Vegetable Farming in the 1930's

Living in the community of Williams' Mill Pond in Wayne County in the 1930's was so different from today, you can't even imagine how life was then. There was no electric power available then, no modern conveniences that you take for granted today. Try to imagine life without electric lights, indoor plumbing, air conditioner or central heat. TV's, radios, refrigerators or even telephones, but that's the way life was then.

We had plenty of hard work to keep us busy and entertained. We had a market to sell vegetables in Mt. Olive and Faison, so growing vegetables, long green cucumbers, snap beans, Irish potatoes and bell peppers was a big part of our farming operation. All the work was done by hand, each farmer grew only what he thought his family could take care of.

The "thirties" were troubled times for this country, following the stock market crash of 1929. Banks closed, people lost all their money in those banks. Businesses failed and jobs were lost.

Farmers were no exception. Many had lost their money when the banks failed and could not keep the taxes on the farms paid. Farms and homes were auctioned at the courthouses just to collect their back taxes. Farms were let to lay out (not tended). The farmers could not get money to buy seed and fertilizer. Very few farmers could afford to own a tractor, so much of the heavy work was done by mules.

The mules were indispensable to the farmers of that day. The mules were taken good care of and treated well by their owners. The owners knew how valuable their mule was to them. The mule pulled the planter that planted the seed. He pulled the plow and cultivators that tilled the soil during the growing of the crop. The mules pulled the wagons that carried the harvest to market. They pulled the "Hoover Carts" that many families rode on during the "Great Depression".

In spite of the mule's great usefulness, he lived up to the reputation of being stubborn, orney, and lazy acting. "I'm going to do my own thing, regardless of what Master wants." I've heard it said that working with a mule was aggravating enough to make a preacher "cuss". I never heard my husband curse, but when he started farming in 1954 it didn't take him long to retire "Old Red and Kate" (the mules) and replace them with a Farmall Cub tractor with all its equipment we used all during our farming years. We still use it on the farm.

Controlling insects on vegetables was a problem in the "thirties". There was almost no insecticide that was safe to be used on vegetables. Rothane dust could be used on snap beans and worked very well to control the Mexican bean beetles. Most insects were picked by hand. This process was a tedious and back breaking job for the grown ups. The children were given the job of picking the insects off and dropping them into a can of kerosene oil.

Cucumbers had to be planted and harvested early before the hot weather of June and July. If not, the pickleworm became a problem. The packer at the field had a big responsibility to make sure that no cucumber with a worm in it was packed. If the buyers found a cucumber with a worm, the whole load would be refused. Even today, with the safe insecticides available, late cucumbers are risky to grow to sell.

Today, there are a number of insecticides that can be safely used in vegetables to name a few - carbaryl (seven), bifenthyin (capture) diazinon and dipel. The use of the available insecticides takes much of the work out of growing vegetables for home use and market.

Controlling weeds and grass was a major problem of growing vegetables in the "thirties". The only defense we had was daily hoeing, digging and plowing from planting time to harvest, a real battle, with the weeds winning. There was every obnoxious weed and grass known, including the red stinging nettle and sand spurs. The farmer would burn off the fields in the winter hoping to destroy the seed, but come spring with warm temperatures, the weeds would come with greater abundance than ever. Today there are a number of herbicides available, such as roundup which will kill all weeds and grasses, Fluazilop (Grass-B-Gone), and 2,4-D (Weed -B-Gone). The use of these three herbicides can eliminate most of the hoeing and chopping.

With these chemicals and modern farm practices, one farmer can grow many acres of vegetables. Today we can enjoy fresh vegetables year round instead of just in season.

Harvest time was like a social event. My cousins and neighbors came to help. My mother cooked a big dinner (lunch) for everyone. All the food on the table was produced right on the farm. There were usually several fresh vegetables, cured pork (ham), butter, eggs, milk and fried cornbread. The corn for the cornbread was grown on the farm and ground into meal at the local mill. For dessert usually a fruit cobbler, apples or peaches from our own trees. Everything tasted so good, much better than the restaurant buffets we enjoy today.

The summers were just as hot as they are today. We opened the windows and sometimes slept on the open porch to get cool. We had no reason to be afraid. Crime was almost nonexistent.

Lack of modern conveniences and the hard work was never thought of as a hardship. We accepted all of it as "just the way life was" in the "thirties". I was surrounded by loving parents and relatives. There were friendly neighbors who were always willing to share and help when there was a need.

Williams Mill Pond community was a good place to live during the "thirties". Some things about that time were better than they are today. I can assure you that I appreciate the modern conveniences much more than any of you. We're all living in a prosperous time with so many luxuries, all of which makes modern life a joy and a pleasure.

Prepared by: Edna Ellis, Wilson County Master Gardener Volunteer

CALENDAR

November 4, Thursday 10:00 am: Hypertuffa Making 12:00 pm: Lunch 1:00 pm: Home for the Holidays meeting

November 15, Monday 4:00 pm: MGV meeting

November 16, Tuesday Mid-Atlantic Farm Show 6:30: Wilson County Green Association meeting - Vermicomposting

November 17, Wednesday Farm City Breakfast

November 20, Saturday 2 PM Garden Workday

November 22, Monday 9 AM Garden Workday

November 29-30, Monday and Tuesday: Home for the Holidays set-up

December 1, Wednesday: 10 AM Home for the Holidays

PHONE DUTY

Friday, Nov. 5: Bill

Monday, Nov. 8: Sandy

Wednesday, Nov. 10: Donna

Friday, Nov. 12: Bill

Monday, Nov. 15: Carroll

Wednesday, Nov.17: Carroll and Rich

Friday, Nov. 19: Bill

Many thanks for manning phone duty this year. Since the phones are getting slower you may be asked to help with "office" work. Thanks for all you do!

HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS

Santa's Workshop

December 1, 10 AM-2 PM

We need your help and support for our Annual Home for the Holidays event.

We need people to make food ahead of time, help with set-up (Nov. 29-30),servers and people to help with the craft booths. If you are willing to help please let Cyndi know.

This is a great way to get hours for those who need them prior to January 1!

Thank you!

This page was created by Cyndi Lauderdale, Agricultural Extension Agent.

Date Created: 12/10/2004.