Does anybody remember the good old days when we pretty much ate what we wanted to eat, didn’t worry about how many calories we consumed or whether the flour was gluten-free? Or am I the only one old enough to recall when food was food, and were thankful to have it?
I grew up on a farm. Cows grazed on plentiful pastures, chickens clucked, cackled, and laid eggs in the chicken yard, vegetables grew in the garden and from these things came most of our food.
Our cows were Jerseys and Guernseys. When I pass dairies, I don’t see those pretty yellow and brown cows. I see black and white Holstein cows which are excellent milk producers but not so hot in the cream department. The milk of Jerseys and Guernseys, however, is rich. When we poured their milk into gallon glass jars, it was fully one/third thick, rich, yellow cream.
We ate cream on cereal, blackberry cobblers, cold bread pudding. We churned part of that cream into butter and there’s nothing like homemade biscuits and cornbread, fresh from the oven with butter melting into it.
We didn’t know about cholesterol, so we often had eggs for breakfast. We baked pies and cakes with them, yolks, whites, and all and enjoyed the whole thing.
Boy! That was good food! And here’s the funny thing–nobody was overweight. Maybe it’s because we worked hard. At least, my parents worked hard. But there was a long driveway to walk from school bus to house, water to pump, a garden to weed, wood to bring in and a black horse named Chappo to ride.
Anyway, this morning as I drink steaming hot Folgers and think about toast and cereal for breakfast, I remember other mornings. Bacon sizzling, eggs frying, biscuits baking and I sigh for those days when we had home-grown food and enjoyed it all!
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Ahhh, Blanche! One reason I love reading your posts is because your memories bring back my memories! We were indeed blessed to have grown up in those times, weren’t we!? : )
Thanks for your comment, Fran. Yes, we were blessed without realizing how much. It amazes me that those times have disappeared in actually only a few decades. Not that long ago, but it seems they are gone forever.
I think we have experienced the best times – we remember those wonderful days but have seen advancements that no other generation has see. Not that advancement is always for our good. I feel sad that the children of today will never know what it is like to run free and feel completely safe. I remember playing outside from dawn to dusk. The whole village was ours! And like yours, my parents were poor but hardworking. And we ate good food!
As Solomon said, “There is nothing better for a man than to eat and drink and find enjoyment* in his hard work.”
Yes, you’re right, Sharon. We are experiencing amazing advancements in the field of science that our parents wouldn’t have dreamed of. I worry that with all the dependence upon technology we might lose the closeness of human companionship and I too feel sad that my grandchildren won’t know about those days when things were a lot simpler.
Memories! I grew up in Chicago (before it was primarily concrete). My parents and grandparents farmed the land between their houses. Similar to yours, my parents were poor and sold the produce from a truck stand to help make ends meet. The only elementary school and high school were at least a mile away and, unless the weather was awful, we walked. Our children had a touch of that experience and still talk about it today.
That is really interesting! Thanks for writing.
Eating food then was it was “food” not manufactured, altered, adjusted, etc for the benefit of the manufacture to make more money.
You’re exactly right, Helen. We grew most of our own, were glad to get it, and enjoyed it. I’ve always thought it’s the additives, etc., that are making people overweight and sick. Thanks for writing.