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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 7, 2017)
VIEWPOINTS Saturday, October 7, 2017 East Oregonian Page 5A Women on the farm M y son Willie is purchasing a farmstead down the road from my place which has been in the ownership of the same family — the third generation of whom still resides in the house — since the 1880s. The property consists of a late-Victorian farmhouse constructed around the turn of the last century, a bunkhouse of similar vintage, a barn (the true hub of activity on the place) built in 1917 and a “modern” aluminum-clad combination repair shop/equipment storage shed that was completed in 1952. The proprietor of the place from the 1910s through the 1970s was the son of Finnish immigrants who attended grade school down the road from the farmstead and then went to work farming, without higher education to muddle his clear view of the world as he knew it. He married and raised nine children in the residence,which still comprises no more than perhaps 1,500 square feet. A woodshed only a couple dozen paces from the back door supplied the necessary energy for heat and cooking to keep the family warm and nourished. A brick cellar perhaps eight steps from the back door was the larder in which was stored everything from cured pork (raised and butchered on site), to pickles made from the cucumber patch in the low-lying, sub-irrigated flat half a mile distant, to the canned applesauce from the orchard in back of the house. A milk cow or two were always present in the barnyard and chickens always occupied the coop, supplying fresh eggs as well as fresh meat for special occasions such as Sunday dinner or entertaining visiting neighbors or relatives. Awhile back one of my favorite neighbors stopped in for a driveway bull session and suggested, quite correctly, that the hard work of our male agrarian ancestors is well-known and celebrated but the accomplishments of the womenfolk are sometimes overlooked, and yet, are truly worthy of recognition. I have stated before that one of my all-time heroes was my maternal grandmother. She was born into a world where the necessary skill set included the ability to kill a chicken swiftly with an axe as well as the talent required to bake desserts for a harvest crew of a dozen or more. Her mother would have also been required to operate a hand-powered pitcher pump to supply domestic water and have the ability to hitch up the team to go to town for supplies. A far less cumbersome modern equivalent for my lovely bride would be driving one of my several stick-shift, no power steering, no air-conditioning, manual choke-equipped International Harvesters to town. Although not every farmer would admit The accomplishments of womenfolk are sometimes overlooked, yet are truly worthy of recognition. Quick takes Pendleton couple helps care for Las Vegas wounded Nobody knows from one moment to the next what could take place. So many people act without a second thought, they just jump in and do what has to be done. Thank you for your bravery and willingness to help others who are suffering and needing your help. God bless you all ... true heroes! — Barbara White Boy was I surprised to see this. Kevin is my husband’s former boss. Such a wonderful man. I am so thankful that God kept you guys safe and you were able to administer aid. — Michelle Carol No such thing as “off duty” for any first responder. I’m sorry that you folks had to deal with that but am glad that you were there to do what you do best. Thank you for doing what you did with what you had available. Blessed be! — Sonia Benedict Thank you for your courage and service. We are so proud of you! — Nancy Hanson Police to crack down on Highway 395 jaywalking Had a college girl on her phone walk right in front of my semi. She is lucky I pay so much attention I saw her 30 feet before she got to the road. — Tory Bull Covlin One of the great lessons of the Twitter age is that much can be summed up in just a few words. Here are some of this week’s takes. Tweet yours @Tim_Trainor or email editor@eastoregonian. com, and keep them to 140 characters. it, most farm wives did not enjoy as much sleep as their husbands. Even if care for the young ones was not an issue, someone still had to rise well before dawn to start the fire in the cookstove. That same someone also was probably still washing dishes, doing laundry, or preparing for tomorrow’s chores well after dark. Weed control in the garden, not to mention planting the garden, and if necessary hauling water to irrigate, were also likely under the auspices of the farm wife. All of the above was done, at least traditionally, wearing attire that was nowhere near as comfortable as bib overalls. One aspect of farm chores from days of yore that I frequently emphasize (perhaps to a level of annoyance to some) is the importance of everyone participating — even the children. Child labor laws were no doubt necessary in sweat shops and factories of yesteryear but were once unheard of on the farm. Kids were expected to work at necessary chores such as splitting wood in the wintertime to keep the woodbox full, hoeing weeds to help mom in the garden or dad in the field, or milking the cow and gathering eggs. Animals needed to be fed and watered regardless of whether or not they were reminded to do so by parents. I have a good friend and neighbor who just celebrated his 85th birthday. As a result of his father being injured and his older brother being off to war, he was forced to assume responsibility for management of the farm at age ten. This meant that 160 acres had to be plowed and planted with a team of horses and 11 cows had to be milked twice a M att W ood FROM THE TRACTOR day—by hand (his handshake is still firm and genuine). This early set of circumstances set him on a course that he still pursues three-quarters of a century later — honest work for honest pay, self-reliance and the need to conjugate, commune and commiserate at one of the