This is a story Herb told grand-daughter Kate:
When I was eight years old, Uncle John Stucky came to visit. Uncle John asked me what chore I was responsible for. I replied, “I am in charge of the chickens,” in that I was responsible for watering, feeding, cleaning out the chicken coop, and gathering the eggs. Uncle John asked how the chickens were laying and I responded by saying they were laying fine but I thought they could be laying more eggs. Explaining that there was a way for the chickens to lay more eggs, Uncle John suggested petting the chickens on the back. I did that for several weeks; every time I fed and watered the chickens, I patted them on the back.
Eventually I realized that there was no increased egg production and went to my dad, your great-grandpa, John B. Goering and said that Uncle John’s advice was not helping. Dad asked what advice had Uncle John shared? My dad sure got a big laugh out of me petting my chickens.
Kate at 5 and her grandfather, Herb, in 1989