"FARMER BOY"

Subject: "FARMER BOY" Tue Feb 13, 2007 12:33 am

"FARMER BOY"

While Laura Ingalls grows up in a little house on the western prairie, Almanzo Wilder is living on a big farm in New York State. Almanzo and his brother and sisters work at their chores from dawn to supper most days -- no matter what the weather. There is still time for fun, though, especially with the horses, which Almanzo loves more than anything.

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This thread is for the discussion of "Farmer Boy".
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Subject: Re: "FARMER BOY" Mon Feb 19, 2007 3:50 pm

I love this book i reading it now
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Subject: Re: "FARMER BOY" Fri Feb 23, 2007 2:53 am

I love reading about Almanzo's childhood! I felt so bad for him at the one point in the story where his potato that he was roasting explodes and hit him in the face (or something like that), the writing was so real I could see a little boy being upset and it made me sad to read about it. I also loved how Eliza Jane actually helped him when he stained the wall when their parents were away.
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Subject: Re: "FARMER BOY" Tue Jul 31, 2007 4:17 pm

I just started reading this book for the first time today and I love it so far... I already feel sorry for him in the first chapter. He´s so little and scared at his first day in school... Well gotta go back to reading GreenSmile

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Subject: Re: "FARMER BOY" Sun Aug 05, 2007 8:58 pm

I love Farmer Boy. I can read it over and over.
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Subject: Re: "FARMER BOY" Tue Aug 28, 2007 11:57 pm

Boy, could Alamazo eat.
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Subject: Re: "FARMER BOY" Thu Aug 30, 2007 6:27 pm

He sure could... There sure are a lot of food mentioned in this book and Almanzo is always hungry... Every time I read those parts I always get hungry too

I´m only 15 pages short of finishing it GreenSmile

I´ve really enjoyed reading this book
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Subject: Re: "FARMER BOY" Fri Aug 31, 2007 4:43 pm

I just finished reading this book last night... there is something I´ve wondered about through the whole book. I´m quite sure that in real life Almanzo had an older sister named Laura but she isn´t mentioned in this book. Does anyone know how come she was left out??
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Subject: Re: "FARMER BOY" Fri Aug 31, 2007 5:08 pm

I have heard that it was because the book was already dealing with a "Laura" and LIW thought it would be too confusing to mention her. The books were intended for children, so it would've been confusing for them.
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Subject: Re: "FARMER BOY" Fri Aug 31, 2007 8:05 pm

It was the first "Little House Book" I read, and hooked me for ever! I love the way Laura depicts Almanzo's meals. The guy loved to eat! GreenSmile

Vanesa.
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Subject: Re: "FARMER BOY" Sat Sep 01, 2007 8:19 am

Subject: Re: "FARMER BOY" Sat Sep 01, 2007 10:07 am

Subject: Re: "FARMER BOY" Sat Sep 01, 2007 10:10 am

Subject: Re: "FARMER BOY" Tue Sep 04, 2007 12:41 am

I read exactly the same in one of William T. Anderson's booklets...But I can't remember which one. I think it was in a juvenile Laura's biography he wrote.

It's not fair for the other "Laura Wilder", anyway...She deserved a little place in the story! It could also be that she hadn't a so strong personnality as Eliza Jane had, and couldn't add interesting things to the storyline... Think

Vanesa.
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Subject: Re: "FARMER BOY" Tue Sep 04, 2007 9:44 am

Subject: Re: "FARMER BOY" Sat Sep 08, 2007 2:48 am

Subject: Re: "FARMER BOY" Sat Sep 08, 2007 8:48 am

[quote="Misti"][quote="GrandDuchessOlga"]

Subject: Re: "FARMER BOY" Sat Sep 08, 2007 1:10 pm

Subject: Re: "FARMER BOY" Sat Sep 08, 2007 2:31 pm

When ever I would read this one out loud to my boys, they would all get so hungry! So would I!

