My grandpa grew up on a farm in rural Iowa. We don’t know much about my family’s history, because most potential records have been destroyed at some point, or never existed in the first place. We’re not sure where most of my family immigrated from, with the exception of one of my great-great-grandmas. 
Most of my family history centers around farming in rural Iowa, including the heritage farm my grandfather grew up on. Farming is a big part of most of the rural Midwest, and to support that community, there’s a large 4-H presence. 4-H essentially acts as an education program for the children of farming families, preparing them to join the farming force by teaching them skills.
In the 4-H program, there is yearly record-keeping for all your projects and learning. My grandfather started his record-book when he was ten. The faded green cover contains almost a decade-worth of cattle shows and tractor driving. Black-and-white photos peel off, leaving yellowed glue behind. A prominent feature of the book is his “4-H story”, a page-or-so detailing who he is and what he's done so far in 4-H.
While this record book does not carry an immigration story, it does carry the story of the Midwest farming culture and the “after” of the brutal settlement of the Midwest. It carries the legacy farms of the plains, cattle, historic farms and monocultural fields anyone driving through the “Heartland” is bound to see.

– Stella B

Relationship:  Great-grandchild of im/migrant or more Great-grandchild of im/migrant or more