In the posting for the Neosho National Fish Hatchery I failed to comment on the handsome creature shown below. He is a Hellbender Salamander that they are working with. Isn't he a fine looking guy?
While I was in Tulsa Daughter Jamie was helping me search land records on the Internet for North West Arkansas. I have always wanted to know how my Dad got the farm I was raised on. We found literally dozens of land transaction for my grandfather Diven ( My Dad's Father ). We found one where granddad Diven sold 40 acres to my Dad but what about the larger acreage? Later I was reading these records more closely and found that Granddad did sell the entire farm of 166 acres to my Dad. I always thought we owned 125 acres. It is written as a sale but in reality I think it was a gift for $1.00. So, Jamie it just goes to show you we needed to read those documents more closely.
While at my brother in Arkansas Lady Blue needed servicing so after I got her taken care of I drove back by the old farm and saw people working in the yard so I stopped. They were in the process of taking the old barn down for the lumber. The old barn had almost completely collapsed. The man who now owns a few acres where the house stands bought it from the man who Dad sold the whole farm to in 1948. It turned out that he knew Mom and she used to come and buy blue berries from him. James Louis and I recalled an old building ( house ) being down by the railroad so we went to see if we could at least find the foundation. Instead we found that the areas where the building would have stood are now under several feet of dirt where they have expanded a nearby golf course so I guess we never will solve that mystery.
One question was solved though and that was the well on the farm which had a almost limitless supply of good water. When Dad had the well drilled they got down to a point and lost the drill bit. I know Dad let a rope with a weight tied to the end of it down into the well and could never hit bottom. the man I was talking to said he had a University of Arkansas professor of geogly come out with some of his students and study the well. They concluded there is a combination lake and underground river in the limestone formations under the farm and that is what is providing such a great source of water. He said in growing several acres of blue berries he pumps between 1200 - 1600 gallon of water per hour, 24 hours a day and the water level never drops more than 6 inches. This was confirmed by the U of A people.
Another interesting point is that his blueberries are larger and sweater than most and it was determined that the water filtering through the limestone has unusually high quantities of beneficial minerals that help the berries.
So students that is your lesson tonight on mystery solving, sources of water and cultivation of blueberries. So I have taught about all my contract calls for tonight. I am tired and sleepy so---- remember God loves you and so do I.
Perhaps tomorrow we will discuss a little about President Truman's birthplace.
Grandpa Bill
Hi Dad
ReplyDeleteBoy what interesting stuff you learned out at your old homestead. The well water info was especially interesting. Is it blueberry season in Arkansas? Did you taste the blueberries? You should've asked for a peice of the old barn for prosperity purposes. Ha!
I have seen those Hellbender Salamander in other exhibits before. They are quite the lookers aren't they. I have quite a few found memories of fishing with you and Grandpa and looking for salamanders under the rocks. Not the Hellbenders of course, but just your run of the mill ones.
Looking forward to the Truman history lesson and what happened to Mark Twain?