At the age of seven, Loren Schmidtberger was assigned to a beginners cow -- the gentlest cow in the herd and the easiest for a child just beginning to milk. As he learned to milk with the help of the cow, he also learned the art of living from the unforgiving reality of the Dust Bowl years tempered by the steadfast resilience of his Volga German community. Now he offers us those memories in stories told with wry humor and gentle grace.
The narrative follows Loren Schmidtberger's childhood experiences during the Dust Bowl, highlighting his lessons in resilience learned from milking the gentlest cow. Through poignant stories infused with wry humor, he reflects on his Volga German community and the enduring memories of family that shaped his life. The tales capture the cultural legacy of the 1930s, contrasting it with modern America, and reveal the profound changes that have occurred over the decades. Schmidtberger's insights offer a heartfelt tribute to his upbringing and the values instilled in him.