A Thousand Acres

Ginny reflects on one of their former neighbors, the Ericsons. The Ericsons were very different from Larry, and they were often lackadaisical in their farming. They focused primarily on animals and only did the types of farming they liked. Larry disapproved of the fact that the family did not seem very ambitious. However, Ginny’s mother was friends with the Ericsons and enjoyed their laid-back lifestyle. Ginny enjoyed playing with the Ericson girls and once got in trouble with them for dropping pebbles through the drainage well covers.

Ginny decides it is important to maintain normalcy despite the family fight with Caroline, so Larry comes over for dinner like he always does on Tuesdays. They always have the same meal. Ty tells Larry his plans for expanding the hog operation on the farm. Ginny tries to get Larry to engage in conversation and give his opinion on what they should do with the farm, but he refuses to. He leaves after eating.

The next day, Ginny plants her tomatoes, and Jess comes to talk to her while she plants. He tells her about his life in Vancouver and Seattle, revealing he had a fiancée who died in a car accident. Jess asks Ginny about his mother, who died of lymphatic cancer.