Tradtitions

For the past year I've contributed to an online magazine called The Prairie Dust Trail. The last article our editor asked contributors to share traditions that mattered. I like writing for this unique homesteading magazine as it forces me to sit down and focus. I'm a little scattered at times. My main focus for nearly a decade has been on exposing the corruption and attacks against our food producers, cattle in my instance. This ask of our editor made me reflect on who, what and why I might be so passionate about protecting our rights and freedoms....

"My great grandfather Oscar Chain homesteaded the land I call home in 1893. He traded a shot gun and 50.00 for it. He was 17 at the time and too young to file a claim, so made the deal later with a previous homesteader whose wife got homesick. My thought is this poor lady had no idea what she was getting herself into when her husband said, “I have an idea, let’s move to a land of blackjack trees, sandburs, coyotes and no neighbors for miles…you’ll love it.” The poor lady didn’t. I’m glad my grandfather made the trade. Living on this land has created who I am A few years after the trade Oscar would marry Laura Hickock (yes Wild Bill’s cousin), and to that union came my granddad, Lenard. Laura was big and strong and loved chickens, turkeys and her garden. She would cook for many harvest crews during her lifetime. I share many of those loves. I would be satisfied if I never went to town and could hang with my animals all day. I’ve cooked for many a hand as well, from cattle gatherings to harvest crews. Her equipment was a cast iron stove and wood. Mine total electric or gas. I don’t believe I would trade. My mom, Darla was a city girl. She was a great cook, a wonderful artist and loved nice things. My grandmothers, Grace Chain, Lenard’s wife, and Hazel England, my mom’s mother were good cooks, devoted to their families and communities. My grandmother Hazel was a partner in the Stong and England Grocery with her husband Les England and her brother Harold Stong, for five decades. My memory of her is “doing books” in a tiny room, her “office” in the back of the store, or up front checking out customers. Her motto was, “the customer is always right”. My aunt Wymola (Chain) Sander was a powerful influence as well, she kept me plugged into town life making sure I got to the Canton Christian Church VBS and caught the bus to Fairview for swimming lessons, Canton had no swimming pool back then. When I was 8 she was killed in a plane crash along with her husband and another couple. That impacted my life forever. With the homesteading on every 160 acres, the landscape from Oscar’s time to later years changed drastically. Country schools popped up along with women’s clubs. Consolidated VI was a large country school located about six miles from my house. A women’s extension club known as Con Six Club emerged in the early 1900’s and was the hub of this growing community. The ladies from around the community would gather monthly to discuss the upkeep of the outhouse at the local cemetery or what was needed for upcoming holiday festivities. Some of the greatest memories I have are attending these meetings and enjoying the local extravaganzas. No jeans or sloppy shirts. The dress code would have been considered business formal I’d say. Sloppy dressing was reserved for chicken killing and laundry day, never for club. These women were great influencers in my life, but I must be honest most of my mentors were ranch hands. I liked domestic life but loved ranch life more. From fishing, to horseback riding, to showing livestock, I was with one of them or my grandad Lenard and dad, Ralph Chain from dawn until dusk. The women taught me to cook and have a little etiquette but my heart was outdoors. The most important tradition passed down to me was experiencing the dedicated faithfulness my dad had in making sure we were at church. Sunday morning and evening we were sitting in the pews of the “Y” Church of Christ located three miles from my home. No questions asked. For as long as I can remember up until my young adult life we rarely missed. I was baptized there and hold many fond memories. From a mouse running back and forth across the glass baptistry to watching a squirrel build its nest in the chimney, I can still see the faces of those who attended and where they sat. Funny what you remember. So passing down traditions to me encompasses quite a bit. Community stands out. Faith in God. Structure. Dedication. Faithfulness. Standing by your word. Good Stewardship. My dad always said what we have been given is just on loan from God and we are just here taking care of it. I guess I try to apply that to my family, husband, home kids, health, animals, chores, church work etc. I grew up in a very blessed era that included a God-fearing family and community. My goal is to keep that blessing alive. God gives us gifts we can decide to use them and share with others, or we can sit and complain. I pray I keep sharing these traditions for as long as I can."