Some photos from the Harry Sorensen Family. Several are very typical of everyday scenes in any farm and home of the era. Used by permission of the Sorensen Family.
Upper left: Mrs Hanna (Hansen) Sorensen directs daughter Lois in this kitchen while the Calendar on the wall is open to June 1937. Note the wood and cob heating stove and the refrigerator in the corner. Probably a GE with the condenser on top. These operated on sulfur dioxide or methyl formate and cost about $300 which, with inflation, would be in the area of $4500 now. They were apparently a very good unit as a few are still in service.
Upper and Middle Right: Cultivating with the one row cultivator. Note the corn population which is probably in the range of 13,000 plants an acre. The field is amazingly weed free. That's Kermit, Harry, and Dick in the top photo and Harry as the lone cultivator.
Middle Left: Looks like Dinner time for the haying crew. That's Harry with his back to the camera and on his left is Marvin. Dinner time is the noon meal. Hanna is setting with her back to the door so it's convenient to get something from the kitchen.
Bottom Left: Harry poses with the trusty firearm in front of a corn crib wall with about 26 fox pelts. Note the trap in front of his left shoe. Hunting and trapping added to the family income and, if it happened to be a hobby, too; then, so much the better.
Above: The crew brings in a load of hay in this picturesque setting of summer in Iowa. The horses leaning into the harness and the fellows sharing a jug of water. It looks like the last load in the field so there's reason for the apparent merriment on the hayrack. Marvin is driving the team, Harry is at the right, and daughter Lois, who looks as though she must have brought the water jug out to the hot hay field, in the middle. More on the Sorensens on page 246.