The Keys family needed the windmill to get water. One of their sons got killed on the "windless," their old hand-turning pump that didn’t need wind. From then on, they used a windmill. The wind blows the blades around which are connected to a pipe. The pipe is like a straw, it sucks up the water. They used a different pipe to push the water up to the water holding tank.
Click here for a picture of the windmill.

The family planted peach, pear, and apple trees in their orchard. The garden was right next to the orchard. They grew corn, pumpkins, cucumbers, tomatoes, radishes, and squash. They used the leftover water from the bath and clothes washing to water their plants. Bill Keys used pipes to carry water to the orchard and garden.

Bill Keys made concrete dam. The dam provided water by stopping the water and keeping it from flowing away. When the water froze they went ice skating. When it was hot they went swimming.

Click here for a picture of the orchard.