Pa never told stories like Grandpa. Or treated the barn like family. Eli knew how Grandpa’s own pa had built the barn by hand, hauling bluestone for the foundation behind a stubborn ox with horns as wide as a tractor. How the smell of the plank walls was like family and how you never washed your chore coat so the animals would smell that you were family, too.

~ Sandra Neil Wallace

Sandra Neil Wallace Animal Stories Author Sandra Neil Wallace Belonging Family Little Joe Nature Relationships

They got a manure machine in there,” Keller said. He went up to the barn and peeked through a hole between tow boards. “On wheels. It’s fun to ride sometimes, when you don’t care how you smell.

~ Sandra Neil Wallace

Sandra Neil Wallace Animal Stories Author Sandra Neil Wallace Cows Farm Life Friendship Humor Little Joe Nature

Little Joe was still behind him. Eli could feel it. He wanted to look back, but he couldn’t. The tears were too close. If he were Fancy, he’d turn around and kick and buck and moo and do just about anything to keep his calf near. But Eli wasn’t Fancy; he was a farmer.

~ Sandra Neil Wallace

Sandra Neil Wallace Animal Stories Animals Author Sandra Neil Wallace Coming Of Age Cows Farm Life Life S Lessons Little Joe Loss Nature Sadness

Milkers don’t spend half as long with their mothers. Eli spread his chore coat over Little Joe. Not more than a few weeks. Sometimes one day. Maybe not even ... If you were a peeper, it’d be even worse. They don’t even get to see their mamas. They’re still jelly beans when they’re left alone to hatch.

~ Sandra Neil Wallace

Sandra Neil Wallace Animals Author Sandra Neil Wallace Farm Animals Growing Up Little Joe Nature Separation