My mom still tells me the stories of doing the wash with her grandmother. Haul the water up from the crick in buckets, put in alum to settle out the dirt. Washtubs and washboards. Hung everything on the line and starch the hell out of everything, including underwear. Paw and Granny would get up, Paw to the barn to milk, tend to animals and hitch up the mules. Granny would start the fire in the stove and cook eggs for breakfast along with biscuits (enough for the day). In fact, during the hot summers, she would make a days worth of food so she could let the fire burn out. All the money they had was what Granny got from selling the extra eggs to the grocers in town and what they got for their small cotton crop on a west Texas dry-land farm. Most of it was spent on lamp fuel, staples like wheat, lard, baking powder and cornmeal, fabric and thread for quilts and clothes.
This is the story of my grandmother's sisters and brothers, who came from Sweden to farm in Illinois and Michigan in the early years of the 20th century! A very personal memory!
This is exactly the way and methods used on this farm both before and after the REA brought in power after the war. We had those same light fixtures when I was growing up, I suppose they were standard fixtures supplied by the Coop. Their still in use in the grandparents house, been rewired a few times. This brings back a flood of memories.
My grand parents explained to me the coming of electricity to the village and the difference it made , now it's expensive it's almost a luxury but I remember the tales of my forefathers and ponder . Great video 👍🇬🇧
My grandparents had electricity but they still never had running water. They cooked and heated with wood as well. Grandma used flat irons heated on the stove still. They still lived that way till the Corps of engineers bought up their land for a lake. They moved to a new place but never used the hot water heater. Grandma refused because she heard of one exploding somewhere.
Can you imagine how exciting it must have been for a farming family back then when they finally got to upgrade and get their power?! We take it for granted nowadays and just expect it to be there at all times. That would have been such an interesting and fun thing to witness when they first got to flip that switch.
My mother experienced this at age 12 in 1951 on the farm she grew up on. The house was already wired for power, and appliances brought in place, before the neighbourhood could finally be hooked up and energized. One day she came home from school and she flicked on the lights for the first time. Amazingly bright home at any time! This is up north in Canada, with limited daylight hours in winter. Having electric lights rather than dim dirty coal oil lights is a huge boost in household productivity. Ironically, there are more Amish and Mennonites moving in and they are ripping out the power lines.
My grandfather used to tell stories about his parents finally getting electricity at their house. The power company went through four drill bits trying to run wires through their century old log home. Some people in that same county didn’t get electricity until the late 1960s.
With the ability to Generate Electricity there came the hundreds of Inventions that ran on electric power to make life easier and more productive. Whether it is Hot and Cold running water an electric stove, washing machine, lights to see at night and the other appliances to numerous to mention.Most would agree electricity changed this world more than any one Invention. Most people in this generation do not know what HARD WORK really is, that is why a film like this is so valuable, it lets us know what life was like 80 years ago so we softies can appreciate what we have today.
Those milk cans are decorative pieces now. But at one time…those cans where someone’s livelihood. Yep …less we forget. And when you gripe about the farmer….don’t talk with your mouth full. Jim from Ohio sitting on 1880s farm homestead .
Mama used a scrubbing board a lit of times. And a winger washer to boot. Even tho in was in the 20th century folks. When I was a kid I'd taken a bath in a wash tub many a times. I am 67 now.
We all take a lot for granted. This wasn't that long ago. Unfortunately the government got involved. Now too many regulations. I thought a very good film shiwing how hard the farmer worked. There were no gyms then as good hard work kept them in shape. Now everything is done by machine. Both good and bad comes from progress.
Having an electric fridge and freezer was a huge advance for dietary diversity and prevent food spoilage. But they were expensive in the 1940s, new they cost nearly as much as a new one today, withou adjusting for inflation. And used more power.
Maybe you don't know history or have never lived without electricity-the Rural Electrification Act did save many, many farmers-by selling electricity at wholesale prices to farm co-operatives, many of which still exist today: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rural_Electrification_Act
@@CFinch360 I come from the lower Tennessee valley. Neither of parents had electricity when they were children. I am well aware of REA. I'm also well aware of how agricultural policy and debt financing have been fucking over farmers since the 1930s.
How is the government building the infrastructure and the users owning and paying for the service, in any way, "debt financing?" What debt are you referring to?
Neat film. I especially liked that they didn't shove religion down the viewers' throat like most films of the day did, by not having them pray before they ate.
My mom still tells me the stories of doing the wash with her grandmother. Haul the water up from the crick in buckets, put in alum to settle out the dirt. Washtubs and washboards. Hung everything on the line and starch the hell out of everything, including underwear. Paw and Granny would get up, Paw to the barn to milk, tend to animals and hitch up the mules. Granny would start the fire in the stove and cook eggs for breakfast along with biscuits (enough for the day). In fact, during the hot summers, she would make a days worth of food so she could let the fire burn out. All the money they had was what Granny got from selling the extra eggs to the grocers in town and what they got for their small cotton crop on a west Texas dry-land farm. Most of it was spent on lamp fuel, staples like wheat, lard, baking powder and cornmeal, fabric and thread for quilts and clothes.
