Leon Mortland was born in April 1946 in Tyler, the second of two sons born to Hazel (Halsne) and John Mortland. Leon and his older brother, Dick, grew up on the family farm about four miles northeast of Tyler on the township road that was the boundary between Lincoln and Lyon counties.

Leon described his parents’ farm.

“It was a quarter section, 160 acres. They used 20 acres for pasture and the rest was corn, oats, and alfalfa. Dad later started planting beans. We had cows that we milked; we had hogs; we had the calves we got from those cows; and we had some sheep. Mother’s primary outside role was her chickens.”

He also identified the buildings on their farm site.

“The house was a typical story and a half farmhouse. It had a two-car, unattached garage. Next was the chicken house. There was a small machine shed where we could fit most of the equipment. We had three (corn cribs) where we could store ear corn. Then we had the granary and the barn that had 16stanchions on one side. It had a silo we filled in the fall. On the other side of the barn were different pens for the calves. Then, at the farthest end of the farmyard was the hog house.”

Leon described his parents’ roles on the farm.

“Dad did most of the field work until we were old enough to help. Mother had her chickens, garden, and housework.”

As with most farm kids, Leon had chores from an early age.

“We had two water tanks; one gravity-fed to the barn and hog house and one the cows could drink from when they returned from the pasture. When Dad was in the field and the windmill was pumping, I was supposed to watch them and when one was full, switch over so you filled both. When I was real small, we sold cream to the Tyler creamery. We had a place for cream cans where the cold water went through that first. (I also) carried water to the calves because they were in small pens.”

He also recalled a favorite activity of those early years.

“When we were really little, we would listen to westerns on the radio. The Lone Ranger (Leon laughed) could track anybody!”

Leon recalled his role at chicken butchering time.

“When they got big enough, you’d butcher chickens and put them in the deep freeze for winter eating. When I was old enough, I was the one who chopped the heads off. Then you dumped them in the hot water, pulled all the feathers off, cut them open, and pulled out all the innards. When my wife first got there before we were engaged, (Leon laughed) she was not impressed with any of that operation.”

Leon’s dad added chores as he grew, including demonstrating how to milk the cows by hand and introducing him to field work.

“I started driving the tractor and going out into the field. He would go out and say, “This is the way we do it.” Then you were cultivating corn with a two-row cultivator and raking hay. Back then you cultivated the corn two or three times. When you are cultivating the first time, it’s pretty little. (Leon laughed) So, you are going pretty slow.”

The Minnesota winter brought additional chores for Leon and Dick.

“You had a lot more work because we had a furnace in the basement. We had cut firewood from downed trees. We would cut them up and get them ready. We had a cook stove in the kitchen and a small shed where we stored cobs we had saved when we shelled corn. So, we needed to bring in cobs. If the fire had gone out overnight, we’d have to go down in the basement and re-start the fire. We’d begin with cobs; then throw on wood; and coal followed that. Pulling down silage became a bigger issue because it would freeze against the walls. You’d take a pick axe up there and chop it down.”

Leon has fond memories of times with his extended family.

“My Grandpa and Grandma Mortland lived by Lake Benton and we went there quite often on Sunday afternoon. I had two uncles and an aunt who lived either by Lake Benton, by Arco, or by Ruthton. So, it was common that one or more of them would be there with their children. There might be a dozen of us kids running around.”

Grandpa and Grandma’s place was even more magical when the boys stayed on their own.

“Dick and I would go over to Grandpa’s and Grandma’s for three or four days during the summer. A couple cousins from Arco joined us. Grandpa had riding horses and would help us get ready. He had pasture land that went down to the railroad tracks. Grandma fixed us food to take and we’d go out like we were trail-riding. If the weather was nice, we’d throw a blanket on the ground; sleep there that night; and then go back.”

One summer at Grandpa and Grandma’s offered ring-side seats to an amazing show for young boys.

“The one room you could sleep in was the porch room to the south and that’s when they were doing Highway 14. They took that big hill and cut her down a long ways. Those were some pretty big pieces of equipment out there for a little, wide-eyed kid! That was entertainment right there!”

©2024 William D. Palmer Contact me at prairieviewpressllc@gmail.com with any comments about or story suggestions for “Prairie Lives.”