'Artist's rendering of dairy barns of Forges Farm. The painting depicts the dairy barn first owned by my great-grandfather, Sherman S. Whipple. This complex of buildings housed the many functions of a dairy farm--each building serving a specific purpose. From left to right: Largest structure with cupola was the hay barn (large post and bean building). Left middle was area where milk processing took place--milk was pasteurized, homogenized, cream separated then placed in cold storage. Next building with small cupola was the maternity barn where I witnessed many a calve being born. Building in center with dark gabled end was the area where the 'honey wagon' waited for the daily deposits of manure to spend on the fields of the farm as fertilizer for the pastures, corn and hay fields. Elongated building on the right was area for the calves to mature. Other buildings not seen--bull barn, smaller hay barns, truck barn, two corn silos and the mechanic shop. The perspective of this painting was taken from Jordan Road from the property owned by John F. Prentice (the father of my childhood friend, 'Jock' John F. Prentice, Jr.). My childhood home was to the left in this scene. My bedroom window looked out over the barns and fields. I spent many a hot summer working on this farm harvesting corn silage, bales of hay and straw. The artist Walder Engstrom lived at Forges Green on Sandwich Road next to my maternal grandparents (the Reverend Doctor Robert Wood Coe and Ellen Thomas Coe). Eric, David and Ann Engstrom were friends of my sisters and I. Mr. Engstrom was a banker for Plymouth Federal Bank. Also living at Forges Green were Martha and Bill Stearns. The barns were dismantled but the land remains in agricultural use and owned by the Meyer family, my cousins, my son and his family (Russell IV, also known as 'Spike,' Stephanie and granddaughter Millie). Location: Chiltonville.'
