Back in Everly, Home of the Cattlefeeders (and Cattlefeederettes)
Posted by Oinker at 7/19/2009 4:42 PM 
Categories: Iowaness,musings,Travel,Photos
Tags: Iowa Cattlefeeders Cattlefeederettes Everly
Categories: Iowaness,musings,Travel,Photos
Tags: Iowa Cattlefeeders Cattlefeederettes Everly
Yeah, I know... I know... I haven't blogged in ages. Sorry. I've taken a bit of a hiatus from my "net life", as regular life has been just too all-consuming recently, and I've just not felt inspired to write blogs or post photos or anything "extracurricular" involving the internet. Seems that by the end of the work day, the last thing I've wanted to do was spend MORE time on my computer and/or the interwebs. So, yes, if there is a category this year for "lamest blogger ever" at the big Blogaversapaloozathon, I should be a shoe-in. Vote for me!
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I began this blog post last Sunday, July 19 while I was still in my home town... I am back in Asheville now and FINALLY have made some time to return to the blogosphere...
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July 19:
Today is one of the first days in months that I don't feel pulled or pushed by the demands of clients or life, and I'm sitting here on the front porch of my parents' house in Everly, Iowa, wading through the 3 million photos I've taken since my arrival on Wednesday and reflecting on the incredibly fun and action-packed weekend that is now winding to a close. Main Street is suddenly eerily quiet, and most remnants of the big 125th anniversary celebration are gone... as if nothing had even happened. My mind's eye, however, still sees the comparative throngs of people - most with familiar names and/or faces - moving up and down Main Street, excitedly talking and gesturing and participating and enjoying the unusual moments of dipping back into the past for a couple of days.
The Everly event was big doins to be sure! Major kudos go to those who organized and participated to make this a very well-crafted event that proved very enjoyable and satisfying to everyone I talked to. I'm guessing there must have been over 1000 people in this little berg of about 600, mostly alumni and their families. I saw SO many people this weekend that I haven't seen since high school (ie: over 30 years ago), and spent most of the time trying to figure out who people were... faces looked vaguely familiar, but names just weren't leaping readily into my head. Yeah, I'm getting old. Fortunately I heard the same observation from several other people, so didn't feel so uniquely lame.
Yes, it was an event to remember... parades, contests, Bossy Bingo* (where you bet on which numbered square the cow will poop on), street dances, beer garden, beer, more beer, and LOTS of laughing and reminiscing about some of the stupider things we did as youngsters. To sum it up, it was a mega-hoot!
* Note: this year the cow refused to poop, so they had to draw a number out of a hat. Bad cow!
* Note: this year the cow refused to poop, so they had to draw a number out of a hat. Bad cow!
My parents' house is smack dab at the end of Main Street, so their yard was full Saturday morning during the big parade. My mom's Class of 1940 were perched on the front porch under a banner that read "EHS Class of 1940", and several of my extended family, as well as various friends and neighbors sat on blankets and folding chairs to watch the 200 or so parade "floats" crawl by. There were a lot of tractors in this parade, and there were also lots of Shriners... "enthusiastic" older men careening around on little go carts and ATV's like teenagers, wearing the classic Shriner Fez's and having way too much fun. It was absolutely delightful. Several of the older high school classes had "floats", as did probably every business in the immediate area. There was an All-School Reunion, as well as several individual class reunions, kiddie amusements, tractor pulls, chain saw demos, etc. so it was a two-day blast from the past in every way, shape and form - like traveling back to a much simpler time surrounded by familiar people and events, smells, sensations and emotions. There's a rather poignant article in the Spencer Daily Reporter about this that struck some familiar chords, especially the following excerpt:
"But, as I watched children roam in packs, as children do, through the streets of Everly this past weekend, and parents gather to greet old friends, I felt that time had stood still.
The scene may have changed, but the feeling was the same.
The world moves pretty fast. It can be a scary place. So, it's nice to have a touchstone, something to reassure you that, at the core, people are good."
"But, as I watched children roam in packs, as children do, through the streets of Everly this past weekend, and parents gather to greet old friends, I felt that time had stood still.
