All the need elements of a farm
Since my request to take a time machine back to the time of my grandparents has been summarily refused I must carry on by trying to learn from other sources. One of my sets of grandparents lived on a small family farm just up the road from here and I visited them when I was young. I was quite aware that they had animals but I had never given thought to which animals and why. There were not very many. The usual mixed bag of cows and pigs and horses with an occasional chicken wandering around outside. I did with time learn that each animal gave something else to the table but I never thought about how it all comes together in a very interesting marriage throughout the year. Not every animal is to be killed at the same time. You must plan your menus ahead. For example today I learned that you needed a calf in order to make cheese and I had really not considered that possibility. It has something to do with a magical chemical called rennet which is found in the calf’s stomach. Also pigs do not like drafts of cold air. Something else I had never considered I just figured they lived in a little pen and waiting for their turn to come up. Cows of course I understood but I had not thought about the various ways that milk can be used in the diet and I had forgotten that a cow has to have a calf before there will be milk. It is all about the timing. Turns out back in the days of the family farm they had figured out all those variables they knew what to do when and nothing ever went to waste. You’ve heard of sausage? They had you’ve learned about hooves being made into glue. I do not know that my grandparents ever made glue but I will not speak for their ancestors. And the eventual hide would be made into leather. Perhaps not in the back barn but somebody knew the tricks. There are so many other little tidbits out there. I have learned a few but now I will take the time to study and try to put it all together into one big picture. Life on the family farm. After all they had no supermarkets in their day and if you did not have it at home you just did not have it. I wonder did they grow apples? All this from watching a simple video which is how most of my days get started. Take an idea and run with it.
