- Joined
- Dec 15, 2018
- Messages
- 837
- Reaction score
- 3,621
Both my parents were I think lucky to be living on farms during the depression, mothers family was nine children and the farm was reasonably large around the Gunning area and I think were fairly well off, but still found the times hard, they lived mostly off what they could grow or traded and the meat was what animals they killed, sheep mostly, cows were milked and butter was made, so I assume that they would have been in a far better situation that most, she never spoke greatly about it, but had the saying of "Waste not, want not" was quoted many times a week and that was applied to the end, as some of the things that she did to save money over the years that I have been told since her death many years ago now would make some of the younger generation wonder why.
My fathers family of nine lived on a smaller farm in the Yass area, the farm was not very productive as it was poor soil, but they had sheep, cows and some pigs, my Grandfather was a blacksmith so there was work enough, but payment was hard to get sometimes, so other arrangements had to be agreed to. My grandmother was a great cook, so the rabbits and sheep were the main meats that was used, she also spoke that she would not eat another rabbit ever, even if she was starving. My father and his brothers made money from the rabbit skins and also possum skins, which were pegged out in an old mine shaft as there was a market for them, but not wise to be found with too many of them, the traveling skin buyers did not mind either as the possums skins were hidden under the sheep skins.
My father always told about his mother making bread, she used to make potato yeast to use in the bread, apparently it was like making ginger beer in bottles, but when it was opened he said it was easier to do it under the table as it was quicker to clean up the mess from under the top of the table than from the ceiling. I learnt very early on that you eat what was put in front of you and sometimes when young have been still at the table with the remains of a cold "hot" meal , mainly brussel sprouts or other "unknown" in front of me way past my bedtime, I was informed that there would be someone somewhere in the world that would be grateful for the meal, I often wondered if they would eat it either?
I seem to have learnt not to throw anything away as you will need it very quickly after it is gone which if why I have way too much "good stuff". I still eat what is put in front of me, but now can say what I would like, no more brussel sprouts, nor tripe or brain, brawn or pressed tongue. The good old days, prefer what we have today even with all the viruses and other nasties.
Graham
My fathers family of nine lived on a smaller farm in the Yass area, the farm was not very productive as it was poor soil, but they had sheep, cows and some pigs, my Grandfather was a blacksmith so there was work enough, but payment was hard to get sometimes, so other arrangements had to be agreed to. My grandmother was a great cook, so the rabbits and sheep were the main meats that was used, she also spoke that she would not eat another rabbit ever, even if she was starving. My father and his brothers made money from the rabbit skins and also possum skins, which were pegged out in an old mine shaft as there was a market for them, but not wise to be found with too many of them, the traveling skin buyers did not mind either as the possums skins were hidden under the sheep skins.
My father always told about his mother making bread, she used to make potato yeast to use in the bread, apparently it was like making ginger beer in bottles, but when it was opened he said it was easier to do it under the table as it was quicker to clean up the mess from under the top of the table than from the ceiling. I learnt very early on that you eat what was put in front of you and sometimes when young have been still at the table with the remains of a cold "hot" meal , mainly brussel sprouts or other "unknown" in front of me way past my bedtime, I was informed that there would be someone somewhere in the world that would be grateful for the meal, I often wondered if they would eat it either?
I seem to have learnt not to throw anything away as you will need it very quickly after it is gone which if why I have way too much "good stuff". I still eat what is put in front of me, but now can say what I would like, no more brussel sprouts, nor tripe or brain, brawn or pressed tongue. The good old days, prefer what we have today even with all the viruses and other nasties.
Graham
