Country images you don't see much anymore

It's been many years, but it was common to see these signs in certain rural Ohio areas where there are Amish people:

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In the 80s I had a job that required travel/driving thru these areas. When possible I used to stop and buy Amish bread, baked goods, cheese....yum. :)
 

High-wheel hand cultivators

Actually these are becoming popular again. You can order them from a lot of places. It was the only thing we had for the vegetable garden at home for years, until we finally got a used tractor.


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:goodone: Yes, Pappy, that's called a scythe, isn't it? We had one of those, too! Just to cut the field behind our house. I tried it a couple of times. Couldn't do it. :)
 
Waterlilly said:
Now Nancy, after reading your diary I find that hard to believe!
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Ha! Ha! It's not as easy as it looks. That's my excuse, and I'm sticking to it.;) Here is a how to video---3.5 minutes over and over! I find watching this relaxing for some reason.:shrug:

 
Scythes I Knew

Pappy said:
This is what my grandpa use to cut enough hay for his goats.
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There were two of them left behind when my own grandpa died, so they wound up in our garage, I was 10. My Dad bought a little place in Michigan, at his Mother's request, and she lived there alone until she died. The scythes were tried out there. Above, it is lying upside down, as the handles and curvature show they are positioned such that it is swept from right to left, to cut the hay. As pictured, it could not be held and swept left to right at all.

The blades on ours were about twice the width shown. Using the things was back-breaking work, and one "dig-in" of the point into the earth wrenched yer back pretty good! We even had a smaller one, held with one hand, which I believe I have seen still for sale at places like Tractor Supply Co. imp
 
That's a great picture, SeaBreeze. Thanks.

There was a cider mill right near my house where I grew up. Every fall they would press apples and line up glass jugs of cider all along the loading dock for sale. I wish I had a picture of that. It was good cider, worms and all, and it had varying degrees of kick as it got older. Most of the cider sold at the stores now has preservatives in it. I don't understand how that would work.:confused: But I've never tried it.
 
Pappy, I *promise* I won't include a video of boiling down sap. (Would that be like watching paint dry?:))

But here is a video about maple syrup production in the 1920's I thought was interesting.

 
Maypole festivities

This is not unique to country life, but I don't think you see this anymore here. We had May day celebrations a couple of years into elementary school (early 50's) and then they stopped abruptly. I think it had to do with the cold war mentality, but can't find anything on official guidelines.

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I remember my elementary school had a Maypole dance at a nearby park..the year was 1959. I also remember the tire swing. My Auntie had one in her backyard. Great fun!
 
Advertising thermometers

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It seemed like every country store or gas station had at least one of these on the front porch. Collecting originals has become a big hobby. Reproductions are now being manufactured.

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Pappy said:
My grandfather had one of these saws. I think he called it a buck saw.
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Yep, that's what we called 'em .............
Growing up on a farm that had been in the family for 3 generations, we still used a lot of the old tools .....................
Certainly different times than now .........
Cats were always around at milking times ..................

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