Be Aware of New York Agriculture 2007 Winners
Grade 5
Writing Project: " New York Agriculture "
Maximum length: 500 words
An original titled fact or fictional creative story related to New York agriculture in a positive way.
1st Place - Rhoda Marshall, Otto, NY
Down on a Farm
Down in Cattaraugus, New York, there was a farm. And on that farm was a farm boy named Toby Hark. Now, Toby had a “Ma” and a “Pa,” a sister named Annie, a brother named Ronald, and even a best friend, Walter McGovern.
Toby helped out on the farm whenever he could, planting the seeds, fertilizing the crops, cultivating the fields, harvesting the crops, getting the eggs from the chickens, feeding the cows, chickens, pigs, sheep, and the horses. Toby had lots of jobs, but, he loved the outdoors and caring for animals.
In the spring, Toby’s Pa let him have a part of the field to plant on. Toby used the share wisely and planted corn. Walter sometimes helped Toby with the corn, since he was a farm boy too, but Walter also had to work on his farm, growing yummy apples, tomatoes, lettuce, and green beans. But, what Walter loved was late winter into early spring. That’s because it was the time when he collected maple syrup from the farm’s maple trees.
But, one year, something awful happened. Spring wouldn’t come. But let’s back up to summer. Farmer Hark was hard at work working on the field, tilling the crops. Toby worked hard, too, taking care of the animals, making sure they had enough water to drink. Toby’s mother was teaching Annie how to sew. Ronald was helping his Pa with watering the crops.
Soon, it was harvest time. Toby started harvesting his corn. Most of the corn was ready to be picked and checked by Toby’s mother, and then sold. There was a lot of hay for the winter, food for the family, and enough products to sell for some extra money. Winter would be coming soon.
Winter came in November, and the Hark family was ready. The snow came down softly at first, but then it came down harder and harder towards Christmas time. For Christmas, each of the children got some candy from Ma and Pa, a sewn handkerchief from Annie, some carrots from Ronald, and everyone got some sweet honey from Toby. It was a snowy and joyful Christmas.
February came, and then March. The snow was still on the ground, not melting. There were some problems: Spring wasn’t here, the water pipes were frozen, so
everyone had to drink milk, and the animals had the water. Another problem was that the animals’ feed was running out.
April came and the feed did run out. Thankfully, Farmer McGovern had so much food, he let the Hark family have half of his. That was one problem solved. But soon, May came. So, since it was May, Annie decided to go outside. When she was outside, she saw something. It was a robin.
Soon spring came again. Just as the animals became parched, the water pipes were working again. And, it turns out, New York products were wanted everywhere because the food is fabulous! And there was never a winter that long again!
2nd Place - Adele Schenk, Delevan, NY
Pearl and Me
Having Pearl as a pet would never have happened if it weren’t for her stubborn Mom. Pearl has an older brother and their Mom took a liking to him. So, I became her Mom.
I’m Rose and Pearl is my bottle lamb. I feed Pearl with milk replacer and an old baby bottle. She wears a diaper and even walks to town with me. I take her on a leash. Pearl sleeps in a laundry basket with some old blankets in it. The basket is next to my bed. My Mom thinks it’s cute for Pearl to follow me around, but Dad thinks it’s ridiculous.
Pearl and I had a pretty long day today. We had to go do some errands in town and a few other things. But first I had to feed her. This was the first of her four feedings for the day. I mixed milk replacer and warm water in the bottle. I shook it up and held it while she drank. After she was done, I rinsed the bottle out and hooked her leash onto her collar. I grabbed my raincoat, in case it rained, then ran out the door with Pearl at my heels. We ran down the road to town, and then stopped at the grocery store. After we caught our breath, we went inside. I got milk, bread, cheese, yogurt, and napkins. I went up to the cash register and paid for the things. Then we headed to the post office to drop some letters off for Mom. Then we headed home.
When we got there, I put the groceries away and made another bottle for Pearl. After she was done I told Mom I was going to the car shop to see Dad as I put Pearl in her basket. Against her will, she had to stay home.
“Okay” Mom replied. “Be careful.”
“I will,” I answered.
