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47 CHAPTER 3 Farm Families in Transition When Darryl McCallum’s dad died, now this was before I was born, the neighborhood took care of Ginger and the kids. [Neighbors] got their crops off, anything they needed done . . . When my dad was sick with cancer, I hardly had to take him to radiation to Butterworth [hospital in Grand Rapids]. Everybody was more worried about me taking care of my family, taking care of my mom [who had multiple sclerosis], than going back and forth with Dad. Now, Dad had people scheduled to take him . . . These neighbors . . . Dad called them “the girls” . . . they went to high school together—they took him a couple times, and they just had a blast, you know? And you know how tiring radiation is, but it was good for him too. And he was in control of his life, up until the last week of his life.He wasn’t really a burden to anybody. —DeBRa CaRMiChaeL ZieLiNSki, 2005 we start our story of modern change and stability in the rural areas of Chippewa Township, as this is where the majority of residents reside. This is also the area that best identifies the history of the community since the 1800s, when the railroad tracks were ripped up, leaving the isolated farms behind. Descendants of these early farm families still live here, often on the same land their ancestors settled, perpetuating the promise of the idyllic rural lifestyle. Born in the city, i have always had ambivalent feelings about my new life in rural Michigan. i miss the activities and the opportunities for entertainment in an urban area, and most of all, i have hated the long commute that my job requires, driving through four counties, two rush hours, and two NpR radio broadcast zones. 48| Chapter 3 On the other hand, i have become accustomed to the cycle of rural life. One knows that it is spring when the farmers can be seen and heard as their tractors move up and down fields of muddy spring growth, turning the soil and fertilizing in the heavy muck of the april thaw. The fresh smell of newly budding and leafing trees and flowers compete with the pungent odor of freshly applied manure. The apple trees along our fence line fill with apple blossoms, and the smell of lilacs is heavy in the air. Conversations with my friends are punctuated by exciting news of a new foal expected or arriving. we chatter with spring-like optimism about our future gardens. while we in northern Michigan dare not plant too early because of late frost, we are not deterred from speculating about our gardens : how big they will be this year, how much we will plant of which vegetables, and when it is safe to plant. One May, i complained to my friend that my green pepper seeds never sprouted, and two days later, there were three pepper plants on my front porch when i came home from work. My friend had more starts than she needed and generously shared with me. women are the primary gardeners in my circle, but i know some elderly men who have immaculate and very productive gardens that they tend individually or with their wives. Summers are lush in the country, with the aromas of trees and flowering shrubs. it is impossible to feel depressed when one drives down country roads, surrounded by fields of corn stalks inching upward and the grasses waving majestically in the breeze. The smell of hay is strong as farmers take their cuttings and huge round bales appear mysteriously in fields throughout the area. Gardens are blooming, and one learns not to leave one’s car door unlocked at work. Failure to heed this warning will result in finding a grocery bag full of zucchini or cucumbers on your back seat. i have learned to prepare zucchini grilled, baked, sautéed, and in alfredo sauce, and now bake both zucchini bread and cookies. Summer events in the community and on the lake remind me of what rural living must have been like in the old days: children’s T-ball and softball leagues, bonfires, parades, and Fourth of July festivities. people are outdoors and are able to reconnect with neighbors they have not seen for many months. Fall gives us the warning of things to come, especially for those of us who do not welcome the winter snow. The change of colors is astonishing in the country and never...

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