The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post

Dave McC · February 18, 2002, 07:11 AM

Thanks, King. I posted the thread because I realized that all that is not only uncommon these days but totally unknown in some places.

Back then, a divorce was the exception, not the rule.

Back then, most adult males were vets.I'm glad less Americans see combat, but the maturation many people have after someone tries to kill them made more responsible and aware adults. And this was a generation that understood struggle. Between the Depression and WWII, most folks had been there, done that.

Back then, most people raised at least part of their own food.Besides a kitchen garden, we had 20 fruit trees, a grape arbor, and made everything from canned peaches,pears and apricots to applejack. Made dandelion wine also.

And hunters were respected for their willingness to share.We still do, both with friends and family and through groups like FHFH, but it doesn't get that much publicity these days.

Of the geese mentioned in the threads, one went to the convent furnishing the teachers at the parochial school I attended.

Two went to Father, later Monsignor Keogh, a saintly and generous priest. He got two, because if we only gave him one, he'd give it to a poor family instead of eating it himself.

Another went to Mom's parents, where my thrifty and creative Sicilian Grandma would render it into at least 4 meals for 3 adults.Minestrone with a goose base is a very good variant on the recipe.

A couple would go down the road to neighbors, folks whose hunting days were past or who lacked time and opportunity.

Most would get stored at a grocery store a few miles away, they had a walk in freezer and Pop had a small locker there. We'd go shopping and bring home a goose each week until they were gone. Pop was the Scoutmaster and rode the ambulance for the VFD as the first aid man, a predecessor to paramedics. He had clout thus,and got the locker.

And some of the geese we kept went into company meals, friends and family that were invited for a meal and told in advance.

Mom used the breasts like beef roasts, and the carcasses went into goose soup, pot pies, even sausage when mixed with pork. Pan drippings made gravy and enhanced the dogs' rations.

Mom's goose soup was nothing like her mother's minestrone, but a dark and rich broth with meat and veggies in it, no tomatoes. More like a stew, but she called it soup.

We'd also have duck,rabbit,squirrel,woodchuck, pheasants,quail,dove, and deer, on rare occasion.
Md had few deer then, and I recall seeing only one on the farm before I went off to college.

Yes, those days are gone for most of us, and we're the poorer for it...

February 18, 2002, 07:11 AM	#7
Dave McC Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 13, 1999 Location: Columbia, Md, USA Posts: 8,811	Thanks, King. I posted the thread because I realized that all that is not only uncommon these days but totally unknown in some places. Back then, a divorce was the exception, not the rule. Back then, most adult males were vets.I'm glad less Americans see combat, but the maturation many people have after someone tries to kill them made more responsible and aware adults. And this was a generation that understood struggle. Between the Depression and WWII, most folks had been there, done that. Back then, most people raised at least part of their own food.Besides a kitchen garden, we had 20 fruit trees, a grape arbor, and made everything from canned peaches,pears and apricots to applejack. Made dandelion wine also. And hunters were respected for their willingness to share.We still do, both with friends and family and through groups like FHFH, but it doesn't get that much publicity these days. Of the geese mentioned in the threads, one went to the convent furnishing the teachers at the parochial school I attended. Two went to Father, later Monsignor Keogh, a saintly and generous priest. He got two, because if we only gave him one, he'd give it to a poor family instead of eating it himself. Another went to Mom's parents, where my thrifty and creative Sicilian Grandma would render it into at least 4 meals for 3 adults.Minestrone with a goose base is a very good variant on the recipe. A couple would go down the road to neighbors, folks whose hunting days were past or who lacked time and opportunity. Most would get stored at a grocery store a few miles away, they had a walk in freezer and Pop had a small locker there. We'd go shopping and bring home a goose each week until they were gone. Pop was the Scoutmaster and rode the ambulance for the VFD as the first aid man, a predecessor to paramedics. He had clout thus,and got the locker. And some of the geese we kept went into company meals, friends and family that were invited for a meal and told in advance. Mom used the breasts like beef roasts, and the carcasses went into goose soup, pot pies, even sausage when mixed with pork. Pan drippings made gravy and enhanced the dogs' rations. Mom's goose soup was nothing like her mother's minestrone, but a dark and rich broth with meat and veggies in it, no tomatoes. More like a stew, but she called it soup. We'd also have duck,rabbit,squirrel,woodchuck, pheasants,quail,dove, and deer, on rare occasion. Md had few deer then, and I recall seeing only one on the farm before I went off to college. Yes, those days are gone for most of us, and we're the poorer for it...