The times-herald. [volume] (Burns, Harney County, Or.) 1896-1929, 1918-01-26
AN old Time FARM.
And the Methods That Were In
Use In the Year 1840.
DAYS OF THE SIMPLE LIFE.
When All Kinds Of Clothing Were Made
at Home. When Eggs Sold For a
Shilling q Dozen and the High Cost
Of Living Was Not a Big Problem.

J In view OF the modern day high cost
OF living and OF the many wonderful
] ys;ances made In the last ccntury-the
railroad. telegraph. the ocean cable. the
| telephone. the artOmobiis and farm
aud labor saving machinery OF all
kinds and the amazing changes these
inventions have necessarily wrought In
all directions In almost every walk OF
,lfe-lt may be OF interest to recall liv.
ing conditions on farm In the year
1910.
The farm ! have In mind consisted OF
200 acres. The stock was n.tcen COWS
yoke OF oxen. twenty sheep. an old
white horse. "a dozen pigs, nfty hens
ten geese. few ducks aud deck of
turkeys.
The farm produced practically every
thing the FANNY consumed. both cloth
Ing and food The sheep furnished the
wool. which was carded at "fulliDg'
mill and made into rolls for spinning.
At home II was spun Into yarn and
woven on a hand loom. For beds II
was left white; for clothing II was
dyed any color desired. A competent
housewife could make dyes OF logwood,
indigo or cochineal The white and
black wool were mixed to produce a
gray like the Confederate uniform.
There were no ready made clothes;
all clothes were made in the home
There was no woven underwear. Stock
ings were knitted at home as well ns
mittens and tippets. Caps with eur
laps were Of rabbit skin There were
no shoes In the winter boots came up
TO the knees.
Several cows were killed each year
There was a tannery near by. where
the skins were tanned. A shoemaker
made our boots. They were usually
too small and gave much trouble and
pain.
The nax. cut and laid down until the
dber loosencd from the woody part.
was put through heckle worked by
hand aud then spun aud woven. This
strong linen cloth WAS used for sum
mer clothing. towels. etc. The seed
vas saved 10 make naxseed tea Ia med
icinel or pouliice for bruises.
For food We had every thing needed
frc1h mCli potatoes. heeis cHlhages
parsnils. pumpkins FOR pics. apples
which lasted from fall 60 spring: cider
which gave us vinegar or produced
'der chamragne
Half u dozen pigs killed Ia the fall
gave Us plenty Of ham aud bacon. lard
sausages and salt pork rhe hams and
f,.e
4 small building with no opening ex.
'ept the door. A small lire produced
more smoke than heat. but gave the
hams and bacon a very delicious flavor |
There were plenty OF chickens for |
and pOtpies and eggs. turkeys |
for Thanksgiving and Christmas. occn
sionally roast goose With apple sauce |
From the cows milk we made both |
butter aud cheese, What butter and
cheese the family did not consume was
sold In nearby village. Butter usual. |
y brought l2l2 cents pound. Cheese
was also made at home. as there were
neither creameries nor cheese facto
Hes. Cheese was sold AT 10 q cents
pound. All eggs not used went 10 the
AluEt rtpIc anu bIpubut W NtltS W IL
,ents a dozen.
Every farmer made his own soap. II
was called soft soap. II was soft, but
very strong. and took the dirt or your
hands and face very thoroughly aud
'cme skin also unless you were careful
n your ablutions.
Little was henrd Of the world ai
arge Twenty miles from the railroad
he great four horse stagecoach came
very day. bringing the mails There
we're few newspapers or magazines
rhe telegraph was unknown. The AZ
antic cable did not succeed until 1866
There were only twenty-three miles OF
In 1890
All the wonderful agencies which
ave added TO the power OF man In the
ast century will not he lost. but Will
'e added TO constantly. The many
OF the modern day high cost
Il living can only be solved 10y time
nj the efforts OF our greatest nilnds.-
Warner Miller In New York Times.