When I got home at four p.m., I ran to say hello to Pearl. She kicked up her heels when she saw me. Then, making sure I was following, she headed for the kitchen, where I made her a bottle. Afterwards, she followed as I headed upstairs.
Halfway up I met Mom. “Hello, honey,” she said.
“Hi, Mom,” I replied.
“Pearl probably needs her diaper changed,” she continued. “I changed it at about three p.m.”
“Okay” I replied, walking the rest of the way up the stairs.
When I got to my room, I grabbed a diaper and changed Pearl. While she wiggled, I put an old T-shirt on her to keep her warm. She fussed a lot.
She always fusses when I changed her diaper, too.
After supper, I fed Pearl her last bottle and put her to bed. Being her Mom is hard, but in two weeks she will be going out to the barn and in five weeks she won’t need me to feed her a bottle at all. It’s all part of being a sheep Mom.
3rd Place - Lexi Ploetz, East Otto, NY
Agriculture, Sweet Agriculture
Part One: Country
Down in their snug cabin in Cattaraugus, the year 1933, lived the Smith family, preparing for a day of hard work.
“Vanessa,” Tally called, “Elizabeth, breakfast’s ready!” “Coming, Ma,” they cried. Their father, Timothy, was already up and roaming about the farm. First he had to make sure the stock was all right and feed them. (The Smiths had two dairy cows, some chickens, and pigs.) Later, his girls would help him weed the fields. His wife used to help, but she was nearing delivery with her third child.
After breakfast, the girls hurried down to the silage and haylidge fields. They needed to keep these fields weeded to live. It had been that way for a long time. Even though it was the Great Depression, it didn’t have any effect on the Smiths. You see, they grew all of their food in gardens: tomatoes, lettuce, all of the vegetables. Their cows, pigs and chickens provided their family with meat and milk. It was really important to tend to the gardens and animals. It was their only food supply, especially for baby Zeke.
Once the morning chores were done, they weeded the garden. They had to be careful to only pull up weeds. Plants like carrots were hard to tell apart. They tended to the lettuce, tomatoes, zucchini, and beans. Earlier in the year they checked the buckets in the trees for maple syrup. They checked the buckets while they were cutting fire wood, which kept them warm all winter long. All year they would churn milk from their cows.
After dinner it was time for bed, they had to wake early to start the day over again.
Part Two: City
Meanwhile, in their dreary apartment, the Johnson family was just waking up.
“Tim, is there any food for the twins?” Natalie asked. ‘Tm afraid not,” Timothy replied, “But I’ll scrounge for food in the garbage bins in the neighborhood.” Dalton and Daria were eavesdropping and groaned because of their hunger. They had no money and thus, had no food and no heat.
They snuggled down on their bed to try to keep warm. But even as cold and hungry as they were now they knew once the baby was born there would be even less food.
Dalton and Daria usually started every day by making up fantasies about food. Usually they had to stop because the twins knew it couldn’t happen, no chicken dumplings or eggs or milk.
But one night their fantasy began for real. The Johnsons were moving to the country. Daria and Dalton would have bellies full of food. Baby Joshua would be so happy with cow’s milk and vegetables. It was a dream come true. All that food, yet hard work! All the work in the world was worth not being hungry and cold.
Part Three: In the Classroom
Although these stories are partly fictional, you can see how agriculture made life much more tolerable for families during the Depression.
Honorable Mention - Megan Terrell, Rensselaerville, NY
It’s Part of Farming
The Barn
Mild sounds of the animals’ noises. Quack, Quack. Moo, Moo.
Winter… so warm in the barn. Cow’s breath steams in the winter air. The smell of freshly-made second cutting. A crackling woodstove fills the barn with warmth. Our white tractor parked at the side where the mommy goats are.
Spring… splashing of water pails. Splish, splash. Hay stacked up on every side of the barn, first cutting and second cutting mixed together. Getting ready for Hay Serason. “Pull out the tractor,” Dad says.
Summer… soft cries of a baby calf fill the barn with cheer. Big fans are blowing rapidly to keep the cows cool. A new baby goat cries.
Fills my heart with joy… the barn.
Run Away Polly
“Dad, are we going to get the calf today?” We went up on the mountain to Cunningham’s Farm. I got out and saw her get stuffed in a white feedbag. Then I saw her get loaded on the back of my Dad’s blue Chevy truck.
