Mapping The Farm: The Chronicle of a Family

by John Hildebrand

In a book that is "both a personal testament and an absorbing chronicle of agrarian history" (New York Times Book Review), Hildebrand relates the story of four generations of farming O'Neills in Minnesota--a quintessentially American tale of land and labor, memory and loss. of photos.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Cultural, History

245 pages, Paperback

First published June 13, 1995

Reviews

[John Jacobson · Rating 5 out of 5]

An elegant book. The "mapping" is much more of the lives of the family that farmed the land, near Rochester, MN, than it is of the land itself. John Hildebrand married into the fourth generation of that family -- the generation that will not be able to take over the farm when the third generation no longer can carry on -- and his history, from farm politics and agricultural economics to the gentle and compelling picture of the farm's people, past and present, is very well done.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having seen my grandfather's farm go from a simple farm with cattle and pasture and hay to a better money-making dairy to a subdivision of houses made me feel the emotion in this chronicle. Well told, Mr. Hildebrand.

[Rita · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written; informative; historical in terms of small farm life in Minnesota; nostalgic.

[Cody Rachner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mapping the Farm by John Hildebrand

John Hildebrand's story Mapping the Farm is a book I picked because I saw the cover and was very interested when i saw the barn and the title of the book. This book gives you an idea of what it's like trying to make the decision on what to do with the family farm. Throughout this story John tells you about his wife's dad's farm and how they made the decision what to do with it while her father's health is failing.And the whole story John is also kind of writing a biography about his wife's father Ed and telling the reader about him and what he's experienced and how it has shaped him to be what he is. In the end he tells the reader what they decide to do with the farm .What I found to be the theme throughout the story is live in the moment make the decision don't try to put it off. This book is enjoyable by anyone who is interested in farming and the history of the family farm.

[Colleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mapping the Farm tells the five generation family story of a farm near Rochester, Minnesota. The author is not a farmer; in fact, he's the son-in-law. So, this makes for an interesting commentary. Sometimes he is neutral and simply telling what he sees. Sometimes he is self-deprecating; he didn't grow up on this farm and is struggling to understand the history and nuances of farm life. Sometimes he reports on the simplest details of local life including getting ready for the county fair and attending mass. The detail on some of the earlier generation's stories in incredible. I would like to know more of how that was captured. I'd also like to know what happened to the farm. The book was published over 20 years ago. Even then, housing developments were already getting close to the farm.

[Jeff Rosendahl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hilderbrand is writing stories about the history of his wife's family's farm in Southern MN. And stories about the present challenges facing the farm. I found them to be enjoyable, well-written tales and histories. There was a point early in the book when Hilderbrand talks about different images of the farm (overhead pictures, soil surveys, etc.), and I thought he was going to use each of those as the basis for a chapter ... or a different way of looking at the stories of the farm, but it didn't pan out that way, which was a bit of a disappointment for me. His research is well done, and the stories are engaging, especially for a population that has moved further and further from it's family farm roots.

[Harron68 · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a joy to read. Very good, with some slow spots, story of generations of one family on a Minnesota farm. Excellent prose that at times sings. One can understand how dangerous the job can be. Besides the dangers of the equipment and, have you ever heard of "farmer lung," there's the risk of selling your products for a fair profit. Meat, poultry and grain sales are guided (biased toward) a few giant corporations and prices to farmers are rarely "lottery win" big.
I recommend this book to everyone not in farming. It should help bridge the canyon-wide gap between city and country folk. Now, if we could just get together over politics . . .

[Lynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this easy reading book...my paternal side of the family lived in the boonies of eastern Nebraska, one having a farm and others living surround by farms, some in a "town" of 200 (very scattered, not in town).

I would be interested in how long the 8 children were able to hang onto and run the farm...

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author tells the story of his wife's family farm in Minnesota going back three generations and how they survived as immigrants from Ireland, through the depression and WWII and to around the 1980's or 90's. Lots of personal stories of good times and bad, everything from the days of threshing and barn raising to 4H , riding horses and raising livestock. Many Wisconsin references as well.

[M · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my very favorite books. Highly recommend.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Always fun to read a book a book you lived. Farming near Rochester MN.

[Glenn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Growing up on a farm myself, I could really relate to this book.

[Koren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this. It really hits home for me how hard farming is. And yet it is not a 'poor me' story, it just is what it is. The writer has remarkable insight into farming and what farming means to a family and how it applies to life lessons. This is a story of the history of his family farm and why small farms are rapidly becoming a thing of the past. This story brought back a lot of memories for me and it is somewhat local for me as it takes place in southeastern Minnesota and I am in southwestern Minnesota so there were a lot of familiar places mentioned.

[Marlene · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story of a family farm in Minnesota thru generations from horse power to mechanized farming methods and finally with noone in the family wanting to farm anymore. A familiar story of the demise of the Family farm. Also brought back memories thru the course of my lifetime from remembering the use of horses for harvesting, then on to tractors and combines.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Selection for the October book festival. Written by UWEC English professor. Set in Minnesota beginning in 1880 and continued to present time. Personal involvement by the son-in-law author. Especially interesting to a farm girl (me).

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A well-written story of one Minnesota farm that unfolds the history of farms and farming in the Midwest through very human stories.

[Rogue Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

The narrative of the probably end of an agricultural heritage; the economics of US food policy make it impossible to continue

[Lavonne · Rating 3 out of 5]

This history of a farm and its people in southern MN was published in 1995. As a child in rural Minnesota, I enjoyed the stories of threshing crews, county fairs, the farmer's union, and family dynamics. Hildebrand illustrates the declining small farm presence as larger and larger commercial farms take over, making it financially difficult for the small guy to make a living. I would love to know just what has transpired on that beloved acreage since the 1990's.