I read all the little House books every year to my one son left at home- at his request!

Subject: Re: "FARMER BOY" Sat Sep 22, 2007 12:01 pm

Dean Butler is visiting the Wilder Farm in Malone today to celebrate Almanzo's 150th birthday. He is making a documentary about Almanzo's life before Laura and is doing filming at the farm and surrounding area this weekend. The documentary will be available for purchase soon at the Malone site.
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Subject: Re: "FARMER BOY" Sat Sep 22, 2007 12:23 pm

Oh! That will be great!

Subject: Re: "FARMER BOY" Sun Sep 23, 2007 12:26 am

These are GREAT god news! Dean Butler is an amazing guy.

Vanesa. WooHooo

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Subject: Re: "FARMER BOY" Sun Sep 23, 2007 12:36 am

Here is an article of the events so far at the Wilder homesite.

http://www.pressrepublican.com/breakingnews/local_story_265144551.html
‘Little House’ event draws huge crowd
By DENISE RAYMO
Staff Writer
— BURKE — An eclectic mix of people turned out Saturday for the
first day of a two-day celebration to honor Almanzo Wilder’s 150th
birthday.
The Burke native was made famous by his wife, author Laura Ingalls
Wilder, who wrote about his boyhood remembrances in Northern New
York in her book, “Farmer Boy.”
Almanzo Wilder was born at the family homestead on Stacy Road on
Feb. 13, 1857, and died at age 92.
He married Laura Ingalls on Aug. 25, 1885.
Scholars, history buffs and fans of the “Little House on the
Prairie” books and the television series overwhelmed event
organizers who ran out of nearly everything Saturday except excited
visitors.
Gone was the stack of the schedule of events handed out as people
entered the grounds to the Almanzo and Laura Ingalls Wilder
Association bash at the Wilder Family homestead in Burke.
Bottled water sold out within the first hour in the 80-degree heat
that was disguised somewhat by a refreshing breeze throughout the
day.
And the variety of black-and-white photographs actor/producer Dean
Butler brought to autograph were snapped up quickly despite their
$10 price tag.
“We expected we might get some people, but we didn’t expect this
kind of response and neither did Dean Butler,” said Wilder
Association President Kathy Ellis.
He played Almanzo Wilder for five years on the “Little House” series.
“I know people were angry with me when I had to shut down the
autographs for a while, but he just couldn’t write anymore,” Ellis
said. “He had to stop. He just can’t believe how many people came
out.”
Butler signed about 50 autographs in less than an hour, and chatted
amiably with each person, asking for the name they wanted inscribed
and listening patiently while each told him a story, asked him a
question or posed for a candid photo.
Alice Johnson clutched a well-worn copy of “Farmer Boy” as she
waited in line, hoping for an autograph.
“I’ve owned this book a long time. I have them all,” she said. “I
love the stories, and I watch the series all the time or at least
have it on because I know every one by heart.”
She and her son, Darrell, and his friend, Paul, made the trip to the
Wilder Homestead from Plattsburgh.
Johnson usually made the trip with her husband, Robert. She said he
passed away a month ago, “but he’s still with me.”
Across the compound, re-enactors showed visitors their authentic
weapons, clothing and household goods while women dressed in period
costumes churned butter or tended wood fires in front of encampment
tents.
Some craftsmen and vendors sold wood products while the bookstore
and space at the gift shop at the Wilder Farm was standing-room
only, and even that was difficult.
In between getting beaned by small apples falling out of the tree
she was set up under, illustrator Jody Wheeler spoke with guests and
autographed her work featured in three HarperCollins books in
the “My First ‘Little House’ Book” series.
Geared toward pre-schoolers as well as first and second graders, the
read-along books introduce younger kids to the works of Laura
Ingalls Wilder.
Her appearance has been planned for about a year.
“When Sandy Young asked me to be part of it, I thought, ‘I don’t
even know where I’m going to be a year from now,’” Wheeler said.
“But when I heard the idea that it was going to be held upstate and
in the autumn and at the homestead, I said ‘yes, yes, yes.’”
The artist continued to talk as 2-year-old Sullivan Wescott and his
mom, Ellie, waited to approach.
She said the area and the Wilder homestead have changed quite a bit
from the initial trip she made north from Ballston Spa for first-
hand research several years ago and she was thrilled to see such
large crowds.
“This is much more than I expected, and the place has expanded,” she
said. “They’ve added some buildings, and even Malone looks more
prosperous.”
Activities and demonstrations dotted the land as families strolled
the grounds, snacked under the pavilion or caught the performance of
an original play written by Curtis Winters called “Manley’s Growing
Pains.”
“I’m going into the field in college and I’ve done a lot of musical
theater in school, but doing community theater is also nice,” said
Paige Dustin, a 16-year-old Franklin Academy High School student who
played Almanzo’s older sister, Eliza Jane.
“It’s really nice to see so much going on and so many people,” she
said.
William Webber, a 14-year student from Brushton-Moira, said he was
glad to be part of the Wilder celebration because he enjoyed
reading “Farmer Boy” so much when he first picked it up at his
aunt’s house three or four years ago.
“I just love it, and I think it’s really cool that such a big part
of history happened right here,” he said. “In my opinion, I think
it’s the best book ever written.”
E-mail Denise A. Raymo at:
[email]draymo@pressrepublican.com[/email]
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Subject: Re: "FARMER BOY" Tue Jul 08, 2008 10:58 am

