Old Timey Days

We have Sonlight as our base curriculum this year and are thoroughly enjoying it! This book is part of Zach's science, and is based upon a diary written in 1805. The author, Eric Sloane seasoned the book with sketches of the craftsmanship of early American tools and equipment.

The few hours spent at the old timey days matched perfectly with what we were studying. It was awesome!

Also, Zach is studying about inventions and using Usborne. One question on his activity sheets was, "Use your imagination and think of one thing, that, if it were invented, would make your life easier, more fun. He was to describe something and then draw a picture. At the time, his mind went blank as did the answer on paper.

But I do know that he used his head to invent this crazy bike. The front tire of this bike was flat. So he took a tire off Braden's bike and put it on here. Then he used another tire off the third bike that didn't work and put that one on Braden's bike.

 

And the fun was on! To his mom, it looked a bit dangerous. Just hit something wrong and wham! you'd go flying. But the whole point was that he used his brain to make this bike work! Zach's truly a hands on guy.

And that's exactly how new inventions are formed.

We love cooking with Dutch ovens when camping.
And we noticed dinner was a cookin' at the old timey days!

These guys started the apple butter at 7:00 a.m. On this particular day, it was done by 4:00 p.m. But sometimes they never finish cooking til 9 or 10 at night. The apples were softer this year.

I remember when my  mom cooked apple butter this way. We also had an old copper kettle that needed to be cleaned before we started the cooking. And it fit right into the brick mount in the garage with a fire underneath and an iron door for the closing. The paddle looked exactly like the one below.

Another year, I stirred apple butter all day that Mom had cooking on the stove in the kitchen. She promised a prize for my perseverance. I was only five or six, standing on a chair and leaning over the big hot kettle and wanted to quit many a time. But Mom kept using the prize as an incentive.

They were poorer than some folks and couldn't afford much. But they worked hard. And Mom was great with ferns. She gave me a fern for my reward and it stayed alive for a couple of years. Everytime I watered that plant, I remembered the long day of stirring apple butter and it gave me a sense of accomplishment.

I don't remember when the fern died. I know I didn't grieve. It wasn't a big deal to lose it. I only enjoyed the time it was alive.

There were two methods shown of squeezing the sorgham. The first one was more old fashioned with the mule. When the mule got tired, there were some boys who continued to keep the little machine turning while they circled round and round the track.

A newer invention - tractors made things easier.

Cooking the juice...

...then straining. We bought a pint of sorgham molasses made with sorgham and cane just to try it.

fresh ground conrmeal and buckwheat

The boys watched every detail of the blacksmith. He was making hooks with designs.

the sawmill

Three pieces of equipment from left to right:

1. Corn sheller - patent date August 21, 1888

Removed from Beverly Mill in Cripple Creek, VA on April 1, 2006

2. Majestic 3HP "Majestic Engine" manufactured 1907-1909

3. International harvester Cormick model "B" Burr Mill

Removed from Field's Mills north of Wilson, VA - November 2005

The boys loved shelling corn. 

At first, Braden and Zach reached in to get the corn cob.

But this fellow told them to keep turning and the cob will come out by itself.

The chicks hatched two weeks ago.

All the corn ground that day was supplied by a family who owned chickens. They told us they love this time of year because they don't need to buy feed until December.

wooden bowls

This was a very educational day. So many times I wonder if we'll ever need to revert back to these kinds of things. We are not promised an easy life on earth. We have been spoiled and blessed, and too many times we act as if things will always go on like this, but I don't believe they will. Hard times may be coming!

But God will not give us more than we can bear. The main things is to stay in tune with God, so we will not be led astray. God has promised never to leave nor forsake us.