Lessons Learned From the Depression

[rebecca]

Thank you ffor the article! I love to read about people who live in the depression era and how they made ends meet and how they lived. Again, thank you.

[Clutterbug Jen]

On my way to read it now ... I love reading/hearing any stories whatsoever about the depression era.

Thanks so much!

[reginaastralis]

I wish I had someone who was able to teach me more about the Depression, but none of my family talks about growing up. I wish they would all learn how to open up.

[Lady_V]

My grandparents are long gone from this Earth but the lessons my Grampa instilled in me are not.

Never getting to meet my Gramma, he would tell me stories about her and he gave me her recipe box. There are no measurements... because she never knew if/when/how much of an ingredient would be available.

[MisaLady]

I don't think I've ever darned socks. I should, but they're so cheap that I don't know that darning would make a difference. Do you guys darn the cheap-o "six pairs for three bucks" socks?

[joyb]

Misa, I don't darn socks, either. Yes, I buy the cheap-os.

[freyadog]

I just read a fascinating cookbook called "Grandma's Wartime Kitchen" about how women cooked for their families during rationing. It's great for the frugal recipes and tips, but also for the history lesson - that's a part of our national heritage that I don't think we recall often enough.

Could you give us a little insight on this book. Went into Amazon and it is 22+$'s so was wondering if it is worth the price. There were two one printed in 2000 and one in 2003. Is this a reprint of an earlier book?

[hawkgirl]

Actually, I checked out my copy at the library, frugalista that I am!

[itlw8]

my grandpa was a mailman and while they took a big pay cut during the depression they had a paycheck... the relatives were farmers so food was bought from the farmers so then they had cash and the town people had food...

my mom said the ladies would go to the feed store with the dh to get the feed because they wanted to get the feed sacks in the same pattern and colors of calico they liked

underware was often made from the white flour sack so you had words on your tushie.

[oneloopykat]

Reading articles like this one really get me inspired...thanks so much for posting it!

[RenieB]

When I was in college in the late 1980's I had an assignment to interview someone who lived through the Depression. I was an LPN working toward a degree in Nursing and worked at a nursing home. What better place to get info about that time. I interviewd a ver sharp 93 yr old lady. I taped our interview and it was neat. She was a school teacher and managed to keep a job when her husband could not work. She brought out a notebook in which she kept a record of every cent they spent. She said for them the end of the depression came in 1939 when they managed to take their son to the New York World's fair. Also in the past my parents talked about the hard times. My Dad was very proud he never stood in a bread line. We grew up poor and my mother used all she had learned through the Depression years to make something from nothing. She made my clothes and my skirts were all made from feed sacks. Mama always kwpt a full pantry for when hard times would come and I quess I learned that from her. I don't ever remember being hungry (unless I wouldn't eat the meal) but she made some interesting meals. I remember eating Ketchup sandwiches Not bad. And of course molasses sandwiches.

RenieB

[hippytreehugger4ever]

When I was in college in the late 1980's I had an assignment to interview someone who lived through the Depression. I was an LPN working toward a degree in Nursing and worked at a nursing home. What better place to get info about that time. I interviewd a ver sharp 93 yr old lady. I taped our interview and it was neat. She was a school teacher and managed to keep a job when her husband could not work. She brought out a notebook in which she kept a record of every cent they spent. She said for them the end of the depression came in 1939 when they managed to take their son to the New York World's fair. Also in the past my parents talked about the hard times. My Dad was very proud he never stood in a bread line. We grew up poor and my mother used all she had learned through the Depression years to make something from nothing. She made my clothes and my skirts were all made from feed sacks. Mama always kwpt a full pantry for when hard times would come and I quess I learned that from her. I don't ever remember being hungry (unless I wouldn't eat the meal) but she made some interesting meals. I remember eating Ketchup sandwiches Not bad. And of course molasses sandwiches.

RenieB

Hmm, reminds me of the beef tongue sandwiches, braunschweiger sandwishes, peanut butter and mayonaise, and all the stinkin potato soup that I grew up on. My grandma was born in 1932 and never had a store bought dress until she graduated from high school in 1950. The house she was born in is still standing (barely), as is the sod house her mother was born in (that's still sorta standing)! I've heard stories about how her mother used to try and can corn by building a fire in a trench and putting a metal trough in it, then having all the jars pop open months later. And I guess later on they had a whole pressure canner of baked beans explode on their cieling, go through the cracks in the floor boards upstairs, and made all the bedding "beannie".