Dear MOTHER

“We didn’t have much money, but we did have plenty of energy.”

Readers’ 50th anniversary letters are marked with a gold star.

Barn Building

My wife and I raised our kids on a small acreage in southern Illinois. When our kids were young, we encouraged them to join 4-H. As part of 4-H, they raised sheep and goats. Eventually, our small operation grew into a flock. Because of our large number of animals, we needed more room than the little shed we had. With the harsh weather and a growing sheep population, we had to decide whether to keep a small number of livestock or build a better facility to accommodate the animals. We didn’t have much money, but we did have plenty of energy. As luck would have it, one Friday night, we were talking to a farmer friend