My grandparents were pretty self sufficient as being raised during the depression.

They always had farm animals in which were consumed and used to make things.

Papa didn't trust the government nor public utilities and always had a smoke house and salt boxes in which to cure meats and other things. He had a springhouse to store other items.

Fresh meat often consisted of the possum, coon, or rabbits he caught in his rabbit boxes. His rabbit box path was about a mile long in a circular path. He would set a turtle hook in the creeks with old chicken or other stinking stuff to attract big turtles in which he caught, cleaned, and ate. Quail and dove also supplemented the eats. Papa and Nanny kept me supplied in .22 bullets and 12 gauge shells in which to knock down squirrels. Otasco kept an account for them and me.

Papa and my dad made liquor to supplement their money and used it for medicinal purposes. Pine resin bites were pulled from the pine trees to eat or suck on. Certain trees provided essential needs. Plants and weeds others.

I was so glad to be raised with these two in my life...my grandmother was always saying "You listening to what I'm saying?!"

Being raised poor and country has its advantages...

Unfortunately mine never passed on anything. I do think growing up poor and being resourceful has helped me a lot. When you’re poor and hungry, you find ways to get food.

Thankfully I grew up in an area where game was readily available (rabbit, squirrel, dove etc.) and my neighborhood had a variety of fruit (and the neighbors allowed us to take it). Apples, peaches, grapes, blackberries, plums - they might not make you full but they were a calorie source. My brother would take some wheat from a farmers field and we ground that ourselves. I do not recall what we made with that. We did have a small garden too.

A friend of my older brother had a dad who made his own moonshine and sold it.

Yep...when the pandemic hit, that knowledge of raising quail, rabbit, and goats came back from my childhood on Grampa's farm. Didn't see a grocery store in 2020. Just an occasional trip to the feed store. Still don't see a grocery much during growing season. Getting older and slowing down some, so it's a little harder to keep up but not ready to give up the critters yet.

What a great way to grow up

This message has been edited. Last edited by: BigSwede,

My Grandparents were born in the late 1800's.
One of my biggest regrets was not listening more to them than I did.
There knowledge in hindsight was endless as far as survival skills.
When I think of the changes our society has seen since the time they were born and now, its staggering.
I remember my Mothers parents taking about growing up on farms. Her father was born and raised in Arkansas, he then moved to the Chicago area and farmed near what is now O'hare Airport. My Grandmothers family also owned a farm that now sits where O'hare was built.

My Grandfather went on to own a large vegetable wholesale Company on South Water market in Chicago.A VERY tough place. The stories my Mom would tell about working there and how tuff it was always had my attention. My grandfather always packed a pair of brass knuckles and a sword cane when he went to work.He eventually moved his business to Chicagos far NW side. He then bought 300 acres in Mchenry IL and had people farm the land. I would spend most summers there. Those days were the happiest in my life.

During WWII my Grandfather had German POW's then Japanese POW's working at his Warehouse in Chicago.He had a Japanese family working the farm in Mchenry.
My Grandmother could transform instantly from living a good life in Chicago to butchering Chickens in McHenry.
They always canned food and had a canning room and a large freezer in the basement. I still remember my Grandfathers butchering block and the meat saws hanging in the basement.
So much knowledge gone for ever.

My grandfather taught me how to throw horseshoes and play poker.

My grandfather was a city dwelling drunk who worked in defense industry manufacturing and never gave any indication he was handy in any way. Drinking and complaining was about the only thing he seemed to be great at. Thankfully he didn’t pass either of those skills on to me.