#52 Ancestors Challenge 2019 - Week 1, First Farm

#52 Ancestors Challenge 2019 - Week #1
Prompt:  First

 The First Forde Farm

The Rev. Dr. Cynthia Forde

It was a stellar day on the Fourth of July, 1965.  The Forde family, four kids, and their parents were wild with excitement, clamoring to ride past the new farm; the contract was signed on purchasing their first home, a 100-acre farm 2.5 miles southwest of Elk Horn, Iowa.  Twelve pairs of eyeballs were wide-eyed,  taking in rich, green fields, cheery red farm buildings:  a corn crib, large barn, machine shed, chicken house, a fine masonry hog house, and the charming Cape Cod brick house that would become home with the arrival of March first, 1966.  But this was the Fourth of July, not Sunday; on this day, they opted to ask the sellers, Andrew and Elsie Soll, if they could walk the corn fields.  Stan held two-year-old Jon high in the air, and Cynthia and the girls held onto Scott. The air was excited as they traipsed down the rows of knee-high corn. 

Every Sunday after church for several months after that, Stan, Cynthia, Roxanne, Julie, Scott, and Jon stopped at the Dairy Queen and drove very, very, very slowly past the farm.  The slow Sunday drive past the farm continued most Sundays for an additional nine months until the moving day arrived on March first, 1966. The Solls had purchased the farm in 1964 and quickly listed it for sale in the spring of 1965 because Mrs. Soll wasn’t happy with the move. The land contract for the one hundred acre farm was signed in June of 1965 with a whopping $14,500 down payment on the $38,500 purchase price. Mr. Soll had seller’s remorse, and he wanted out of the sale by offering a significant cash incentive. The Fordes turned the offer down. Hence, Mr. Soll wasn’t willing to move one day ahead of the March closing date.  The Dairy Queen sold a lot of ice cream cones on Sundays. 

The big day arrived, March first, 1966, and the Forde Family moved. Wanda Wines, a neighbor whose parents built the charming 1600-square-foot home, and Cynthia, with their respective station wagons, moved most of the contents of the Forde’s rental property to the new house.  The heavy furniture and appliances were moved that evening, but not in time to cook dinner. 

Roxanne remembers Grandpa and Grandma Forde fed them cereal for dinner. The children undoubtedly thought it was the best-tasting cereal ever.  Jon remembers the new cookie jar, a fat monk, with the inscription, “Thou Shalt Not Steal,” was filled with cookies just for the occasion.  And that wood-grained toilet brush looked mighty grand! 

It is not too surprising that the family of six, plus grandparents, discovered 1600 square feet, including the unfinished basement, was too small. Plans were made to buy a mobile home for the grandparents so they could live on the farm and help with farming.  By May of 1966, a perfect trailer home was found, which helped the space shortage.  Gradually, the basement rooms were paneled, and needed closets were built. Julie’s bedroom was the small former fruit room next to the furnace. The large open space was divided, creating a bedroom for Scott and a laundry room.   Jon and Roxanne had the upstairs bedrooms, and closets and drawers were built into the eaves in each room.  For four years, it was still crowded, but powerful memories were made!  And then there was Paul!  A new baby was born in January of 1969.  Jon joined Scott in the basement bedroom while a crib was set up in the upstairs west bedroom.  

Every square inch of space was utilized, including the furnace room turned into an office. It was extremely crowded.  Now what?   with a farm, you don't just sell the farm and move to a bigger house! While an addition was sorely needed, finances did not support any such plan.   The company’s road construction projects ground to a halt. Cynthia raised purebred dogs to help with finances, but the airlines had a long strike, and puppies could not be shipped for months.  Finally, in 1974, it was determined to sell some of the lands and build a three-story addition on the west side of the house. 

Memories of the First Forde Farm to be continued by the Forde Children.