Ground Cherries of the Prairie: Young Pioneer Farmers Survive Early 20th Century - Paperback

by Stanley Hagemeyer (Author)

This book is historical fiction describing the challenges faced by a young couple who move from Iowa in search of land they can afford to buy and farm.

This work tells the story of Siebe and Bauwina, from their wedding day in 1900, through the celebration of their golden wedding anniversary in 1950. They are second-generation German immigrants who chose to move from Iowa, where their parents raised them and their numerous siblings, to Minnesota, where they began farming in 1903. The story takes on a dramatic tone as they encounter the loss of their parents, enjoy high prices for their products during the 1915-1925 era, and then suffer the economic distress of 1929-1935. Their plight is particularly difficult because Siebe, the husband, aims to gain control of three farms so each of their three sons can take over one when they reach maturity. Consequently, this farm couple is mired deep in debt during the worst years of the early 20th century. The story of how they survived and eventually thrived is told in detail, based on actual events.