Different Vegetables found in a period garden.

[itz3r1k]

Hello,
I am wanting to more of a period garden this year and i am curious to know what was the most common vegetables,fruits and herbs were found during the 1860's

Your most humble and obedient servant,
Erik William Creekmore.

[Hank Trent]

Re: Different Vegetables found in a period garden.

That's like asking, What were the most common clothes worn by someone during the Civil War. It depends on the part of the country and to some extent whether the person was rich or poor, growing for market or personal use, wanted the latest varieties or growing the older tried and true ones. And I'm assuming you're wanting the variety names and not just the vegetables themselves.

What research have you done already? Where are you stuck?

I'd suggest not starting with modern "heirloom seed" catalogs. Their dates are often misleading or wrong, and they don't make any distinction between what was common in the period and what was rare. Their market is people who want old timey stuff, not historians.

There's Fearing Burr, for an overview with a little context, for varieties he was aware of, living in the northeast. He tried to cover southern and far western varieties but those are less often mentioned. http://books.google.com/books?id=QKo...sec=frontcover

Other sources would be annual agricultural reports published by your state, period seed catalogs, some of which are online and others can sometimes be found in rare manuscript collections in your area. Search for "seed catalogue" and a date or location. There are also lots of agricultural magazines on google books, like the American Agriculturalist, Ohio Cultivator, etc. For example, here's the Southern Cultivator, 1860:
http://books.google.com/books?id=oGpNAAAAYAAJ You can search within those magazines for vegetable types you're interested in to see if varieties are named, or search for "seed catalogues" within them to see ads for catalogs which list common vegetable types if you want to know what was most commonly mentioned.

Hank Trent
hanktrent@gmail.com

[Annette Bethke]

Re: Different Vegetables found in a period garden.

Vicki Betts did quite a bit of research on this and allowed me to share it on my website. http://txcwcivilian.fatcow.com/id34.html. A lot of great information with bibliography.

[Becky Morgan]

Re: Different Vegetables found in a period garden.

Also, check diaries and letters from your area. Avid gardeners often mention what they've planted and when it bears. Soldiers passing through often mention either what they've found to forage or what they miss that should be in season at home.

[docwood]

Re: Different Vegetables found in a period garden.

I had to laugh. I came across this thread doing research for a book. While checking out the various resources and research suggestions here, I learned (in about the first fifteen minutes) that kitchen gardens were fenced back then, not livestock. That pretty well destroys a pivotal scene I had written which depended entirely upon cavalry horses trampling a kitchen garden. Ah, well.

I thank you for saving me from my own ignorance.

The Southern Cultivator named above, by the way, is a free e-book.

[Becky Morgan]

Re: Different Vegetables found in a period garden.

Hi Virginia! I see you made it.
The little details might not be much to some readers, but they jump out if you know the period. For your purposes, you might want to dig around in the Library of Congress and look at some pictures of typical houses in the period. If you're dealing with smaller towns, here are some good photos of Sharpsburg that show fenced kitchen gardens, outhouse paths and all.

The (also free) e-book I'm currently reading has a lot of garden detail in it, especially by 1863 when the family is more or less living on cornmeal, tomatoes and cabbage. It's one thing to know there were food shortages and another to have a firsthand report of what was expensive, what wasn't available, and what little was coming in. He doesn't mention whether they're eating the cornmeal as mush, pone or cornbread, but given the shortage of nearly everything I can't imagine there was much cornbread baked.

[Mississippian]

Re: Different Vegetables found in a period garden.

I've recently taken an interest in period Agriculture and found the info here to be very useful. You might be able to look up information in the archives and special collections of state Ag schools (like NC State, Clemson, Auburn, Miss State) they should have pretty good info about what was grown in their states and when.

I know it's not a vegetable, but I found this somewhat useful when it came to apples. The writer tries to mention period references when he can: http://www.bighorsecreekfarm.com/descriptions1.htm

Will MacDonald

[Hank Trent]

Re: Different Vegetables found in a period garden.

I know it's not a vegetable, but I found this somewhat useful when it came to apples. The writer tries to mention period references when he can: http://www.bighorsecreekfarm.com/descriptions1.htm

When it comes to fruit, there are so many lists like that published in the period, with no chance of modern mistakes creeping in. For example:

http://books.google.com/books?id=R1AMAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA11&output=html

http://books.google.com/books?id=PMtEAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA71&output=html

http://books.google.com/books?id=5MAqAQAAIAAJ&pg=PA144&output=html

Hank Trent
hanktrent@gmail.com

[itz3r1k]

Re: Different Vegetables found in a period garden.

I live in arkansas. And like a typical stubborn [edited] (Sorry ladies Excuse my language!) Hvae not done much research. I was just curious to know what the most common type's were Of the period.

[AZReenactor]

Re: Different Vegetables found in a period garden.

Erick,
Oh, now I see. So you'd really prefer answers that match the investment level you put into formulating your query then? Easy enough.

They grew various types of produce appropriate to the time, place, etc. That answer should get you where you want to go...

I don't see much reason for folks to do and share research if you are unwilling to do it yourself.

[Tyler Underwood]

Re: Different Vegetables found in a period garden.

Doing your own research is like an addiction you quickly discover yourself wanting to learn more and more. You find the information you want and along the way you get a little taste of something new that provokes more thought. For the information you seek, I would suggest The Southern Gardener or The Country Gentleman. Both should provide the information you are looking for. If I recall several years ago there was a article on this same topic in the Civil War Historian. Think of this as a treasure hunt in which I have just provided you with a map. Now its your job to find out what lies under the X

[docwood]

Re: Different Vegetables found in a period garden.

Well, I thank you, Mr. Groves et al.

I hadn't started my research in this area yet and therefore would not have asked--not until I'd tried and got got to a specific sticking point--but these links and comments are all wonderful pointers for me and I'm off to do my own digging. I'm interested in the NC Piedmont (Rockingham Co., not to put too fine a point on it) and Chesterfield/Petersburg VA areas, 1864-5 specifically, and am off to see what I can learn, with y'all's tips as my jumping-off point.

Just so you know, then, somebody out here does deeply appreciate you sharing your knowledge! I've been watching this thread the last few days like it was the state lottery results.

If anyone else is interested in one or both of these regions/periods and would like me to, I can keep you apprised of what I turn up--although, as a rank newbie, I think it unlikely I'll find anything you don't already know about (why I lurk here!). Still, I'm willing, if it would be helpful to anybody.

[itz3r1k]

Re: Different Vegetables found in a period garden.

Woah Woah woah Azreenactor, I was simply starting here and working my way down. I figured this to be the best place as ever to start, I did not post to get [edited] comments that for some reason most reenactors are giving....

[Tyler Underwood]

Re: Different Vegetables found in a period garden.

Well, I can already see that isn't going to end well.

[JSchnak950]

Re: Different Vegetables found in a period garden.

"Woah Woah woah Azreenactor, I was simply starting here and working my way down. I figured this to be the best place as ever to start, I did not post to get smartass comments that for some reason most reenactors are giving...."

Erik,

You've just walked into a frequently trod (but well marked) minefield here on the AC board. The members of this board place a premium on individuals taking responsibility for doing their own research, and some take it more personally than others when someone appears to want a 'hand out' and not a 'hand up'. On the other hand, before typing in anger and risking insulting the very people whom you ask for help, you may want to go back and review the very helpful replies you did receive to your original question.

I believe this board provides a window into the mid-19th century that is unequaled anywhere. The price to look through that window, however, is learning the local etiquette and 'rules of engagement'.

Just my .02 worth.

Respectfully,

Jeff