Who remembers when

[coveredbridge]

I have an old McCormick-Deering Cultivator that looks a lot like that plow. We kids rode it while Dad pulled it behind the Tractor (an old Ford, I guess a 9N). As we went across the slope of the hill, you had to work the foot pedals to keep the cultivator straight. If your foot slipped, or you couldn't reach far enough, the inside teeth would get in the row and tear out the plants. It didn't matter to Dad, it was always your fault. We laugh about it now, but it wasn't funny back then.

 

[smstonypoint]

I'll jump in.

Do you remember when fertilizer came in burlap bags? One of my post-planting duties was to wash the bags in the creek. We used them when we combined wheat, oats, and soybeans -- I remember growing old enough to ride on the AC combine, filling the bags, tying them off with baling twine, and sending them down the chute.

Steve

 

[teg]

I wish that I had got more experience around farms, farm equipment, and killing animals for food...

Ditto, last couple of years, I've been learning from an old timer, how to deer hunt... not as much about shooting but processing it. Age it, cut it up, grind it up and package it. Even learning how to cook shoulders (the easy way!!). Comes out great...

Loved talking to the older people that lived around us in the city... I also, loved read every story here and I hope this thread lives long...

 

[Timber]

I'll jump in.

Do you remember when fertilizer came in burlap bags? One of my post-planting duties was to wash the bags in the creek. We used them when we combined wheat, oats, and soybeans -- I remember growing old enough to ride on the AC combine, filling the bags, tying them off with baling twine, and sending them down the chute.

Steve

I remember when oats came in 100 lb burlap bags and molasses came in a 55 gallon drum. We had 2 wooden hoppers we kept the oats in and mix a bucket of molasses in with it and mix it with a galvanized grain scoop. I can still remember the smell. We had about 20 brown swiss milk cows an I went down to the barn every night for two 1/2 gallon glass jars with paper caps.

Do you remember you had the shake the milk before you poured a glass to mix the cream that always rose to the top

 

[bstrom]

I remember when oats came in 100 lb burlap bags and molasses came in a 55 gallon drum. We had 2 wooden hoppers we kept the oats in and mix a bucket of molasses in with it and mix it with a galvanized grain scoop. I can still remember the smell. We had about 20 brown swiss milk cows an I went down to the barn every night for two 1/2 gallon glass jars with paper caps.

Do you remember you had the shake the milk before you poured a glass to mix the cream that always rose to the top

Nothing compares to raw milk with the cream on top. A lot of kids grow up now with the 1 and 2 % garbage, they don't have a clue what real milk is. The sad part is you can still get it at some stores but people don't buy it because they are scared of real food or clogged arteries or something. I personally think it's nuts. But to each his own I guess.

 

[smstonypoint]

I remember hog killin' day, was always cold and family and neighbors standing around the fire waiting for the scalding water to get hot. Used a single shot .22 to down the hog and dad would flip it on its back and stick it with the butcher knife. Three or four guys would drag it to the scald barrel and dunk one end in the barrel then drag it out and scrape the hair off. Hang it from a tree with a gamble stick and cut the head off and gut it. Dad used a double bit chopping axe to split it down the back. The women would work up the quarters and cut up the fat to render into lard. Have to finish this later.

Now that brings back memories. Gid Tanner and his Skillet Lickers even recorded "Hog Killing Day." Unlike my family, they managed to spice up the activity by passing around a jug.


LiveLeak.com - Gid Tanner and the Skillet Lickers - Hog Killing Day

Steve

 

[Army grunt]

Really great post. Some not all people can reflect back. I can, Its a gift you are very lucky to have.
Army Grunt

 

[MBDiagMan]

That's right grunt. My Mom had fourteen brothers and sisters and my Dad had six. Not all of them are left, but over the years at family get togethers I would reminisce about things and my Aunts & Uncles would say, "how can you remember that, you were just a toddler."

Some days I can't reliably remember the route to work, but I remember lots of details from my youth. My Grand Dad was born in the early 1880's. As a teenager he drove cattle from Texas to Wyoming and Montana until he saved enough money to buy his own place. He was great at telling all about his lifes experiences. I listened attentively, but took it for granted at the time. Now his life is probably the most fascinating part of my family's known history.

BTW, were you an 11 Bravo? I was in the Army 68 to 71, but had it super easy as a radar mechanic.

