Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org
Surnames: Meyer, Burr
----Source: Tribune Record Gleaner (Loyal, Clark Co., WI) 6/13/1974
Meyer, Mrs. Alfred (Odelia) (1974)
Mingling with Mary (By Mary Woods)
Mrs. Alfred Meyer enjoys using dairy products in her baking and mixing up a cool dairy drink during the summer months.
There’s an atmosphere of peacefulness, contentment, and satisfaction in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Meyer of route 2, Loyal. Whether it is the quietness of the area, the apple blossoms that are in bloom, or the view from the living room window that shows a dirt road, and blowing hay fields … the atmosphere is definitely one to be enjoyed, and treasured. Another reason for the relaxing atmosphere is the people involved in making it so, Mrs. Alfred (Odelia) Meyer is one of the many farm wives in the area that can truly say, “Farming is the best life that anyone could ever have or ask for. It’s an ideal way to raise a family for through our work we have become a very united family.” As a continuation to the June Dairy Month Story, Mrs. Alfred Meyer tells how it is to be a farm wife and how it all came about.
Born and raised on a dairy farm in Roseville, Odelia Burr learned the farm life and responsibilities that one must have ever since she was able to protect herself from getting kicked by a cow. She comes from a farm family of eight girls and two boys. According to Mrs. Meyer, “Everyone had to do their share of the chores, and help get the work done. We did the milking by hand, drove horses for loading and unloading hay, picked stones, and helped with the grain in the summer and fall. The summer months were the busiest, and recalling those days brings back so many memories that the ‘old fashioned’ way of farming was a simple joy.”
In 1938, Odelia married Alfred Meyer of Auburndale, and the couple rented farms in the Auburndale, Marshfield, Stratford, and Hewitt areas before coming to Loyal. Mrs. Meyer states that when they resided in Hewitt they lived on a farm and received $42 a month, and in return Alfred had to work ten hours a day, and she had to milk ten cows’ morning and evening in order to pay rent for the house, milk, and garden plot.
In the spring of 1946, the couple moved to the present-day farm of 137 acres, with 47 other acres being rented in the area. Reflecting on the period when they purchased the farm, Mrs. Meyer recalls that no electricity was on the place, and they milked the 20 dairy cows by hand. “As a means of lighting we used kerosene lamps in the barn for the summer months, and the following winter had electricity installed.” At the time of moving, the Meyers had purchased a John Deere H tractor, but much of the work was still done by horses. Mr. Meyer is well known in the area for using his team of horses every day to do some type of work.
Speaking about summer months on the farm, Mrs. Meyer explained that she worked in the fields by driving the team of horses. “My mother would come up and help take care of the children so I could get outside, but when the kids got to be older, they would go out the fields with me … perhaps they were more bother than help, but at least they could pick up the stones, and they always enjoyed being outside.”
“The summer months were the busiest on the farm, and since the weather is such an important factor in farming, we used to do all the field work, and let the milking go until we could not see in the fields to work. We didn’t have tractors with lights on back in those days, so we let the milking go and could always use the lamps in the barn at night,” explained Mrs. Meyer.
In 1955, the Meyers installed automatic milkers in their barn and another phase of farming was no longer to be seen on the farm, except for emergencies, milking by hand.
Among the joys and happiness that come from the farm life, some tragedy also happens. In August of 1970, a fire believed to be caused by hay covering a light bulb destroyed the large dairy barn, a hog house, horse barn, and the milk house. The day before the second cutting of hay had been put in the hay mow. Mrs. Meyer states, “Two months after the fire we put the dairy cattle back into the new barn which was built by all the friends and neighbors. All the women brought food to the house for the men who were working and everyone seemed to be fantastic. We really found out what tremendous neighbors and friends we do have in the area … something too many people just take for granted.”
Speaking about raising a family of nine on a farm, Mrs. Meyer states, “raising family on the farm has given the children an opportunity to learn about the farming business of which many of them have continued to work in, one way or the other. The children have always had their chores to do and this gave them the meaning of responsibility. Our family is very united because of the farm, for we have always been together for much of the time. I can think of no better place to raise a family … than on a farm!”
The family consists of eight boys and one girl; Ronald, a construction worker at Marshfield, Sister Virdean, an instructor at Aquinas High School in La Crosse; Richard, and Larry, who farm in Unity. Richard has completed the farm short course at Madison. Fred, who is employed by Kennal Builders at Hudson, but does hold a degree in agriculture from the UW-River Falls; Allen, farming north of Loyal; Daniel, agricultural instructor at Stoughton; Randal who lives and works on the home farm, and Robert who recently graduated from broadcasting school in Wausau, and is presently working on the farm. Larry received the American Farmer Degree in 1963, with Randal being a candidate for the degree this year. Several of the boys have also been awarded the State Farmer Degree. Robert received a third in the National FFA Speaking Contest last year. All the boys have taken an active role in FFA while in high school. The Meyers also have 19 grandchildren.
Besides caring for their own family, the Meyers had a foreign exchange student from India reside with them for three weeks through the 4-H program.
Turning to the farm life and dairy products, it was stated by Mrs. Meyer, “Our family is strictly a dairy products family. All of us love cheese, milk, and ice cream is a family favorite. We have never tried any of the butter substitutes that are so prominent on the dairy counters. Every member of our family, no matter where they live or work, believes strongly in using the products that come from the dairy farms.”
On the farm today, the Meyers have 57 milking cows. The farm is operated by Mr. Meyer and his son Randal. Mrs. Meyer states that she does help with the farm work whenever she is needed but enjoys spending more time with her gardening and outside activities. She enjoys reading, cooking, and working with people through various organizations. According to Mrs. Meyer, “My biggest responsibility is to mow the lawn and that is enjoyed a great deal for I am outside.” Her outside activities include being a member of the West Loyal Homemakers, and she has been, along with her husband, a general leader for the Dandy Lyons 4-H Club. The club merged with the Prosperity Pea Pickers, and Mrs. Meyer continued to be a project leader. She is also an active member of St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in which she has served for twelve years in various offices in the Clark-Jackson Deanery. She has served two years as Chairman of the International Affairs for the La Crosse Diocese of Catholic Women, and was a representative on the Diocesan Pastoral Council for the Deanery.
Besides working on the farm, the Meyers have had the opportunity to travel throughout the United States and two years ago spent two weeks traveling throughout Europe, but, according to Mrs. Meyer, “The traveling to different places is terrific, but home is always the best place to be.”
The farm house that is located east of Loyal is the scene of peacefulness and contentment. The days of hard labor with horses, and later to the more advanced methods of farming have more than doubled since the Meyers arrived in the area in 1946, with progression on many fields, allowing the family to enjoy life a little more. But perhaps the times of sitting in the living room and watching the hay fields blow and see the apple blossoms bloom in the spring are still as rewarding, and beautiful as they were many years ago … and Mrs. Alfred Meyer continues to enjoy both the past and present and looks brightly to the future as being a housewife on a farm in Clark County.
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