Pig farming: Victorian Farm and the Family Save All

The BBC has recently been airing a great program/series called Victorian Farm which tries to show what life was like in Victorian times down on the farm. It was hard! We take for granted things like tractors, ploughs, combine harvesters but we never think where they evolved from. Most of these everyday farm implements came about from ingenious Victorians who had the fundamental ideas to make life easier and for farms to produce more food at cheaper prices for an ever growing population. Without these inventors we would still be struggling to survive and Mr Tesco would have empty shelves (if he even got started). From hand tools to horse driven to steam to today's farm machinery all started in the Victorian era. Today we think 'computer' but in 1860 they thought pure mechanical. Just look at the ingenious combination of wheels, pulleys, cogs and belts that went to make up the thresher of the day. Pure mechanical genius. I think it would be hard to find a mechanic today who could make a working farm implement from the tools of 1860!!And the farmers wife? She was kept busy all day cooking, washing and cleaning as well as feeding chickens etc and helping where and when necessary on the farm. The food on the table in those days was quite something else. Pig's heads and brains, calf's udders, cow heels, chicken broth from everything including the feet. Every bit of the animal was used, nothing wasted and everything turned into dishes that would make today's housewife cringe to think of the work involved. No quick frozen suppers!! I would imagine the Victorian farmer would think our food today was tasteless compared to his normal fare. Even the leftovers were turned into another meal fit for a king. There was a book called The Family Save All (A SYSTEM OF EXCELLENT DISHES FOR BREAKFAST, LUNCHEON, DINNER, AND SUPPER, FROM COLD AND OTHER FRAGMENTS. INVALUABLE HINTS FOR ECONOMY IN THE USE OF EVERY ARTICLE OF HOUSEHOLD CONSUMPTION.) that gave the housewife lots of recipes and ideas to use up the leftovers (though most would have learnt this from their mothers). It was full of household tips and hints as well. Things like getting your washing white and how to treat a cold etc. Some of the subjects covered are:*A very nice Stew of Ox Palates.*Excellent Black or White Puddings.*A very Savoury Pudding from Fragments of Bread and Scraps of Cold Meat.*Capital Dumplings for a Family of Young Ones.*An Excellent Substitute for Plum Pudding, at small Expense.*Capital Stock for Gravy and Sauces, from a Ham Bone.*Green Pea Soup without Meat.*A very Economical Carrot Soup.*Economical Soup of Ox- Tails.*Cure for a Cold which costs Nothing.*To make Cottage Beer.*The Best Method of Cider Making.*What is the best Age for a Hog to be put up to Fatten.*Waterproof Leather Boots.*A Family Medicine Chest of Homely Drugs.*Various Methods of Cleaning Woolen and other Cloths.In the program it was said that the laundry took a week!! Well, I just can't imagine to-days housewife putting up with that!! Some times the modern ways are far better of course but not everything. We tend to live in a 'throw away' society and our wasted food alone could feed a small village for years.Re-cycling seems to be the 'new' thing.......what a joke. In the 'old' days everything was used more than once, always repaired and made to do other tasks that it was not intended for. PROPER RE-CYCLING !! Nobody seems to want to repair things anymore, just get a new one. This is why books like The Family Save All were written and used .... maybe old fashioned but very useful. Just put a bit of thought into it and with to-days resources you could save a lot of your hard earned cash. [EXTRACT] The BBC has recently been in the air a great program / series called Victorian Farm tries to show what life was like in Victorian times on the farm. It was hard! We assume, as things tractors, plows, combines, but we never thought that they evolved from. Most of these agricultural implements came from Victoria ingenious everyday I had the basic ideas to make life easier and farms to produce more food at cheaper prices for a growing population. Without these inventors would still be struggling and Mr. Tesco have empty shelves (if they even began). From hand tools to horse steam-driven farm machinery today all began in the Victorian era. Today we think 'computer' but in 1860 that the pure mechanical thinking. Just look at the ingenious combination of wheels, pulleys, gears and belts that went to make the fox the day. Pure mechanical genius. I think it would be difficult to find a mechanic that today could make a working farm implementation of the instruments of 1860 women and farmers? She was kept busy all day cooking, washing and cleaning and feeding chickens, etc. and help where and when needed on the farm. The food on the table in those days was something else. Pig heads and brains, veal udder, cow heels, chicken broth all, including the feet. Each bit of the animals was used, nothing wasted, and all dishes became a housewife would shudder to think of today's jobs. No quick frozen dinners! I imagine the Victorian farmer would think today our food was bland compared to the normal price. Even the remains became another meal fit for a king. There is a book called The Family Save All (a system of excellent dishes for breakfast, lunch, dinner and supper, from cold and other fragments. TIPS invaluable economy in the use of all articles of domestic consumption.) That gave lots of housewife recipes and ideas for using leftovers (although most have learned from their mothers). It was full of household hints and tips as well. Things like the whites and how to treat a cold, etc. Some of the topics covered are: * a very nice stew ox palates .* Excellent Black or White Puddings Pudding .* A very salty from bits and pieces of bread cold meat dumplings .* capital for a family of Young Ones .* an excellent substitute for Plum Pudding, at the expense of small .* Social Capital for the sauce and Sauces, from a ham bone .* Green Pea Soup without meat. * A very economical carrot soup .* economic Soup Ox-tails .* cure for a cold that costs nothing .* To make beer Cottage .* The best method of cider .* What is the best age for a pork to be put to fatten waterproof leather boots .* .* Thunderbolt and Drug Family Medicine home. * Various methods of cleaning wool Cloths.In and the other program stated that the clothes took a week! Well, I can not imagine to-day housewife who hold! Sometimes modern forms are much better, of course, but not all. We tend to live in a 'throw away' society and wasted food alone could feed a small village years.Re the bike seems to be the "new" thing ....... what a joke. In the "old" days it was more than once provided jobs to do other tasks that are not intended. PROPER recycling! It seems nobody wants to fix things, just get a new one. This is why books such as The Family Save-all were written and used .... maybe old fashioned but very useful. Just put some thought into it and with the day to the resources you could save a lot of your hard earned cash.