CALF_News_December_2019_January_2020

22 CALF News • December 2019 | January 2020 • www.calfnews.net hat adage describes perfectly the ladies who developed the American Doorstop Project. Their mission is to preserve and protect the stories found in land- marks and landscapes we visit daily, but don’t recognize. They are protecting the memories of people, places and events in our nation that deserve recognition and reverence. Focusing on agriculture, Melody Dobson and Jody Lamp both grew up in rural farm and ranch country – Dobson near Vida, Mont., and Lamp near Minatare, Neb. Dobson’s interest in history came from growing up in the care of her dad, a “kitchen table historian.” Their nar- ratives were spun in the family home, only a few miles from the historic Lewis and Clark Trail. Knee deep in Ameri- can history, Dobson’s life is steeped in annals. Her grandparents claimed an original homestead, a place still in her provided horsepower to farms and armies worldwide. The enormity of this equine undertaking is likely not chronicled better in any other book or film; the details are meticulous and fascinating. Machinery, manufacture, irrigation and the develop- ment of the UNL’s College of Agriculture round out a thorough historic perspective for anyone interested in the state. The History Press has requested additional books from the American Doorstop Project, covering Montana and North Dakota’s agricultural heritage. An American Agricultural History is planned for release in 2026, our nation’s 250 th anniversary. Jody Lamp, co-author of A History of Nebraska Agriculture . A LABOR OF LOVE American Doorstop Project By Patti Wilson Contributing Editor “Find a job you enjoy doing, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” family. The happy times spent there have formed Dobson into a self-proclaimed “homestead historian.” Lamp’s family homesteaded in Sheri- dan County, Neb. The ambitious group documented many accounts typical of early settlers, includ- ing irreplaceable pho- tographs. Lamp was unaware of her love of history until she was a college student at the University of Nebraska (UNL) majoring in journal- ism. She described needing three areas to complete her minor degree, and discovered she had acquired many hours in history. It changed her life. Lamp and Dobson met in 2012, while Lamp’s family lived in the Big Sky State. They later returned to Nebraska. Getting down to work In 2012, Lamp and Dobson’s first project was as national co-coordinators for the Great American Wheat Harvest , a documentary that took the pair across the United States.While working in North Dakota, their task afforded an oppor- tunity to see historic sites they believed needed documentation. From there, the American Doorstop Project was formed and has expanded to the production of a book, A History of Nebraska Agriculture, A Life Worth Living . The book includes the era when the Grand Island horse and mule markets were the largest trading sites in the world. In the first half of the 20 th cen- tury, these huge businesses fueled the growth of Nebraska’s Third City and Continued on page 39  Born to Rein For now, the real star of American Doorstop Project is a documentary film, Born to Rein. It chronicles the rise of three prominent Nebraska Thorough- bred trainers, John Nerud, Marion Van Berg and his son, Jack, to national prom- inence. American’s first Triple Crown winner, Sir Barton, is also featured; the historic speed demon made his way to Nebraska and Wyoming later in life. One regret that Lamp mentioned was the death of both Nerud and Jack Van Berg prior to movie production. Van Berg, in particular, became ill and passed away shortly before his scheduled interview. The documentary, however, is a treat for any thoroughbred racing student. Archived footage of early races, trainers, tracks and farms are interspersed with interviews with some of today’s racing greats. It is being screened at theaters that cooperate with private filmmakers. This is a difficult path to travel for any serious beginners trying to get their foot in the T – Mark Twain