Farmer John Rasmussen of Lowell Road
Have you seen this picture before? This iconic image of John Rasmussen, an Andover Farmer can be seen in the Andover Historical Society’s current exhibit, The Dirt on Argilla Road. This exhibition explores Andover’s agricultural past telling the stories of several West Parish farms.
In the July 16, 1953 edition of The Andover Townsman the following description explains the story of the photo, “Farmer John Rasmussen, Lowell rd., donned his boots on Monday, the first time he had worn them since last May, and like a little boy at play on the ocean beach knelt down by one of several puddles of water which had formed on his several acre farm and let the water trickle through his fingers while a smile creased his weather-beaten face. Monday’s storm brought nearly an inch of rainfall, the first appreciable rain since May 28. And to Farmer Rasmussen, who has been tilling Andover soil since 1912, it brought new hopes for his four acres of corn, his six acres of lettuce, his seven acres of spinach, as well as lesser amounts of cabbage and cauliflower. Said John Rasmussen: “The GoodLord Sent The Rain.”"
The Dirt on Argilla Road will be on exhibit until October 31st, 2011. Visit the Andover Historical Society Tuesday-Saturday 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. to see our vast collection of historic farming tools and learn about Andover’s farming past. The Andover Farmers’ Market takes place at 97 Main Street every Satruday from June 25th-October 8th from 12:30-3:30.