community’s three important institutions — the school, the church and the tavern. ■ Matt Wood is his son’s hired man and his daughter’s biggest fan. He lives on a farm near Helix, where he collects antiques and friends. In the spirit of understanding racism uring my 13 years in I find a Black Hills trail guide Rapid City, South Dakota, listing the 7th Cavalry Trail as if I’ve learned that racism it’s fun for people to follow the and ignorance almost always go trail of mass murderers who killed hand-in-hand. The West was “won,” anywhere from 75 to 125 babies, many people learn in school, but children and women at Wounded what did westward expansion mean Knee in 1890. for the Native people who were I buy a Happy Meal for my already living on the land? daughter only to find a 7th Cavalry Evelyn The lure of gold brought Red Lodge Custer doll inside. She gets upset explorers, miners and then when I try to explain why I think it Comment homesteaders to South Dakota belongs in the trash. during the 19th and early 20th In a jewelry shop along Mount centuries. I imagine that most of those Rushmore Road, I look at the gold for “invaders” — from my point of view — which my grandparents’ territory was didn’t think twice about booting the local invaded and spot a wine-bottle holder people out of the way. But that was then. depicting a Native chief chugging a The question today is why racism persists bottle of wine. Old stereotypes die hard. when America prides itself on tolerance and According to a recent study in the journal respecting diversity. Drug and Alcohol Drug Dependence, Here are examples from my life that alcohol consumption by Natives is shown to reveal the kind of blatant racism I’ve be generally less than that of Caucasians in experienced, as well as some of the the United States. unconscious racism that is sometimes Just walking downtown in Rapid City, almost comical. the so-called City of Presidents, I spot the I go to a Rapid City council meeting stores along the way that used to sport signs where a white local suggests placing statues saying “No Indians or Dogs Allowed.” of Native Americans in Founders Park, I go to He Sapa — the Black Mountains rather than in the proposed First Nations — where I look upon the faces of past Sculpture Gallery in Halley Park. As U.S. presidents who helped wipe out so Native author Elizabeth Cook-Lynn put it, many Indigenous peoples. I remember that the suggestion was made “without a hint Natives were only declared to be citizens of irony.” After all, who were the original by the United States Congress less than 100 founders if not Native people? years ago. I go to the veterans’ parade where the In 2015, I feared to go to any sporting 7th United States Cavalry, formed in 1866 event after a drunk beer salesman poured to protect homesteaders and raid Native beer on Native students at a hockey game villages, is still honored. These days, of and shouted, “Go back to the reservation!” course, more Natives serve in the military Within days, dumping beer on Natives had per capita than any other ethnic group, become a common occurrence at other according to the director of the National venues. Museum of the American Indian. But few I picked up the local newspaper four Natives march with the veterans in the days after the drunk hockey fan did his parade. business, and the question was raised on D the front page: Had the Native students who were attacked stood for the national anthem? (Not that it should make any difference, but it was reported that the students did stand.) I feared to walk on the north side of Rapid City in 2009 and 2010, after at least two Native families with children were egged while racial slurs were hurled at them. “Go back to where you came from!” is a laughable favorite. One Native woman, who was disabled, was run off the road while driving her car. Urine in bottles was thrown on other Natives. Some Natives were shot with pellet guns. At the same time — and I am glad to report this — many of the attackers were held accountable after much public outcry: The jewelry store owner removed the wine holder featuring a drunken Native from her window after local media asked why she’d given it prominence. The newspaper removed its victim- blaming story from its Internet site. Two 21-year-old women were arrested in the incident involving the disabled woman, becoming the first in the state to be charged with its new hate-crime law, “malicious intimidation or harassment.” As for failures in the quest for justice, the drunk hockey fan was eventually acquitted of his one and only charge of disorderly conduct. And I am unaware of any charges brought against anyone for the attacks involving egg and urine throwing and pellet guns. Racism persists, I am sorry to report. I still feel it every day. ■ Evelyn Red Lodge is a contributor to Writers on the Range, the opinion service of High Country News. She is a correspondent for Native Sun News Today and member of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe. CONTACT YOUR REPRESENTATIVES U.S. PRESIDENT Donald Trump The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, DC 20500 Comments: 202-456-1111 Switchboard: 202-456-1414 www.whitehouse.gov/contact/ U.S. SENATORS Ron Wyden 221 Dirksen Senate Office Bldg. Washington, DC 20510 202-224-5244 La Grande office: 541-962-7691 Jeff Merkley 313 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 202-224-3753 Pendleton office: 541-278-1129 U.S. REPRESENTATIVE Greg Walden 185 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 202-225-6730 La Grande office: 541-624-2400 GOVERNOR Kate Brown 160 State Capitol 900 Court Street Salem, OR 97301-4047 503-378-4582 REPRESENTATIVES Greg Barreto, District 58 900 Court St. NE, H-38 Salem, OR 97301 503-986-1458 Rep.GregBarreto@state.or.us Greg Smith, District 57 900 Court St. NE, H-482 Salem, OR 97301 503-986-1457 Rep.GregSmith@state.or.us SENATOR Bill Hansell, District 29 900 Court St. NE, S-423 Salem, OR 97301 503-986-1729 Sen.BillHansell@state.or.us
