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A Farm Lifestyle

After School Routine

• Change from school dresses to work dresses, which are more suitable for farm labor.

• Gather raw sweet potatoes from the tater bank, a designated area for storing harvest.

• Draw water from the well to rinse and dry the potatoes before eating, ensuring they are free from dirt and debris.

• Go into the woods to collect lightwood, specifically dried pine wood used for kindling, essential for starting fires.

• Use a sharp axe and a croker sack (burlap sack) to efficiently collect and transport lightwood back home.

• Sit and eat raw sweet potatoes in a quiet spot, savoring their natural sweetness and crunchiness, often discussing the day with siblings.

Gardening and Crops

• The family garden boasts a variety of crops, including:

  • Sweet potatoes in both red and white varieties, providing nourishment and versatility.

  • Irish potatoes, cabbage, collards, and turnip greens, staples in daily meals.

• Additionally, the farm produces strawberries, garlic, onions, butter beans, mustard, beets, radishes, string beans, and English peas, enhancing family diets.

• There are large rows of tomatoes extending 7-8 long rows and various fruit trees, including Elberta peaches and purple plums, contributing to their diet and potential market sales.

• The family also raises cantaloupes, watermelons, squash, okra, black-eyed peas, speckled peas, and sweet corn, ensuring a diverse harvest.

Farmland Description

• Expansive fields are cultivated for peanuts, corn, millet, and some cotton, providing both sustenance and income.

• The scenery is stunning, characterized by level cotton fields that transition seamlessly into cornfields, showcasing the agricultural beauty.

• Most of the family’s food is grown on their own land, demonstrating self-sufficiency, with the exception of items like sugar and flour, which are purchased.

More About the Farm

Livestock

• The family raises a variety of livestock, including chickens, hogs (maintaining 12-15 at times), and milking numerous cows daily, ensuring a steady supply of dairy.

• Other animals include turkeys and guineas, which roam freely around the farm, adding to the lively atmosphere.

• Sounds of the farm are distinctive: guineas say 'pot-rack' while roosters announce the morning with their 'coo'.

Living Conditions

• The first house the family lived in was a simple two-room structure, equipped with one chimney that serviced both rooms, demonstrating resourcefulness in construction.

• Family dynamics include the father, brother, grandmother, and the narrator, with shared sleeping arrangements often happening with the grandmother.

• Cooking is done primarily on the hearth located in the grandmother's bedroom, combining warmth and functionality in a small space.

• Traditional methods of cooking include baking biscuits and cornbread over hot coals, and boiling vegetables in a black pot with legs, highlighting the family’s connection to traditional practices.

Daily Life on the Farm

Morning Routine

• Each day begins with the father waking the children and Rhoda, the narrator, who has the reputation of being the last one up, sometimes pretending to be asleep to delay chores.

• Mornings involve preparing for a long day in the field, which includes making beds, washing, and getting dressed in work clothes.

• Breakfast is a communal affair, with some family members cooking while others head out to milk cows.

Milk Production

• The technique for milking involves washing the cows' udders, securely holding buckets while gently stripping the milk from the teats to avoid spilling.

• Challenges include handling kicking cows, managing sore teats, and ensuring careful movements to prevent accidents while milking.

Breakfast

• Breakfast typically consists of butter, biscuits, syrup, and milk—meals are hearty and filling, but meat is usually absent during the summer months to preserve resources.

Field Work

• Fieldwork starts early in the morning to evade the intense summer heat, with tasks centering around chopping corn, hoeing cotton, and clearing grass from peanut plants.

• The long rows of crops can be overwhelming, especially under the hot sun, requiring mental and physical endurance.

Work and Meals

Lunchtime

• Lunch is usually eaten under the shade of trees—sometimes the mother brings it to the field, or they return home based on where they’re working.

• Typical meals for lunch include boiled peas, greens, cornbread, and occasionally boiled meat, with desserts like pie providing a sweet end to the meal.

• Refreshing cool water from a well is often served with homemade syrup, functioning as both a drink and a flavor enhancer.

Field Work Challenges

• Time management is tricky as there is no official break time; they rely on the shadow of a hoe to estimate when it’s time to eat.

• Understanding the importance of resting before returning to work is emphasized, as fatigue can lead to mistakes and hazards.

Farm Discipline and Life Lessons

Father's Oversight

• Parents maintain a close watch over the children’s work, motivating them with adages such as "Laziness'll kill you" whenever they show signs of slacking.

• Anecdotes about minor disputes between siblings illustrate the strong family discipline and the importance of teamwork.

Childhood Dynamics

• The tension that arises over chores and play leads to frequent disagreements, yet the father remains fair and observant, diffusing conflicts and maintaining order.

Farm Activities and Responsibilities

• Evening routines typically involve feeding the hogs and gathering wild food such as pussley to supplement their diet for the hogs, demonstrating resourcefulness.

• Regular chores are part and parcel of life, establishing a structured, busy daily rhythm on the farm that teaches responsibility and cooperation.