because of Campfrugal's entry. Thank you, Campfrugal, for my trip down memory lane. My kids roll their eyes at my stories. I was raised on a mini-farm. We grew all our veggies, and my grandfather raised our meat. We had eggs delivered on Fridays and milk on Mondays. We went to a store for things like toilet paper and chips maybe every two weeks. We made our own cookies and drank our ice cold well water. I can remember my first grocery shopping in college. I had to buy things that we'd always had in the freezers. My inlaws were amazed at the fact that I'd hardly ever gone to a restaurant and so didn't know what to order. We picked blackberries from one of our fields, and Dad grew blueberries after I left home. My other grandmother had apples, and her pears put store pears to shame. Sometimes, we'd get amazing peaches from Mom's boss. One of my neighbors grew strawberries and raspberries--he'd share the raspberries with me. The other neighbor grew popcorn. We'd often sit outside with BIG bowls of popcorn and iced tea. We made our own ice cream on the weekends. I, too, can remember a neighbor's pigs getting out and the roundup, roosters crowing in the mornings, chasing down a horse or two that ran off, and one mule chase for two elderly ladies. Needless to say, my upbringing was a little odd to most of the kids in school. I loved it!
Got Me Thinking....
February 22nd, 2010 at 05:52 pm
February 22nd, 2010 at 06:59 pm 1266865174
February 22nd, 2010 at 07:10 pm 1266865817
February 22nd, 2010 at 08:28 pm 1266870519
February 22nd, 2010 at 08:41 pm 1266871308
I think we have a serious problem with kids today, who have grown up attached to their cell phones, video games, DVDs and computers. I think kids are so wired for technology past times today they'll forget what the outdoor world is all about and so if we're in danger of losing it, they won't care.
February 22nd, 2010 at 09:04 pm 1266872658
February 22nd, 2010 at 09:36 pm 1266874600
February 22nd, 2010 at 10:15 pm 1266876957
The life you described is the life I would love to give to my sons. Holistic, meaningful. I grew up country and there are a lot of merits to it. I always have my eyes peeled for the perfect mini farm to buy, but the other side of that is we hate commuting. So, in the meantime, I try to grow as much food on my city lot as I can, and I get the babies involved so they at least know where food kind of comes from.
February 23rd, 2010 at 12:24 am 1266884646
Living that kind of life was very peaceful and fulfilling. There was always something to do. It always amazes me how we kept ourselves busy as children playing outdoors, riding horses, feeding animals, climbing trees, building tree forts, looking for treasures in the woods; and if we were hungry, we just grabbed something to eat off a tree or out of the garden. We would sit in our cherry tree forever eating big dark red cherrys and spitting the pits at each other for entertainment. I don't remember saying I was bored very often.
February 23rd, 2010 at 12:34 am 1266885248
February 23rd, 2010 at 12:43 am 1266885828
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February 26th, 2010 at 08:44 pm 1267217094
Jerry
March 1st, 2010 at 10:50 pm 1267483817
I was lucky enough to be able to raise my kids in the same atmosphere. Actually better. They had horses, baby goats, a pet Polish Chicken, lots of barn kittens and a couple of dogs. One of my daughters is rearing her kids the same way. Her little boys are "country kids" and are the best kids ever! They are learning responsibility, and have lost of room to roam. I wish all kids could have that experience. My other daughter has two little boys, who are city kids. They would rather go visit their country cousins than go to Disneyland!