Nina Duffield

Poems, Song Lyrics, Essays, and Short Stories Nina Duffield

Life on the farm in Minnesota was not easy during the early 1900s. All family members had to work long hours as a team to maintain an adequate supply of food, clothing, and shelter the basic necessities of human existence. A trip to the annual County Fair was a treat beyond the comprehension of today's leisure-burdened Americans. Why, then, would a talented and attractive young woman named Nina Hatchitt leave a successful career in the heady cultural environment of Washington D. C. to marry a Minnesota farmer? Nina's decision was driven by love of a particular man and by love of family in the broadest and purest sense. Her choice was between the probability of new sensations of pleasure and more money to spend on things, and the promise of life-long heart happiness. She made her decision at a time when her already successful career was about to soar to higher levels. But by becoming a farmer's wife, she simply added a second career to an already impressive resume. Somehow she managed to continue writing poetry, song lyrics, and prose while giving birth to and raising six children under the difficult conditions of farm life. She was able to get a few of her pieces into print, but most have gathered dust in family archives during the eight decades since her death. By compiling and annotating Nina's writings, Wendell and Anne Duffield record a bit of early-1900s farm-life history while documenting engaging literature of broad and universal appeal.