I've always wished that Laura would've written another book just about Almanzo, as I've always loved Farmer Boy. When I was eight I actually got teased for liking the book so well as my 'friends' didn't like the book very much. They basically said that I shouldn't like it because it wasn't even about Laura. :b

I think it's interesting the different things that I pick up from the books as I read the books as I get older. I never noticed how much Almanzo ate until I recently reread the book! ~laughs~ He made me hungry and then he made me feel fat! ~laughs~

I always felt sorry for Almanzo that his father wouldn't let him work with the colts. Then at the end of the book Almanzo is allowed to have a colt and the book ends! I was so disappointed!

I really like how much work that Almanzo has to do. It makes me wish that kids today had a lot to do as well as I really think that it's good for kids to have work to do, though not quite as much work as Almanzo had!

The part where Almanzo gets made at Eliza Jane cracks me up every time. It's such a typical boy!
Eliza Jane was hurrying and nagging.
"Be careful you don't spill the polish," she said, busily dusting.
Almanzo guessed he knew enough not to spill stove polish. But he didn't say anything.
"Use less water, Almanzo. And, mercy! rub harder than that!" He didn't say anything.
Eliza Jane went into the parlor to dust it. She called: "Almanzo, that stove done now?"
"No," said Almanzo.
"Goodness! Don't dawdle so!:
Almanzo muttered, "Whose boss are you"
Eliza Jane asked, "What's that you say?"
"Nothing," Almazno said.
Elize Jane came to the door. "You did so say something."
Almanzo straightened up and shouted, "I say, WHOSE BOSS ARE YOU?"
lol
I think my favorite chapters in the book are when the kids are keeping house.
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Subject: Re: "FARMER BOY" Tue Jul 08, 2008 12:14 pm

When I would read Farmer Boy aloud to my boys, they would get so hungry! I just had to make pie for them! Ha-ha!

My little boy's favorite chapter is Keeping house, also. Laughing

Micah didn't have much opportunity for sibling rivalry since his brothers were/are more like uncles to him. He thinks it would be fun to have some brothers and sisters to fight with!

I loved how Almanzo KNEW he wanted to be a farmer and he grew up to such a great horseman.

Yeah, I would like there to be more books about him, too. Reading more about his move out to the Dakotas, his impressions of Laura, etc. would be lots of fun!

Holly Cowgirl