"FARMER BOY"

what a wonderful book. I first read it when I was in 5th grade...I am now a senior in high school and would read it over and over again! :Gjob:

It makes ya want to be a farmer, doesn't it?

definately! if life could be that simple I would definately take the chance!

We farmed for a little while and it's really hard work! But it is a good way for the family to be together.

I love the way that Almazo knew his own mind from such a young age. People often think that younger people don't know their own way but they often do. You might just be one of those, eh? But if you don't know where you're going or what you want, that's okay, too. You've got the rest of your life to find out!

I know some people who own a farm and their family is really close but it is also really difficult...especially haying time!

Haying time helped my boys learn diligence and earn some muscle!
But I think they would confess that the best part about haying time was the midnight swims afterward!

I loved Farmer Boy! T'is one of my most favoritest Little House books! Almanzo is def. one of my favorite characters! I love the way he eats so much. I have always wanted to live on a farm no matter how much work it would be. I could use some hard work in my liofe. lolzness! I def. dont get enough of that now!

This is other good book to read. I like it, Since we get to know more about Almanzo childhood.

I really enjoyed reading about Almanzo's life. Very good book

I really liked this book! Probably because it was about a boy haha.

Well, I'm re-reading this. I just finish reading a chapter. (Chapter 18) "Keeping House" They left all four kids on their own. While parents vacation at Uncle Andrew's house. Leaving Eliza Jane in charge of everyone. Even her older brother Royal. Today's century if a parent left their kids from 12 to 9 years old. They will be arrested and the kids will be in child service.


When their neighbor came by to visit them. After few days the parents came back from their vacation.

1866:

Mrs Webb: "Didn't you worry, leaving the children alone here and you so far away?"

Mrs Wilder:"No," Mother said, proudly. "I knew the children would take care of everything as well as if James and I were to home."


2013:

Mrs Webb: "I'm calling the police. You neglect your children for a week."

Mrs. Wilder: "No, you can't do this to me. My husband and I, have a right to go on vacation alone, for week."


Here are the ages of the Wilder family.

James Wilder (1813-1899) Age 86

Angeline Wilder (1821-1905) Age 84

Laura Ann Wilder (1844-1899) Age 55

Royal Gould Wilder (1847-1925) Age 78

Eliza Jane Wilder (1850-1930 Age 80

Alice M. Wilder (1853-1892) Age 39

Almanzo James Wilder (1857-1949) Age 92

Perley Day Wilder 1869-1934) Age 65


So, Almanzo lives the longest in his family.

Doesn't say what month they were born and what month they died. So, they could died before their birthday. Just giving an idea.

So, I'm done with the book. I was reading the Christmas chapter. Back then, they had the adults eat first. Then, teenagers, goes down until Almanzo & Puree. (I think, that's his cousin's name.) Almanzo had wait until everyone else ate their food, before he could. Can you imagine today, if we still do that. That the kids, has to wait until the adults is done. If, I was living back in 19th century. I told my kid to wait until, I was done eating. I'll feel guilty. Said to my kids. We all eat together.

I love reading these books because of the details they give about the rhythm of farm life. The seasons come and go with regularity, there's the time to plow, plant, enjoy the summer, fish, then harvest time, store up the harvest, butcher a hog, ect.

The best description of the farmer is in James Wilder's giving Almonzo the pros and cons of being a farmer.
"A farmer depends on himself, and the land and the weather. If you're a farmer, you raise what you eat, you raise what you wear, and you keep warm with wood out of your own timber. You work hard, but you work as you please, and no man can tell you to go or come. You'll be free and endependant on a farm, son."

The Wilder farm though, was a pretty big operation, and very self sustaining, and in the established east coast. Charles Ingalls was a pioneer, scratching out a living where no one settled before. Of course, by reading Laura's account of her family, farming seemed much, much harder.

Reading Farmer Boy again, and I am just amazed at the chapter on the shoe cobbler coming to the house to make the family new shoes.

My God, the thought of having someone come to your home and make you a pair of custom made shoes, from materials raised on your own farm...that's just the most incredible luxury imaginable. Some facets of life back then make me so envious.

But they always wanted store boughten. Almonzo was tickeled pink when he got a "boughten" cap for Christmas!

This book is alright!!!

It's neat how they lived.

it sounds really like an inresting book. but i live in sweden so but maby i can find them here. i've to put it up on my list. thanx.

Sweden looks like a beautiful country. Good luck finding the books

sweetkrissy2011 wrote:

This book is alright!!!

It's neat how they lived.

Isn't this a good book?! It was a longer time in between for me to have read this one than the others (when I was re-reading them). I really didn't realize how good this book was. And it was interesting to read about his family and to realize how different the Wilders were to the Ingalls. I went to the Almanzo Wilder house site in NY back in 2010. I loved it. It is too far out-of-the-way to ever go back, I think. But I think I would put it number 2 of the LH sites.

I guess i'm finding the book boring to read. It is interesting to read how different his life was from Laura's.

It's interesting how Women/Men had roles they played. How men did the work outside and women only did the house work pretty much.

Farmer Boy is an awesome book. Out of all of the LH books, this one is one of my favourites. I love reading about how a little boy had to work hard and realize his dreams and then at the end seeing his dreams come true. Little boys of our time have no idea what real work is but Almanzo sure knew and was rewarded in life.

That's true!