Wind and Water

One of many things which we take for granted in our modern society, is that we can walk into the house flip a handle and a stream of pure clean water will flow out for our use. But it was not the case for those pioneer settlers who came west. In many cases, the search for water was a matter of life and death. And but the ranchers found that they could use the wind they could harvest the wind and use windmills to produce that life giving water.

This poem is titled Wind and Water.

When the pioneers came west, and as conditions grew hotter,

at stake was life itself and the endless search for water.

In their quest for new lands and the destiny of their dreams.

They came west along the rivers and stayed quite close along the streams.

But when they settled down to farm and find a place to dwell,

it was essential that they find a productive waterwell

for watering the livestock and as domestic needs were asked

a windmill was important to meet these vital tasks.

In a machine shop in Connecticut. One Daniel Halliday

designed the type of windmill that is still in use today,

with a fixed vein and blades that could adjust to the wind

and pump the life giving water on which their hopes were pinned.

There was no electric power or gas engines for the well.

So the windmill was a godsend as a pioneer would tell.

Some 6 million windmills were installed across the nation

until there came gas engines and rural electrification.

But it's possible to find where such a relic still remains

the windmill of the West, a sentinel of the plains.

Happy trails!