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Title:
Farmer Boy
Series: Little House #3
Author:
Laura Ingalls Wilder
Rating: 4 of 5 Stars
Genre:
MG Historical Fiction
Pages: 143
Words:
52K
Publish: 1933
I
enjoyed this as much as the previous entries. My vague earlier
memories were that this all took place out in the west, on the
frontier, just like the previous Little House stories, so imagine my
surprise when I found out this took place in New York, deep in Yankee
Country. I also hadn’t remembered that the main character (Almanzo)
was the son of a very successful farmer, so there was no hardship
beyond what was inherent to farming in the 1800’s.
Almost
every story involved food in one way or another. By the book’s end
I wanted to go eat and eat and eat! It wasn’t really surprising
though. Almanzo is 9 turning into 10 during this book and he works
hard, so he needed that food. Since his family was successful, they
had plenty of food and didn’t stint.
There
was one funny incident where Almanzo’s father refuses to use some
piece of new farm equipment (maybe a corn husker or wheat berry
stripper or something) because he claims it will make people lazy and
it will waste some of the corn/wheat. Then the next paragraph is the
father using some other form of new farm equipment that makes their
lives much easier. I’m sure that was included deliberately to make
his father more human. It made me laugh though, because I think the
exact same thing about some stuff today and act exactly like the
father. So I’m definitely living in a glass house as it were.
The
cover I’m using here isn’t the one I grew up with or that fits
with the previous books, but it really shows how much horses were a
part of Almanzo’s life. He wanted to raise and train horses and in
this book, he wasn’t old enough and was strictly forbidden from it.
So it is a big focus for him and all he wants is to become a farmer
so he can train horses. We’ll be meeting Almanzo again in later
books, so we’ll see how he turns out then :-)
★★★★☆
From
Grokipedia
Farmer
Boy chronicles the daily life of nine-year-old Almanzo
Wilder on his family's prosperous farm in upstate New York during the
winter of 1866 through the following year. The narrative centers on
Almanzo's experiences with farm chores, family responsibilities, and
personal milestones, portrayed through a series of seasonal
activities that highlight the rhythm of rural existence.[15]The story
opens in winter with Almanzo attending school for the first time
alongside his older siblings—thirteen-year-old Royal,
twelve-year-old Eliza Jane, and ten-year-old Alice—trudging through
deep snow to a one-room schoolhouse. There, a confrontation arises
when older boys attempt to bully the new teacher, Mr. Corse, but he
subdues them with a blacksnake whip, establishing order. At home, the
family engages in essential winter tasks, such as cutting blocks of
ice from a nearby pond with hired workers French Joe and Lazy John,
hauling them to the icehouse for summer use. Almanzo assists Father
and Royal, narrowly escaping a fall into the icy water, and learns
the value of caution from Father's stern but fair discipline. Evening
routines include carding wool by the fireside, where Mother
supervises the children, and maple sugaring, during which the family
boils sap into syrup over an outdoor fire, sharing the labor and the
sweet rewards.[16][17]On his ninth birthday in February, Almanzo
receives a special gift from Father: a yoke for two young
calves named Star and Bright, marking his growing trustworthiness. He
spends the spring training them to pull a bobsled and later
a wagon, demonstrating patience and skill as they mature into
reliable draft animals. Family dynamics shine through
Mother's meticulous cooking—preparing vast meals
from farm produce—and Father's emphasis on hard work
and honesty. Siblings contribute uniquely: Royal handles heavier
tasks with a mischievous streak, Eliza Jane focuses on studies and
household duties, and Alice helps care for the younger children while
tending the baby. Spring brings planting season, with the family
harrowing fields, sowing corn, potatoes, and other crops,
and tending to calving; when one cow's calf weakens, Almanzo helps
revive it, fostering his bond with the animals. Occasional visitors,
like neighbors or the peddler, add variety, but the core
revolves around collective farm maintenance.[15][17]Summer
intensifies with haying and harvesting, where Almanzo drives the team
of oxen to mow fields under the hot sun, enduring long days but
reveling in the farm's bounty. The Fourth of July celebration in town
offers a rare break, with parades, fireworks,
and family outings. As fall arrives, the narrative shifts
to the county fair, where Almanzo exhibits a massive pumpkin he
cultivated, winning a blue ribbon and a silver dollar,
while his sisters display needlework and preserves. He also
returns a lost pocketbook containing $1,500 to its owner, earning a
$200 reward and Father's commendation for integrity. School
resumes with disruptions when a harsh new teacher arrives,
leading to tensions, but Almanzo prioritizes farm duties
like potato digging and apple picking. In a pivotal moment,
with parents away, Royal's poor management of the household—allowing
pigs inside and wasting food—contrasts with Almanzo's steadier
approach, teaching lessons in responsibility.[18][19][20]The year
culminates in late fall with logging operations
to harvest timber for a new barn, where Father teaches
Almanzo advanced ox-driving techniques. Thanksgiving brings a grand
family feast, reuniting extended relatives and reflecting on
the harvest's success. Turning ten, Almanzo faces a choice
from Father: an apprenticeship as a wagon-maker or
continuing on the farm. Opting for farming, he earns the
colt Starlight as his own horse, symbolizing his readiness
for greater independence and foreshadowing his
future as a farmer. The story closes on this note of
achievement, encapsulating a full cycle of growth amid
unyielding farm labor.
