By: James F “Jim” Barrett 

Well, as my wife would say, “As usual, you’re wrong again, Jim.” I thought we’d get back to the conclusion of our dissertation on the Shepherd of the Hills Farm and Theater in this article, after “doing” the old Ozark Playground Association map last time. But I failed to get things done so we could do so. By the way, no one has come forward with definitive information regarding that organization. I’d love to know how, when and by whom it became organized. I meant to call the original owners of SoH and interview them for the conclusion of the tale. But the holidays and all that stuff has interfered and I haven’t gotten it done. So, maybe in our next chat we’ll get around to it. more…

By: James F “Jim” Barrett

Before we conclude our chat concerning The Shepherd of the Hills Farm and Theater I’d like to interview the remaining members of the theater’s founding folks, the Mark Trimble family. I also intend to interview some of the people who have made the Shepherd of the Hills play so famous and popular for many years. Bear with me then, friends, until I can get that wonderful, personal information for you to complete the Farm and Theater story. In the meantime, we’ll look at a closely allied situation. more…

By: Gary Gray

Anybody who grew up on a farm can tell you about the car’s they have owned. Anybody who grew up on a farm will also tell you that when they have driven their last mile in that car, where it eventually ended up. Behind the Barn. more…

by Kenneth Brown and Paul Barker

(Please see editor’s notes and acknowledgments below.)

Introduction

Best anyone can figure out, about 3,000 of Al Smith’s one-man circular rim saws were made from 1947 until the early 1950s. The first saws were made in Ava by Mr. Smith and his business partner, William I. Barker. During this period, the saws were appropriately labeled the “Ava Saw.” Then, in 1950, the business was moved to Springfield by its new owner, Noble A. Barker, after which the saw was labeled the “Barker Saw.” Several of these saws are still around, mostly as antiques; but reportedly, the saws are still being used up in Alaska. more…

A letter from the editor.
It never ceases to amaze me just how similar, surfing the Internet is to cruising along Ozark mountain back

Editor Ed in the office

 roads, you never know where the trail will lead or what interesting place or story you will find around the next bend. A few evenings ago, I turned off the computer and decided to check out what the cable TV had to offer. Clicking through the channels, I happened to come across one of those television magazines that featured a presentation on incredible amazing unexplained paranormal mysteries, if you watch cable or satellite TV you are no doubt familiar with this type of program. Anyway this particular presentation featured short snippets of the usual paranormal fare, ghosts, UFOs, and such but it also had a short feature on the amazing legend of Jim The Wonder Dog.

more…

Mother’s Pot Roast

Ingredients:

2 1/2 to 3 pound shoulder or sirloin tip roast
1 (16 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 medium onion, cut into thin strips
2 bay leaves
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
salt and pepper to taste

Directions: more…

By:Susie Cortright
http://www.momscape.com

Like many moms, I suffer from selective amnesia. Mostly, it revolves around things like pregnancy, labor, childbirth, and the isolating early days with a newborn, which, with the first baby, culminated in the night I emptied the Diaper Genie and my battered soul by howling something unintelligible and swinging a roll of smelly nappies over my head. more…

Submitted By: Ann Crabtree

History:

Cornhusk dolls are one of the oldest forms of dolls known in the Americas. The Iroquois have a legend about the “faceless doll.” It seems that the first cornhusk doll was made to be the companion for a little Indian girl. more…

By: Gary Gray

When I was a teenager in the early 1970’s I used to tag along with my older brother to what was then called “moto-cross” races. We had a Dodge van that had a converted interior with all the trappings of the day; the paneled interior, shag carpet, bed, eight-track stereo, the works. The cherry paint job, the shiny chrome mag wheels and side pipes were guaranteed to attract attention. I think they were referred too as “sin-dens” back in those days. It was one groovy van. more…

The Missouri Fox Trotter

As we have pointed out so many times in articles here in THE MESSAGE TREE, there are many firsts that Missouri and the Ozarks can claim, things or even people that originated right here. In past issues we have discussed how the first “Wild West Style Gunfight” took place on the square in Springfield, the fact that George Washington Carver who brought so many wonderful inventions and developments (especially Peanut Butter) was a native of the Ozarks, and on and on, but did you know that the Ozarks even had its own horse? more…