North Redwood, Minnesota

North Redwood is now part of Redwood Falls, MN, but was once it’s own entity.  It is located near the Minnesota River and was the home of an enterprising young lad by the name of Richard W. Sears, who started his career in retailing by peddling a consignment of watches a local jeweler refused.   He later opened his own watch business in Minneapolis and got the idea that a mail order business could be viable.  He and partner Alvah R. Roebuck started Sears and Roebuck on that idea and built an empire.

Richard Sears Memorial Park in North Redwood, MN. – June 2012 Dedicated to Richard Sears who worked in the railroad depot here. The train cars in the back ground show the tie in to Sears’ employment as a railway agent.

RIchard Sears Memorial Park – June 2012

Minnesota River – June 2012

The Minnesota River runs nearby.  The valley that the Minnesota River flows in is up to five miles (8 km) wide and 250 feet (80 m) deep. It was carved into the landscape by the massive glacial River Warren between 11,700 and 9,400 years ago at the end of the last ice age in North America.  Some of the exposed bedrock is said to be billions of years old.  Channel and Flathead catfish are abundant.

Service Station – June 2012

Formerly Becker’s Skelly through at least the 1980’s this was the place to buy gas, get a little service on your auto and get bait before heading to the River.  The current owner caters to fisherman repairs small engines.   The small individual owned gas stations have rapidly become a thing of the past.

American Farm House

American Farm House

Farm houses like this one dot the midwest.  They were economical to build and to add onto as the farm and family grew.  This one is in Southwestern Minnesota.  There is only one other building, a corn crib and the grove left to remember what went on here.

At one time there were probably children that ran up and down the lane to catch the bus and I wonder how many times the words “race ya” or “last one to the house is a…” were excitedly shouted as soon as feet had left the bus and touched ground.

People walked to the mailbox each day to see what news would come from friends and family.  The mailbox was the social network of choice for folks further away than a few miles.  They “liked” getting a good letter from a friend.

More on Groundswell

Family Farm in Spring – Redwood County MN – Near Wanda MN

 

Previously I posted about the Groundswell organization that existed in the 80’s in Minnesota.  https://fleetingfarms.wordpress.com/2012/09/29/ground-swell/

I’ve updated the end of that post with new information and some links to more information and newspaper articles about the group.

Colorful Farm

I came across this colorful scene near Walnut Grove, MN last spring.  It’s a nice looking barn and in better shape than a lot of the ones I photograph.

Ground Swell

Ground Swell Office, Wanda MN

I grew up in the 80’s when the farm crunch was in full swing.  A lot of farmers were losing their land and livelihood.   Farms that had been in the family for generations were lost.  It was a sad time.

I was in my early teens and don’t remember all the details anymore, I remember hearing about the “penny sales” in which farmers would show up to the foreclosure auction of a fellow farmer and bid pennies for the equipment and land to get back at the banks for foreclosing.

I remember bits and pieces of Groundswell, which as I recall was a grass roots organization begun by farmers to promote the family farm and try to help farmers keep their land.  I don’t remember a lot else about it.

Anyway, the picture is from the Groundswell office in Wanda, MN.  I’m not sure if that was the only office, or just one of several.    If anyone has more information, I’d be interested to know.

I did find some more information on Groundswell.  The Minnesota Historical Society has some records and other materials covering roughly the decade the organization existed

http://www.mnhs.org/library/findaids/00534.xml

The historical society lists this amongst it’s collection

Activities documented in the collection include meetings of the Groundswell board of directors (1985-1989), the publication of its newsletter, fund raising and grant proposals, protest actions at farm foreclosure sales, rallies and informational meetings, monitoring of farm legislation and lobbying of the state legislature, the operation of a free clothing store, a Christmas toy project, a women’s project, and communication with national and other state farm organizations.

Another article mentioning Groundswell, it’s organizer and Farm Aid

https://www.postbulletin.com/farmers-continue-to-struggle-today/article_f660dc00-2bf8-5098-b3a7-7ef72aa3b6ee.html

An article giving a summary of what was going on in the 80’s farm crisis.  It looks fairly thorough, though I can’t vouch for accuracy.

http://eightiesclub.tripod.com/id395.htm

So the barn…

Weathered Barn -Redwood County MN

after standing next to the silo for years and never hearing the silo utter a single word, declared.  I guess you’re the strong silo type.

Ok, I admit, that’s probably the worst joke you’ll hear all year, but I’m in that kind of mood today.  Perhaps it’s the heat.

Black and white seemed the appropriate treatment for this photo.  It shows the weathering of the wood nicely and gives a better sense of the sun beating on the barn fading the paint and bleaching the wood where the paint has fallen away.