[Jay Redhawk]

My Great Grandparents homesteaded on the Southern plains of western Oklahoma. My Dad and I located their old farm place and measured the rock foundation at 16 feet by 20 feet. Supposedly there was a half loft where the kids slept, all nine of them, and the parents bedroom was below along with the kitchen-dining area. The two hole outhouse was out behind the house somewhere, but my Granddad said a pee bucket was kept upstairs and downstairs during winter. Drinking water came from a nearby creek and a cistern that the family dug. They raised most of their own food, mainly hogs, chickens, and garden vegetables. Each kid got one new pair of shoes per year, and each kid started working off the farm at 14 or so, often staying week nights at the places they hired out to. What a life!

[Smokin' Joe]

Yep. At 14, there was a time when a guy would be clearing his own land and sowing his own crops, as well as helping out on the family place.

Now, kids can't run the french fry machine...

No wonder things are so messed up.

[Ditter]

We were In Oklahoma a few years ago and saw something about the last remaining sod house. We went to see it and it was pretty amazing! The only reason that it was still intact was that someone had built a metal building over it. It was furnished the way it would have been back when it was built.

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

My kin homesteaded in Kiowa County Oklahoma back in 1901.