The most honest, genuine occupation I can think of. Thank you farmers.
We have it so good today; the consumer at Walmart hasn’t a clue how good they have it.
This is the story of my grandmother's sisters and brothers, who came from Sweden to farm in Illinois and Michigan in the early years of the 20th century! A very personal memory!
Then they moved to Ohio, where it was filmed?
Memories Memories. Thank You
This is exactly the way and methods used on this farm both before and after the REA brought in power after the war. We had those same light fixtures when I was growing up, I suppose they were standard fixtures supplied by the Coop. Their still in use in the grandparents house, been rewired a few times. This brings back a flood of memories.
Can you imagine.. but what a great story.. look what Farming is today...wow what a hard life back then
And now the gov'ts are shutting down farms and demanding the livestock be destroyed.
My grand parents explained to me the coming of electricity to the village and the difference it made , now it's expensive it's almost a luxury but I remember the tales of my forefathers and ponder .
Great video 👍🇬🇧
My Mom {97) said one of her chores was washing the soot from lamp chimneys
21:17 epic corn beats
Advantages and Disadvantages
Sustainability
Recycling
Thank you for sharing informative videos!
No joke, electricity is something we all take for granted but this film illustrates how hard life was without it.
Don't worry, soon you'll be reminiscing about the days when we used to have electricity.
My grandparents had electricity but they still never had running water. They cooked and heated with wood as well. Grandma used flat irons heated on the stove still. They still lived that way till the Corps of engineers bought up their land for a lake. They moved to a new place but never used the hot water heater. Grandma refused because she heard of one exploding somewhere.
It’s still very common to burn wood for heat
Can you imagine how exciting it must have been for a farming family back then when they finally got to upgrade and get their power?! We take it for granted nowadays and just expect it to be there at all times. That would have been such an interesting and fun thing to witness when they first got to flip that switch.
My mother experienced this at age 12 in 1951 on the farm she grew up on. The house was already wired for power, and appliances brought in place, before the neighbourhood could finally be hooked up and energized. One day she came home from school and she flicked on the lights for the first time. Amazingly bright home at any time! This is up north in Canada, with limited daylight hours in winter. Having electric lights rather than dim dirty coal oil lights is a huge boost in household productivity. Ironically, there are more Amish and Mennonites moving in and they are ripping out the power lines.
My grandfather used to tell stories about his parents finally getting electricity at their house. The power company went through four drill bits trying to run wires through their century old log home. Some people in that same county didn’t get electricity until the late 1960s.
With the ability to Generate Electricity there came the hundreds of Inventions that ran on electric power to make life easier and more productive. Whether it is Hot and Cold running water an electric stove, washing machine, lights to see at night and the other appliances to numerous to mention.Most would agree electricity changed this world more than any one Invention. Most people in this generation do not know what HARD WORK really is, that is why a film like this is so valuable, it lets us know what life was like 80 years ago so we softies can appreciate what we have today.
30:27 Interesting. Storage-battery powered 'farm radios' were around and lots of folks had them before REA.
Excellent film! Thank you - Doug in Iowa 🇺🇸
11:07 I wish I had a nickel for every mile I've mown with one of those!
Those milk cans are decorative pieces now. But at one time…those cans where someone’s livelihood. Yep …less we forget. And when you gripe about the farmer….don’t talk with your mouth full. Jim from Ohio sitting on 1880s farm homestead .
Mama used a scrubbing board a lit of times. And a winger washer to boot. Even tho in was in the 20th century folks. When I was a kid I'd taken a bath in a wash tub many a times. I am 67 now.
Same
We all take a lot for granted. This wasn't that long ago. Unfortunately the government got involved. Now too many regulations.
I thought a very good film shiwing how hard the farmer worked. There were no gyms then as good hard work kept them in shape. Now everything is done by machine. Both good and bad comes from progress.
Having an electric fridge and freezer was a huge advance for dietary diversity and prevent food spoilage. But they were expensive in the 1940s, new they cost nearly as much as a new one today, withou adjusting for inflation. And used more power.
Yup, but they lasted 25-40 years!!!
LONG LIVE FARMER GERMANY LONG LIVE FARMER USA WASP
Happy
historians, please compare the documentary photo with music
It's a strip mall or subdivision now.
So, pretty much a film from the government, about how some bureaucracy is going to come save the farmers, through debt financing of course.
Maybe you don't know history or have never lived without electricity-the Rural Electrification Act did save many, many farmers-by selling electricity at wholesale prices to farm co-operatives, many of which still exist today: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rural_Electrification_Act
People today are spoiled just like the 2 cans of milk.
@@CFinch360 I come from the lower Tennessee valley. Neither of parents had electricity when they were children. I am well aware of REA. I'm also well aware of how agricultural policy and debt financing have been fucking over farmers since the 1930s.
How is the government building the infrastructure and the users owning and paying for the service, in any way, "debt financing?" What debt are you referring to?
That sure must've been something to experience
Neat film. I especially liked that they didn't shove religion down the viewers' throat like most films of the day did, by not having them pray before they ate.