Forgotten: We've Lived Through Tough Times Before

Both born a few years after the Depression, my father lived on a farm, my mother in the ‘city.’ Dad ate corn, cabbage, pork and beef. At four-years old, he worked with his dad delivering milk. He took over the chore of driving the truck at six. Although he was prone to exaggeration, this, I believe, was true.

Mom’s family bartered items. Mamaw made the best apple pie ever made from crabapples grown in the yard. They traded for eggs or whatever else they could find. They leased their land for others to live on. If the family stayed within budget, Mom purchased peanut butter with her wages. If her dad spent money on horses, they ate mayonnaise sandwiches.