"When I was a little bitty baby, my mama would rock me in the cradle, in them ol' cotton fields back home...." has always been a favorite song on mine. I seldom pass a cotton field without at some point breaking into that song, much to the shagrin of those in the vehicle with me.
Beautiful white cotton fields are very special to me. At one point in our travels I was bold enough to stop and ask a farmer if I could have a few stalks of cotton to make an arrangement in Doug's old milk can. Today as the cotton fields are being harvested in our area, I again want a few stalks for decorating. Cotton fields and I go back a long way.
I started to Elba High School in the eighth grade, after having gone to Curtis School through grades 1-7. It didn't take me long to become an Elba Tiger fan. The school passed out a form that we could buy a black and gold Elba Tiger jacket for $8.00, and I wanted one. They were brand new, shiney, and a jacket to be desired by any student who was a Tiger fan. I'd never had anything that pretty before. The only problem was we were poor and we didn't have the money to pay for a new jacket.
Mother always looked for ways to make money. She knew of my desire for the Elba Tiger jacket. She remembered our neighbor had a cotton field he had planted, and yes, he was looking for anybody that would help pick his cotton. Mother signed us up. In the afternoons after school we headed for the cotton field. I remember to this day having that cotton sack draped over my body. That was the longest thing I had ever seen dragging behind me and he expected me to fill it up one cotton bowl at a time. I didn't know if I could do it or not, but I knew I only had to pick enough to earn $8.00 and I could get my brand new Elba Tiger jacket. So I picked, and I picked, and I picked, and at the end of the day we headed for the scales. The elderly man weighed my cotton and I didn't have enough the first day, so I had to come back day after day until I reached my goal. Finally I did reach my goal and I guess I've never been prouder of anything than my Tiger jacket. I wore it with great pride.
One of the joys I remember especially about those cotton picking days was the day they asked me if I would like to get up on the wagon full of cotton. I did, and I climbed to the very top. It was so soft. The smell of the freshly picked cotton was a smell I treasure to this day. I think I'll go find a farmer and ask for a few stalks of cotton from his field. I'll pick that cotton and cup it in my hands tightly, lift it to my nose and once again enjoy the smell of freshly picked cotton. And when you come for a visit, I'll have it in a covered container for you to enjoy too. Perhaps you will have a cotton-picking tale to share.
Picture Credit: Cotton field in Basin community near Elba, AL. By: Glenda Williams
Beautiful white cotton fields are very special to me. At one point in our travels I was bold enough to stop and ask a farmer if I could have a few stalks of cotton to make an arrangement in Doug's old milk can. Today as the cotton fields are being harvested in our area, I again want a few stalks for decorating. Cotton fields and I go back a long way.
I started to Elba High School in the eighth grade, after having gone to Curtis School through grades 1-7. It didn't take me long to become an Elba Tiger fan. The school passed out a form that we could buy a black and gold Elba Tiger jacket for $8.00, and I wanted one. They were brand new, shiney, and a jacket to be desired by any student who was a Tiger fan. I'd never had anything that pretty before. The only problem was we were poor and we didn't have the money to pay for a new jacket.
Mother always looked for ways to make money. She knew of my desire for the Elba Tiger jacket. She remembered our neighbor had a cotton field he had planted, and yes, he was looking for anybody that would help pick his cotton. Mother signed us up. In the afternoons after school we headed for the cotton field. I remember to this day having that cotton sack draped over my body. That was the longest thing I had ever seen dragging behind me and he expected me to fill it up one cotton bowl at a time. I didn't know if I could do it or not, but I knew I only had to pick enough to earn $8.00 and I could get my brand new Elba Tiger jacket. So I picked, and I picked, and I picked, and at the end of the day we headed for the scales. The elderly man weighed my cotton and I didn't have enough the first day, so I had to come back day after day until I reached my goal. Finally I did reach my goal and I guess I've never been prouder of anything than my Tiger jacket. I wore it with great pride.
One of the joys I remember especially about those cotton picking days was the day they asked me if I would like to get up on the wagon full of cotton. I did, and I climbed to the very top. It was so soft. The smell of the freshly picked cotton was a smell I treasure to this day. I think I'll go find a farmer and ask for a few stalks of cotton from his field. I'll pick that cotton and cup it in my hands tightly, lift it to my nose and once again enjoy the smell of freshly picked cotton. And when you come for a visit, I'll have it in a covered container for you to enjoy too. Perhaps you will have a cotton-picking tale to share.
Picture Credit: Cotton field in Basin community near Elba, AL. By: Glenda Williams