The scene may have changed, but the feeling was the same.
The world moves pretty fast. It can be a scary place. So, it's nice to have a touchstone, something to reassure you that, at the core, people are good."
Yeah, what she said.
My family also had a little reunion Saturday afternoon at Barb's, the long-standing restaurant/bar/gas station just north of town that we all frequented during our years of living here. (Incidentally, Barb, the originator, was a man... he got the nickname because his father was a barber... go figure.) It was wonderful as always to see my cool cousins and aunts and uncles! More reminiscing ensued, of course, as our family was always very close and spent many an "event" together back in the day.
My family also had a little reunion Saturday afternoon at Barb's, the long-standing restaurant/bar/gas station just north of town that we all frequented during our years of living here. (Incidentally, Barb, the originator, was a man... he got the nickname because his father was a barber... go figure.) It was wonderful as always to see my cool cousins and aunts and uncles! More reminiscing ensued, of course, as our family was always very close and spent many an "event" together back in the day.
A couple months ago, I got a wild hair and decided to create a website commemorating the six decades of Everly Cattlefeeders/Cattlefeederettes sports teams, as well as designing a t-shirt and a pin-button to commemorate same. It was a real trip to walk around Main Street during the festivities Friday and Saturday and see my shirts and buttons all around. People loved them (or so they said) and it felt good, quite frankly. You see, the Cattlefeeder mascot is no more, since Everly's school consolidated with Clay Central, a neighboring school in 1990. Though many of us were embarrassed back in the day by our goofy mascot name, we now view its uniqueness with a sense of nostalgic pride. After all, how many people can say they were a Cattlefeeder... or Cattlefeederette? Not many.
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Continued - July 25 in Asheville
Yeah, I'm still processing last weekend... it's hard to put the feelings into words without sounding totally corny, so suffice it to say it was a nostalgic blast of rather monumental proportion. I'm so glad I went, and so glad to know that my little home town is still there, and that there are still plenty of people who remember what it was like to grow up there in the days of no internet or cell phones and of Cattlefeederettes and of Tractor Pulls and of Lutheran Church Ladies' Pie Stands - again, something that not too many people can claim.
No, you can't go home again, but it's nice to know you can visit once in awhile and get that old familiar taste.
No, you can't go home again, but it's nice to know you can visit once in awhile and get that old familiar taste.
Enjoyed your 'review' of Everly's celebration. My dad is from Everly (and I visited as a child) so my folks and I did a special roadtrip from California just for the party. (MY Aunt & Uncle still live there and were on the planning committee...they looked like walking zombies by Sunday afternoon
Take care!
Terri
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Your hometown looks like a really cool little place. I love the fact that places like this do, in fact, still exist.
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I grew up in Holstein, IA but remember as a kid always going through Everly and seeing the welcome sign that mentioned the girls state titles. I think it is wonderful that you have started the site for the cattlefeeders/ettes to keep a little piece of history going. I recently saw the 6-on-6 girls basketball documentary on IPTV. Wonderful! Keep up the good work.
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Fancy that, daughter of an artist is also an artist. I have six children, 30 to 40 years old, the fifth is an artist and it took a lot to get him there. I really like your flicker photos and by accident, the old bored with life "Let's google Everly High School and eventually hit on your web site. Anyway, very interesting and amusing. If you are on facebook, do a hunt for me by high school, class of 62. I have lots of photos up there you might find of interest. As you know, I am your Mom's biggest fan, not counting your dad. They are rare and dearly loved by many people. You are quite funny and interesting. I really like your bit about making shit nobody really wants. I know the crazy deadline graphic madness and can think of few deadlines that really were that important to give me all the high blood pressure pills I have to take these days. Be well. I am looking though boxes for news items my mom kept about the cattlefeeders and will send scans of them as soon as I can. Go Cattlefeeders. I did the Smokey cow on the butcher paper hundreds of times for games from about 6th grade on. Gee, who taught me 6th grade... why, yes, your mom. I did it a bit different than Gerald Huff who was the original artist whose Smokey was on the Punch. I will put my version up on facebook for you. Take care, give my best to your folks.
Gary Clark.
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