Growing Up Country: Memories of an Iowa Farm Girl by Carol Bodensteiner

Feeding newborn calves, first time driving a tractor at haying time, helping at milking time, gardening, learning to iron, close-knit church congregation,  learning to cook meals, adventures in the pastures and timbers.  All farm memories I share with the author, who only lived a county away, and in the same formative years, in the 1950’s.  I constantly felt like I could have been writing some of this.  Yet so different as she worked a lot harder to help at milking time and had sisters with whom to share responsibilities, fun times, and also to share competitive responsibilities.  The people growing up in the small towns may think they have lots in common, but if you didn’t live and work on the farm you have a whole different take on what growing up was like in the 1950’s.  Enjoyed this very much; always ready to read more chapters at a sitting.  It ended too soon.  8 out of 10.