Period Agriculture Info/Videos

[Paul L Muller]

I still think someone should make simular videos on Civil war topics. I have thought about it but not confidant I have enough knowlege. Such a video collection could be offered here on the AC for those who want to learn their fieldcrafts more historically correct at the start. Just thinkin outloud with my fingers. plm

[dixieflyer]

Re: Interesting Video on Making Salt Pork

Paul,
Actually, it's been done before. Two of my pards who were on staff at Pickett's Mill in the late 80's/early 90's, Chuck Brown and Anthony Winegar, did a how-to video. I saw a VHS copy once, but I do not know what became of the project.
There are so many 19th c. subjects that could utilize this format. Just agricultural practices alone would take up a few "video volumes" and would prove useful, in my very humble opinion, towards helping folks with their first person so we wouldn't have so many clerks, school teachers, etc.

[J. Donaldson]

Re: Interesting Video on Making Salt Pork

An agricultural video series would be fun to produce, and I agree, Warren, it's badly needed.

[dixieflyer]

Re: Interesting Video on Making Salt Pork

Bob,
Hey, I think an itinerant history PhD and an ex-social studies teacher ought to produce something like that. :wink_smil

[Paul L Muller]

Re: Interesting Video on Making Salt Pork

O.K. How do we start this ball rollin faster? I am willing to do a video on, say... hard tack. A very good informative "watchable" segment...then what? Is anyone interested in working with me to see what we can come up with??? plm

[dixieflyer]

Re: Interesting Video on Making Salt Pork

I may talk this over with some folks I know regarding the agri end of things.

[J. Donaldson]

Re: Interesting Video on Making Salt Pork

Soon as I hit the lottery.

Too bad we don't know anybody that works at a museum with land and agricultural interpretation.

[dogcompanylt]

Re: Interesting Video on Making Salt Pork

Coming from my background of being relatively new to the progressive/campaigner lifestyle, some instructional videos would work wonders.
I know that alot of the things I would like to know will come with time, research, and through the teachings of which ever mess I would associate with.
I know I would love to be able to see some of the things that I have been struggling with in my readings. I learn a lot better when I can visualize, or do after reading.

Ryan Gray

[Paul L Muller]

Re: Interesting Video on Making Salt Pork

What do you have in mind when you talk about "agri" ? I may be able to help there , but I need a clearer idea for what you mean. Some notions for taping might be canteens..kinds and where and when each style would be used . hard tack , campaigning and packing light, foods and prep, ect . plm

[Philip cav]

Re: Interesting Video on Making Salt Pork

I am interested in working on this project. :)

[J. Donaldson]

Re: Interesting Video on Making Salt Pork

Without consulting with my apparent partner in crime, I think we're talking about educational videos pertaining to farm work and farm life. The vast majority of America's population worked on farms or lived in small towns serving the needs of farmers, thereby having contact with farm labor and practices. So, first thing off the top of my head: corn. How do you plant it and take care of it? What are the regional differences in cultivation practices? What are some breed varieties? Social impact of corn? The videos would allow the viewer to be conversant with the life they "lived" before joining the fight, as well as opening a new eye on life in the 19th century for those interested in deeper study.

As an example, a video might allow a better discussion for why this cornfield does not look like a modern corn field, and why, and why it's important.

[dixieflyer]

Re: Interesting Video on Making Salt Pork

Exactly Bob, you are dead on. To add to this: I know a few, a very few, who have a true understanding of regional ag practices of different regions in the US during the early and mid 19th c. For some things, this can be a "one stop shop", and by that I mean some universal things like:

- how to harness a team
- how to split rails
- how to build different types of fences

As Bob pointed out, there will be different practices dependent upon region. I got an invite last year to attend the Surreneder of Secession event this next fall. I decided against it, and one of my reasons was that the only civilian skills I ever possessed was as a mid-19th c. farmer, but those skills are geared toward agriculture as practiced in the Upper South, and they are not the same as those that would have been practiced in that region of Georgia. (Some would be the same, but others would not.)

I know some folks skilled in media production, I know some folks who have the abilities and skills we're speaking of, and also some folks who have resources needed for this. I'm going to try and put some things forward and see what shakes out. At best, we might could produce something worth putting out there, and any monies would go towards preservation. Maybe at worst we'll end up with another "So you want to be a farmer" seminar/weekend. We'll see.

[J. Donaldson]

Re: Interesting Video on Making Salt Pork

There is a series of videos, originally made as one film by Living History Farms in the 1970s, that is an oral history of sorts about farming with horses and some period appropriate technologies. When We Farmed With Horses is in the collection of the Iowa State University Archives, and while not everything is period, it's an enjoyable work on horse-powered farm life in the Midwest. You can see a grain cradle in action, the trouble with cast-iron plows in sticky soils, and some of the social aspects of farming.

Part II

Part III

A series of videos would be a great tool for educating living historians on period techniques, in lieu of actually getting your hands on the tools and using them.

[lojafan]

Re: Period Agriculture Info/Videos

Fantastic idea gents! Good luck!

[Paul L Muller]

Re: Period Agriculture Info/Videos

Now that sounds like something I know a bit about! On our small farm, [until two years ago] I farmed with horses and , and almost literaly live a 19th century life style. Still do to a point. Can you give more details on the aggri. side of this idea? I have envisioned more of an equipmeent and basicaly how to skip over the "farb" part of a beginers learning curve, but I like this agg notion very much. On your web site" mullerlanefarm.com" we have done some similar types of how to lessons, that's why this seems so doable. plm