Virginia Tadrzynski wrote:
"George Shirley" wrote in message
.. .

snippage of a wonderful story


I fall in the midrange (48) and I didn't have a mom who cooked. I
grew up with the aunties cooking mass quantities and putting up some.
I was never invited as they felt the kids had no place in the
kitchen. Thank God for Aunty Mary, my next door neighbor and
friend's mom. She worked full time as did her husband and they had a
50 acre garden in the Piedmont Sandhills of NC. She would grow and
can anything and any extra pair of hands was appreciated. She taught
me rudementary cooking and some basic craft skills (my mom was crafty
but had no patience to teach it). I remember being the 'littlest
kid' I had the job of intestine holder when they butchered the hogs
(hold the the intestines while boiling water is rinsed thru them to
remove the poo so the intestines can then be washed and used as
sausage casings)......for this I got to later (after washing my hands
of course) help mix the sausage meat.
Moved on, went to college, got married, had 1 kidlet, and started
wondering just how to cook. Bought a few cookbooks, remembered some
of the aunties doing certain things with certain items. Had a few
more kidlests and started to really wonder how to save money. By
this time, we lived in Philly, so I started a little garden in my
back yard (13'x24' and that includes the paved area with a
clothesline - older neighbors smiled when I hung out clothes, new
ones asked about why I didn't use a dryer). Grew tomatoes and
peppers. Ate them as soon as they came off the vine.
Moved north of Philly and put in a little garden, not much to write
home about, but the squirrels and deer appreciate my efforts. Eldest
son in scouts at time and an older woman was canning one day when I
had to drop off something for the scout unit. I was intrigued. She
invited me in and the rest was history. She took me to a couple of
'pick your own' orchards (sadly, now housing developements) and I got
to pick what I wanted to can. Now I rely on farmers' markets, but at
least they were grown at someone's home.

Then I discovered or shall I say, was discovered by Barb, the Queen
of all canning, and the rest is history. She initiated me into how to
really become a Ribbon Whore. I started canning and putting things
in fairs, and the rest is history.

So to the originator, Betty, and the instigator, Barb, I tip my hat.

I have discovered a website called the Urban Homemaker. They sell
canning items, tell stories and give general advice. To the more
religious of the lot, they teach a premise called the Titus 2 woman,
where the younger are taught skills to care for the older when they
need it (referenced to the book of Titus in the Bible). They
actually have a syllabus on how to teach young girls (and I add boys
to the list, as my boys can cook, my girls - forget it) the
homemaking arts, from cooking, to canning, to bread making, to
sewing, homecrafts, etc. I am trying to encourage my church's youth
group to look into buying the syllabus, and I would try to gather up
some of the more seasoned ladies who remember how to do this and
teach it. If we don't try to teach the next generation, they will
be looking in the pantry after we're gone and ask where the pickles
went to......

I am enjoying this thread so much))
Thank you Ginny