SOLVED. Farm family on amazingly fertile soil, children's series [s]

[Evan]

There were a series of books, started in the 80's or earlier about this family that moved onto this farm with amazingly fertile soil. They would have to be careful planting corn because if they moved too slowly after dropping the seeds, the stalks would hit them coming up.

I think it was a children's series of books, though it could have been YA for all I remember. In the first one they bought the land after being 'swindled' from someone who actually sold them a pond/lake. The lake dried up their first night & became so fertile from having once been a lake. I think they also had an 'almanac' book that wasn't a story but a series of events and sayings. One saying I recall was "Follow the crowd, unless the crowd's going to the dentist," which remains good advice to this day.

[rivka]

I remember these! They were awesome.

You're talking about the McBroom books.

[Evan]

Wow. That name isn't the least bit familiar, but you are of course right. And by the author of The Whipping Boy, no less. I remember enjoying the McBroom books more than TWB--they had a nice American tall tale feeling to them.

Thanks, Rivka!

[Rainbowheart]

McBroom's Wonderful One-Acre Farm for the link.