Educated: A Memoir

Many instances in this series of disasters boil down to common sense and safety. While her father's bi-polar disorder coupled with his survivalist tendencies contributed to not only mental abuse - mental neglect? – it also led to him to not educate his family on ideas of simple safety. He placed productivity and preparedness ahead of valuing his family and children.

I grew up on a farm where we operated and maintained many dangerous pieces of equipment. Swathers, combines, choppers, blowers, PTO shafts spinning, hydraulic lines pumping and squidging, snow mobiles, 500 gallon fuel storage units on-site, welders, acetylene torches, electric fences, augurs, elevators, poisonous herbicides, livestock capable of trampling, cultivators, feed grinders, 80' silo ladders, grain bin vacuums, and so on. Before any of us kids were allowed to touch, mount, drive, or operate ANY of it, we were carefully trained, and taught to listen and learn as grandpa Vernor, uncle Freeman, older cousin Randy, and even cousin Nancy taught us their proper use and operation, and warned us of every way something could go wrong that would put us in danger or cause a costly breakdown. Reading this book has caused me to look back on my farm days with a new appreciation for my family.