I'm not sure you have my motivations down very well. But here is more of my grandfather's story.

The deal was that he would get title to one-quarter section of land (160 acres or about 60 hectares) and its house if he stayed working on the land for 10 years.

He was assigned this deal because of his farming experience in Slovakia. But the truth is this deal had been offered to other farmers--and they left before the 10 years were up. This land was terrible for beginning farmers. This flood irrigation area was one of the worst tracts in Western Canada.

It took him about three seasons to figure out flood irrigation to where he could earn enough money to feed his family. There was no welfare back then; his family lived on the generosity of the local Slovak community.

My great-grandfather received about 50 hectares of farmland in Slovakia from the breakup of the aristocratic order following WW1. Land was given away to peasant veterans of the war. Again no payment ever made. My great-grandfather died shortly after receiving this land. My grandfather inherited this land and farmed it for the next 15 years. It did not provide good income. My grandfather moved the family to Alberta in 1936. Motives were to "get rich" and get out of the war zone which was starting to percolate.

My grandfather left the Slovak farm to family to manage and use. About 1965, the communists confiscated this land and put it into a collective farm. There was opportunity for my father to regain possession, but he declined to do the legal work necessary.

Life was not easy for my grandfather. He was one of the last farmers to transition from horse to tractor. He did not understand tractors very well. It took him 29 years to buy a ticket back to visit his family. He was followed by secret police throughout his visit.