Sit with me upon my stone wall under this ancient foliage-laden oak tree. Listen to the Canadian Goose overhead traveling in a southerly direction in anticipation of the approaching winter. Enjoy the warmth of sunshine upon your face and the silence that surrounds us.

We have a longstanding relationship with our stone walls here in New Hampshire. Sometimes referred to as a love-hate relationship, but a relationship it is. The farmers cleared the forest well over a century ago to plant their crops, a process that required rugged individualism, determination and a desire to succeed. The Yankee farmer is indeed a stubborn lot, they were stubborn centuries ago and they are stubborn today, I can certainly attest to this as I work my annual plantings with anticipation of a plentiful crop for fall canning.

Canning that our family will enjoy over the cold New Hampshire winter months. Our forefathers cleared the rocky soil many years ago, starting on a small portion of their land they would clear the ancient old growth forest. Once the forest was cleared and the fallen trees processed for heat and building, they would set to work clearing the many old stumps. Stumps that were deep rooted were excavated with a pick and shovel, chains secured to the stump they would attach their oxen to pull each and every one.

Without the forest, trees and stumps the pasture was starting to evolve for the old Yankee farmer, but there was more work, much more work. The farmer next addressed the large boulders resting on top of the soil, chiseling and breaking them into pieces. If the boulders were too large, they would hand drill and insert dynamite to shatter their resistance.

The pieces of stone as well as the many smaller stones would then be loaded onto a “stone boat.” The stone boat would be pulled by oxen or horses and drag the many stones to the perimeter of the property where they would be deposited into a large pile.

The large pile of stones would grow over many months, with the freezing and thawing of the ground more stones would work themselves to the surface, these stones would again be loaded onto the stone boat and transported to the edge of the property. Over a period of years, the field would be transformed into a pastor like setting, no trees, no stumps and certainly just a few stones.

Now the farmer would hitch his horse or oxen to the plow and work the soil in anticipation of planting his crops. The following spring the farmer would again plow his field, uncovering some new stones along with some battle-scarred stones that were plowed under the year prior. It was a process that was repeated each and every year, with good soil the crops were good, with poor soil the growing season was disappointing and a reminder that financial ruin could arrive sooner than later.

As we approached the twentieth century the farmers were witnessing increased demand for their crops. The early 1900s saw large population growth, with the mass immigration continuing the farmers cleared more forest, removed more stumps and added to their massive rock piles along the edge of their properties. Stumps were burned and timber was harvested, no waste was tolerated.

Over a period of years as the field was groomed and groomed again the ever-present rock pile would grow too. It was always situated off to the side of the property in a planned area that allowed for easy access. When crops were planted and then harvested the farmer would use every spare moment after the harvest to pick up his rocks and align them along the edge of his property.

A primitive boundary for the farmers, they would fit each stone together formed a wall that served as a boundary or a wall to keep livestock secured. The walls grew and grew with each season, countless miles of stone walls were built well over a century or two ago, crossing many fields throughout New England.

As society continued to evolve, we witnessed mass production of food, frozen food, canned goods and more. The food source was mass distributed across the country and the consumers would visit a local store to purchase the goods they needed to survive. The farms were certainly impacted with the advent of growth here in our community. Many farmers simply went to work in the local factories rather than toil all day on the farm with questionable rewards.

As the farms were abandoned the forest reclaimed the hard worked fields, stones resurfaced and the pure rich soil was farmed no more. In most cases our surrounding forest here in New Hampshire have in essence reclaimed the fields, the houses and the lives of the once productive Yankee farmer. But no deed goes unnoticed for there are telltale signs of history that transpired here where we live.

I walk the surrounding forest in and around Concord quite often. In the deep forest, I encounter old stone walls and the occasional stone cellar hole. A sign that someone lived and worked here deep in the forest centuries ago. Yes, the farm has been reclaimed by mother nature but the stone walls remain.

I often bring a lunch as I hike in the forest not far from my home. A delicious sandwich, a thermos containing hot coffee, I search for a friendly stone wall. I sit upon these stone walls and think about the labor of harvesting the stones, transporting the stones upon the stone boat and fitting the wall together. I look above this stone wall towards the sky while I am enjoying my lunch and see massive trees, brush and multiple native plants. There is no sunshine under this canopy nature has provided.

Life is a cycle and it applies to each and every one of us. It is also true for our natural surroundings. The forest has reclaimed the fields and the Yankee farmers from long ago rest eternally just down the road.