, warm, community gathering.
After the oats were in it was time to say goodbye and go back to school. It was a tearful goodbye when the bus came to pick us up, and the memory of that giant man standing there with eyes full of tears will remain with me forever. Nick and I had come to love Jasper and Alice, and we all kept in touch for many years.
Looking Back at the Farm Adventure
Years later, I took my young son and daughter back to the Voorhees farm. Jasper and Alice, who had long since retired, took my kids thru the barn, where they still had a cow and some chickens. Jasper laughed as he told my wife and kids about the antics of Nick and me. It was another tearful goodbye.
Nick was killed in the Korean War. Japer died a few years after our visit, and Alice died three years later. I am sure if there is a farmer's heaven, Jasper is still talking and laughing about the summer of '43. I know I am.
Retiree Jerry Guralsky lives in a senior retiree community in central Florida. He can be reached at Blueg8@aol.com.
What's life like in your retiree community? Share your retiree adventures (or misadventures) with Senior Living readers by emailing seniorliving.guide@about.com.