We came home. I wanted to lead her around. So my Dad said, “Go get the blue halter.” It was slippery because it was new. My Dad slid it on her head. Then he gave her to me and said, “She’s all yours.” All of a sudden she started to jump. I was so scared, I let go. She charged up the hay field. My Dad gasped and ran after her.
He caught her and brought her back. He was panting like a dog in the hot summer sun. Dad said, “Why did you let her go?”
“I don’t know why,” I said in a soft voice.
My Dad handed her back to me and said, “Come on, lead her back to the stall.”
It’s Just for Fun
You step into the ring. Your heart is pounding. You think it is so competitive, but your parents say, ”It is just for fun.”
My hands are shaking. The judge says, “Stop your animal.” I know I have to set her up. My mind starts spinning. Did I set her feet up right?
The judge says, “Line your cows in the center of the ring.” He grabs the microphone My heart is pounding. CLUMP, CLUMP, CLUMP.
He says, “This young lady with her Jersey heifer takes Grand Champion.”
They hand the ribbon to me. I slowly walk out of the ring. STEP, STEP, STEP. My heart is pounding with excitement. People come up and say, “Congratulations, congratulations.” I feel so good and I think, This is the best day of my life. My heart isn’t pounding anymore; my lips are just smiling.
It’s Part of Farming
My eyes filled up with tears as my cow Buttercup got loaded on the black trailer. I wondered if she knew she was going to the auction.
When my Dad got to the auction, his eyes filled up with tears as he let the poor old cow go. He knew he would never see her again.
When he got home he said, “I love farming, but I hate getting rid of our animals. I get so attached.”
My mind said, I thought I would never hear that out of my Dad. I thought he was very strong.
So I said in a soft sigh, “It’s part of farming.” He gave me a big hug and we walked up to the house.
Honorable Mention - Sara Marie Crandall, Cattaraugus, NY
NY State Agriculture
Why is NY State the best agriculture? Well…
It was like any morning for the Jacobs family. Hearing the clucking sound from the chickens and the mooing from the cows was normal for them in Western New York. They lived on a farm in the countryside. Don, June, and their thirteen-year-old, Claire, were hard workers. The Jacobs family enjoyed every bit of life.
In the exact opposite of New York, lived the Jones family. They woke up to the hustle and bustle of city life. They heard the honking of horns and the elevator ding going up and down the apartment building. Patricia and John had a son named Timothy who was ten years old, and a fourteen-year-old daughter, Emma. This family tended to take things for granted.
While the Jacobs were working on milking the cows this Saturday morning, Mr. and Mrs. Jones just spilled the news to Timothy and Emma. They decided to move to the country. Even though Timothy and Emma weren’t happy about this, they understood it was just too much money not to be able to grow and produce their own food.
So, when the Joneses got to the small village of Otto, they couldn’t seem to find a place to live. The drove until they found a farm and they found the biggest farm in Otto, the Jacobs’. After having lunch with the Jacobs, they were invited to stay with them, only if they agreed to work on the farm.
So as agreed, Sunday was the first day of work for the Joneses. They woke up mush earlier that regular, like two hours earlier, and had honey fresh from the hives on their cereal that was in the bowl with the creamiest milk from the cows. It was nothing like they had in New York City at all. It seemed so much richer.
When breakfast was done, they went outside to start working. They milked the cows, fed the pigs, and collected the eggs from the chickens. This was one of the busiest days. They had to send the honey, milk, and eggs to a factory, so they could get prepared for the market. They also had to plant in the field.
The Jacobs liked to plant corn, wheat, potatoes, cabbage, snap beans, and oats. But they mostly harvested the oats for the animals to enjoy. Some fruits they grew were strawberries and apples. The fruits were great!
Timothy was asked to work the Road Side Shop. This shop would sell all their best fruits and honey. Emma was told to feed and wash the calves. She really liked this job because the calves were so cute.
So the day was finally over. It seemed like a forty-eight-hour day for the Jones family. They saved money working on the farm and overall it is clear to see that hard work pays off and gives you the best quality. That is what New York can always promise you. It wasn’t bad moving after all.
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