 

[smstonypoint]

Flash forward 50+ years and imagine what the old folks of that time will be saying.

1. "Why you young whippersnappers, I can remember when gasoline was less than $3.00/gallon."

2. .....

Steve

 

[MBDiagMan]

Flash forward 50+ years and imagine what the old folks of that time will be saying.

1. "Why you young whippersnappers, I can remember when gasoline was less than $3.00/gallon."

2. .....

Steve

Steve,

I expect that I'm quite a bit older than you. If I am telling anyone on Earth anything fifty years from now I will be doing it while over the age of 110. Check out my edit to your number one.

1. "Why you young whippersnappers, I can remember when gasoline was less than $0.20/gallon."

2. "I remember when you had to be at home to get a phone call and the phone had a wire connected to it. I also remember when our ring was two longs and a short.

3. "I remember when we said the Pledge of Allegiance every morning when school started."

4. "I remember when they said a prayer over the Public Address system before the kickoff of a football game.

5. "I remember when cars had ignition points.

6. "I remember when it was shameful for a female to get pregnant without being married.

7. "I remember when..............

 

[smstonypoint]

Steve,

I expect that I'm quite a bit older than you. If I am telling anyone on Earth anything fifty years from now I will be doing it while over the age of 110. Check out my edit to your number one. <snip>
.

I would be 113+ years old. I would start taking better care of myself if I knew for certain that I was going to live that long.

Steve

PS. Good list -- I remember each of the items.

 

[Bird]

Yep, I remember rendering the lard in a big black pot on a wood fire outside, and the cracklins were saved to make cracklin bread (cracklins added to the cornbread mix before baking).

 

[bullbreaker]

Like most we had a fan back in the day that you would put ice cube trays in front of fan shield and it would blow cooler air.
Also I remember as a boy going into N.Y. city and an organ grinder would have a monkey that would climb the walls of certain apt./complexes and people would hand him (the monkey) change($) by opening their windows and he would collect some climb down and give it to organ grinder.

Boone

 

[smstonypoint]

I remember when men to barbershops (for a haircut, not "hairstyling") and women went to the "beauty parlor."

Steve

 

[dirtydan]

I am only 53 but I do remember hog killing day but not much, only the killing part. I have killed plenty of hogs myself but the older I get the more I dislike that part but I know it is necessary, Mom always made use of about everything hogs or beef. I remember her making homemade lye soap. I know she used beef tallow in it and I can still picture her making it. Her whole life she never used anything but a wringer washer and never had a dryer until I was out of high school but would only use it in winter and not always then. I remember somebody asking her what modern convenience she liked the most and she said, running water, something most of us take for granted.
Most of her recipes were in her head not written down. Sometimes I wish I knew some of them. I did find out just the other day that one of my older brothers has the recipe for the soap though. Nobody had cleaner clothes than her.
Dan

 

[scoutcub]

Yes I do. On the back of the dump rake and very nervous about lining up the hay windrows just right or get yelled at. There was the great metal seat, a foot bar to dump, and a side handle to dump. When I first started, I was too young to use the hand dump, but the foot dump sure took some good timing!
The Grandparents had a small farm across the street from us. I also remember the pure milk with the cream on top you had to brush aside to drink....
And fertilizing the garden. Grandparents had cows, and the cow manure would be pushed down a drain trough to a huge pile under the barn. We had an old "caca" tractor that was a Dodge with a wooden box in the back, use to fill it up with manure and spread it out in the garden by hand with pitchforks.
Also use to flip the hay over by hand with a pitchfork to allow it to dry....
One of my funniest memories as a youngster was when my Grandfather was getting up in years, he was helping to load the caca tractor, and he couldn't walk very well....so he ended up slipping and falling straight into this huge pile of soft manure. My Dad and I knew better than to laugh aloud, but trying to keep from laughing was checked by his volley of Polish curses....!

Not to mention dragging trees out of the woods...cutting/splitting with an ax, sledge and maul.....cutting the long split pieces with a buzz saw....
etc. etc.

I do remember......

You've inspired me to make arrangements with my Dad to acquire the dump rake next time I'm home, and keep it as a momento. My Dad's 84 and still putzes around on his machines and still cuts wood. I did buy him a logsplitter, though!

Timber, great thread!