Long ago, along the banks of Big Walnut Creek, a kind farmer discovered a lonely little dog in need of a home….
The Story Behind the Series
FROM THE AUTHOR: Barney’s story began on a little farm in Putnam County, Indiana, where I grew up. My dad was the farmer who inspired this series. After returning home from serving in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War, he bought an 80-acre farm and went to work prepping the land and building a home for my mom, his new bride. He was also a farmhand for a family who owned property along the banks of Big Walnut Creek.
Dad discovered Barney in the spring of 1975 while plowing a field near Wildwood Bridge. Sadly, it wasn’t uncommon for unwanted animals to be abandoned near the bridge.
As dad tells the story, he heard a long, sad howl of a dog near the banks of the creek. When he spotted the pup, he called to him. The tiny puppy didn’t hesitate. He ran straight to my dad, his tail wagging. Dad picked him up, tucked him inside his coat to keep him warm, and carried him home to the family farm.
From that day on, Barney and my dad were inseparable. Whether dad was repairing fences, checking livestock, or working fields, Barney was never far away. When dad plowed, Barney would sit patiently at the edge of the field, watching the tractor travel back and forth across the rows.
Barney took his responsibilities seriously. He kept a watchful eye on the family, protected the livestock, and made sure every visitor traveling down the long driveway knew he was the farm’s official greeter and guardian.
Of course, Barney wasn’t perfect. Every now and then, he’d chase the neighbor’s chickens or playfully nip at a cow’s swishing tail as it tried to shoo away flies. Those mischievous moments only made him more lovable.
He was a faithful companion, a hardworking farm helper, and a trusted member of the family.
Each book in this series is a tribute to the simple joys of farm life and the cherished sights and sounds that filled my childhood home in rural Indiana.
The tractors featured in the illustrations are the very machines my dad owned or operated while farming both our family farm and as a farmhand. Readers familiar with Putnam County, Indiana, may even recognize a few local landmarks that served as the backdrop for his daily work and Barney’s adventures.
