Tyden Farm No. 6 the Past with a Touch of the Present

We had a delightful day at Tyden Farm No. 6 in Dougherty, Iowa.  As we drove into the driveway the property owners, Ted and Judy Pitzenberger, greeted us with warm welcoming waves and smiles. We were welcomed into the front of the barn, which is now used to welcome guests as the first stop in the tour.

While we enjoyed lemonade and cookies we watched a brief video on the history of the farm.  Emil Tyden, the original owner of this farm also owned six others in the Douherty, Iowa area.  He was a Swedish immigrant who came to the United States in the turn of the twentieth century. He was not only a farmer, but also an inventor. Over time he would acquire over 200 patents. His enhancement fire sprinkling systems are still being used today.  Emil offered a decent wage to his farm workers during the great depression. He was loved and respected by the people who worked for him.

 

After the five minute video on the history of the farm we were lead further on our tour. Standing at about 60 ft tall, the building below is a beautiful corn crib, made out from concrete block. As you look at the well made buildings on the Tyden farm you can tell that Emil put immense thought into the usefulness, functionality, and the do it right the first time mentality when building his farms.

Titus’ favorite part of the tour was definitely the machinery. His eyes would light up every time they explained the different mechanisms. They got to throw corn into the machine and it would take all the colonel off the cob. Another machine took the freshly hulled corn and ground it down into animal feed. Had it gone through the machine one more time, it could have been used for corn bread.

 

On any farm tour my kids favorite part is jumping in the hay piles. Naomi said, “Mommy my favorite part was playing in the hay”. This last year the kids and I read Farmer Boy from the Little House on the Prairie series. Inside the Tyden No. 6 Hay Mow we were able to see how Almanzo would have worked alongside his pa in their barns.

Gardens were an important part of farm life and The Tyden farm has beautiful gardens. The kids loved playing I-spy With Judy as they searched for various flowers and things through out the garden. It was a definite highlight for Maddie.

 

The white building in the back is the old summer kitchen Emil’s family would have used in the summer months. Helping to keep the house as cool as possible in the warm summer months.

After reading The Little House on the Prairie series as a family, this farm was a treasure to tour. Giving us a first hand look at the wagons, plows, and even the old fashion school bus that would have been used. Allowing the kids and I to compare and contrast their lives to the lives of the kids back during the turn of the 20th century.

Thank you Ted and Judy for allowing us to come tour your beautiful farm! Tyden Farm No. 6 is a treasure in the heart of the Midwest! To schedule your guided tour of this gem in Iowa call Ted and Judy for a guided tour. You can call 641-426-5277 or email tyden6@netins.net.