I am knee deep in research for the next book I’m working on, set in South Dakota in 1876. In some ways, this research is harder than what I did for my WWII book because it happened that much longer ago. Fortunately, I have a wonderful resource not too far away. Old World Wisconsin focuses on Wisconsin history, but there is much that I can extrapolate to South Dakota. Last weekend they had some special spring events happening and I was excited to find they would be plowing the old-fashioned way. So I skipped out on our annual plant sale and headed over there in the rain to check it out. I could live there, but I tried to concentrate on the research I needed for my book. Hey, I even took pictures!

All dressed up. It was cold out and I wished I could dress up like that!

All hitched up. Looks complicated if you ask me!

What they call a walking plow these days. The ones they used on the prairie would have been a little different, but the same idea.

The plow in the ground. What I didn’t realize is that the dirt only falls away from one side of the plow. Aren’t I a treasure trove of information? Bring it on, Jeopardy!

What a furrow looks like when plowed by a walking plow.

And this is why I love writing historical fiction!!