A grand day : the forgotten voice of a farm woman through dust, depression, and war / by Louisa Ehrichs Schwanbeck ; edited by Veda Rogers ; introduction by Melissa Walker.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Schwanbeck, Louisa Ehrichs, 1877-1966, Author.

Contributor:

Rogers, Veda, editor.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Farm life--Kansas--History--20th century.

Farm life.

Agriculture--Kansas--History--20th century.

Agriculture.

Dust Bowl Era, 1931-1939.

Women farmers--Kansas.

Women farmers.

Schwanbeck, Louisa Ehrichs, 1877-1966.

Schwanbeck, Louisa Ehrichs.

Kansas--Environmental conditions--20th century.

Kansas.

Genre:

diaries.

Diaries.

Autobiographies.

Physical Description:

liii, 282 pages : illustrations, map ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

Lawrence, Kansas : University Press of Kansas, [2026]

Summary:

"A daily farm diary that shows a woman who was unbelievably hard-working, a shrewd manager of her farm and home, steadfast in the face of pain and adversity, and both fiercely independent and strongly connected to a supportive community. This is a remarkable account of an average life. These published diaries of Louisa "Lulu" Ehrlichs Schwanbeck chronicle her life and work on her farm in Western Kansas spanning the Great Depression, the Dust Bowl, and World War II. Between 1935, when began her first diary, and 1938, she not only toiled against the stress of the Great Depression and the threats of the Dust Bowl but also suffered debilitating burns, a cancer diagnosis, and the loss of her husband. By 1940, she a single woman in her early sixties overseeing the business and operations of a large family farm. As a farmer and a true Kansan, she faced these challenges head on with a powerful work ethic, strong determination, high spirits, and a strong community of support. Lulu had a verve for life and understood the importance of balancing work and play. Despite hard times and hard work, many of her entries ended with a simple note. "A grand day.""-- Provided by publisher.

"A daily farm diary that shows a woman who was unbelievably hard-working, a shrewd manager of her farm and home, steadfast in the face of pain and adversity, and both fiercely independent and strongly connected to a supportive community. This is a remarkable account of an average life. These published diaries of Louisa "Lulu" Ehrichs Schwanbeck chronicle her life and work on her farm in Western Kansas spanning the Great Depression, the Dust Bowl, and World War II. Between 1935, when began her first diary, and 1938, she not only toiled against the stress of the Great Depression and the threats of the Dust Bowl but also suffered debilitating burns, a cancer diagnosis, and the loss of her husband. By 1940, she was a single woman in her early sixties overseeing the business and operations of a large, fully mortgaged family farm. As a farmer and a true Kansan, she faced these challenges head on with a powerful work ethic, strong determination, high spirits, and a strong community of support. Lulu had a verve for life and understood the importance of balancing work and play. Despite hard times and hard work, many of her entries ended with a simple note. "A grand day." This rare collection of diaries tells the individual story of one woman while also giving voice to the lives and experiences of countless women in twentieth-century rural America that have often been forgotten to history"-- Provided by publisher.

Contents:

Machine generated contents note: Editor's Preface

Acknowledgments

Introduction by Melissa Walker: A Farmer's World on the Kansas Plains

Lulu's Background

Cast of Characters

Map of Lulu's World

Part I: Life as a Couple

1. 1935

3. 1936

Part II: Alone on Her Own

3. 1939

4. 1940

5. 1941

Part III: Life Gets Better

6. 1942

7. 1943

8. 1944

9. 1945

10. 1946

Part IV: More Progress

11. 1947

12. 1948

13. 1949

Part V: Relationship in the Fray

14. 1950

15. 1951

16. 1952

17. 1953 (January-July)

18. 1953 (August-December)

19. 1954

Index.

Notes:

Includes index.

ISBN:

9780700641154

0700641157

OCLC:

1573038183

Publisher Number:

90104468268