Two Heads Are Better Than One

"We're going to be late getting the hay in from the west meadow.

Can't you come and rake it for us?" said the Man of the Place.

I could and did; also I drove the team on the hay fork to fill the

big barn, for such is the life of a farmer's wife during the busy season.

Laura Ingalls Wilder and her "Man of the Place"

husband, Almanzo, at home on Rocky Ridge Farm

in Mansfield, Missouri

(1940)

"The colt has sprained his ankle. Come pet him while I rub on some

liniment, and while you are there, I wish you'd look at the red heifer's

bag and see what you think best to do for that swelling on it."

And so I halter broke the colt while the Man of the Place bathed the

lame ankle, and then we decided that the red heifer had been bee stung

and bathed her udder with salt and water.

I finally got the weakly calf into good growing condition and turned it

out in the pasture with the others,  for I am by way of being 
an understudy for the veterinarian.

"What would you raise next year on that land we cleared of brush down

by the creek? The hay on it is too thin, and it must be broken up."

This was the question for my consideration at the breakfast table, and my

answer was, "Raise the same crop on that as you do on the remainder of the

land on that side of the creek.  One large field is better than two small ones,

and time is saved in working. Put it into the regular rotation with the rest."

Not that the Man of the Place would do as I said unless he agreed with me,

but getting my ideas helps him to form his own opinions, and he knows that

two heads are better at planning than one.

One of my neighbors is managing the farm this summer during the

absence of her husband. She planted and cultivated and has attended to

the harvesting and threshing and haying. She, with the children, cares for

the horses and cows, the pigs and poultry. She buys and sells and hires and

fires. In short, she does all the work and business that her husband would do

if he were here and keeps up her own work besides.

A farmer, to be successful, must understand his machinery and be sort of

blacksmith. He must be a carpenter, a road builder, enough of a civil engineer

to know how to handle the creeks and washouts on his farm. He must, of

course, understand all about the care of animals on the farm in sickness 

and in health; he must know all about the raising of crops and handling 

of soils, the fighting of pests and overcoming of weather conditions and,

in addition, must be a good businessman so that he shall not lose all the

fruits of his toil in the buying and selling end of the game.

Besides being a helper in all these things with brains-and muscle if

necessary-the farmer's wife must know her own business, which includes 

the greatest variety of trades and occupations ever combined in one all-around

person. Think of them! Cook, baker, seamstress, laundrywoman, nurse,

chambermaid and nurse girl. She is a poultry keeper, and expert in

dairy work, a specialist in canning, preserving, and pickling, and besides

all else, she must be the mother of the family and a smiling hostess.

In commemoration of Laura and Almanzo's wedding anniversary 

today here's a classic summertime dessert cake:

Luscious Lemon Party Cake

1 cup butter

11/2 cups granulated sugar

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

5 eggs

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup milk

Preheat over to 350 degrees.  In a large mixing bowl,

cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

Beat in lemon juice until well blended. Add the eggs,

one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the

dry ingredients to creamed mixture alternately with milk,

beginning and ending with the flour.

Pour into a greased 12-cup fluted tube pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes or until cake springs

back at the touch of a finger and slightly leaves the side of the pan.

Cool in pan for about five minutes and then invert and cool on

a rack or cake plate.

Lemon Glaze

1 cup confectioner's sugar

2 T fresh lemon juice.

Blend well and drizzle over cooled cake.

"Two Heads Are Better Than One"

(August 1919)

Laura Ingalls Wilder

(1867-1957)

Prolific American writer and pioneer girl

From the book, "Little House In The Ozarks"

A Laura Ingalls Wilder Sampler

The Rediscovered Writings

Edited by Stephen W. Hines

Guideposts Edition

(1991)