But you were probably paid for it, right?
Most farm and ranch kids didn't get paid for ordinary chores, such as herding cattle and ploughing fields, but I grew up under the impression that a chicken coop was "special," and so one was paid for it, a couple of bucks, five bucks, whatever depending upon whether pre-1977 or after inflation skyrocketed.
Along with my other chores. Now, when I was 14 I went to work for the neighbor during the summers in the hayfields. My Dad, and his Dad, believed you didn't work for your family until you
knew how to work. SO, I worked about 20 miles from home, lived in the bunkhouse with the other ranch hands, and made (in 1982) $500.00 a month.
I ran a hay-rake and the slide stacker, did general matenance on the tractors, and when we needed to, helped drive the cattle from the south meadows to the north ones. We fixed fence, branded cows, and everything else needed on the ranch.
Once school started I was back a home, doing the chores for my Dad, making $20.00 a week. Ten dollars a week went for my school stuff (gas to drive to school, lunch other than school lunch, supplies, etc.). The other ten was mine to spend.
I took an after school job to make extra money to go to the movies with my girlfriend, more gas to drive around, and boot-leg beer across the border of South Dakota.
I enlisted in the Army and left for basic training three days after graduation. I have been working since then, including
while I went to college.
