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Maple Grove History Museum
9030 Forestview Lane N.
(South Driveway)
Maple Grove, MN 55369
763-494-5983
Maple Grove Historical Preservation Society
Maple Grove, Hennepin County, Minnesota
Life on the Farm
by LeRoy Bonn
My twin sister Leona and I were born August 9, 1937. My sisters Lorraine and Arlene came later.
The first sixteen years of our lives was spent on the farm in (Maple Grove township) as it was called then. Three generations of our family lived together, Walter and Clara, our parents, George and Sarah our grandparents.
We all had chores to do, by the time I was six, I was carrying milk cans from the pump house to the barn. We did not have indoor plumbing so all water was carried from the pump house. Since we didn’t have electricity we used lanterns in the house and barn.
My sisters and I walked the one mile to the one room school house. Our teacher taught all 8 grades. On our way to school in the winter we tunneled through the snow drifts.
The hot summer days brought more work. By the time I was eleven I would husk corn until the wagon was full and there was grain to shalk.
Since I was the only boy, a lot of the heavy work was left for me. It was my job to get the horses ready and haul the grain buckets to the thrashing machine. I used the John Deere B tractor to cultivate the corn.
Every two weeks my grandpa George and I would go to Osseo to get coal for cooking and heating. He would treat me to an ice cream cone and bottle of pop. I really loved my grandpa.
Sometimes we would sit out on the long porch and watch the sky. Grandpa would tell us about the clouds and what kind of weather to expect.
The radio brought lots of entertainment. On Saturday nights the whole family sat by the radio and listened to B Bar B Riders, Grand Old Oprey, Barn Dance and Slim Jim.
We didn’t get an allowance for all the hard work, everybody did their part. Our reward was helping to provide for the family.
My Dad, Walter and I graded the gravel roads in Maple Grove and put up snow fences to get ready for the winters.
A special memory I have is when my sister Lorraine and Sandra Roeder would walk their doll buggys down the gravel road.
Life’s lessons learned on the farm prepared me for the years ahead. I still appreciate the meaning of family and simple pleasures.
In 1953 the farm was sold and my family moved to Osseo. Most things were sold at the auction but our memories will forever be with us.