Mike and I started dating when he was 13 and I was 14. Most of our “dates” consisted of walking, swimming at the YMCA and making grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup at his parents house. And we spent countless hours pouring overĀ The Foxfire Book and its sequels. We were going to homestead.
The Foxfire BooksĀ were written by high school students in the late 1960s and early 1970s who interviewed older family and neighbors. This was southern Appalachia and these folks were still using old home remedies, killing hogs and using every last bit of the animal, living in log cabins and making moonshine. The students wanted to start a magazine with articles on how the older generation were living. It all turned into 12 books full of old time lore.
We married when he was 18 and I was 19. We didn’t homestead. But we are avid gardeners and buy our raw milk and grass fed meat from local farms. And Mike hunts, and we cook in a Dutch Oven at the cottage, and ferment vegetables, and make our own bread, yogurt, and soap. The last time we were at the cottage, I pulled out the oldĀ Foxfire Books. They’ll make some good winter reading.
To learn how to build a garden that builds healthy soil, be sure to check out my eBookĀ The Art of Gardening: Building Your Soil.Ā You really can become a better gardener, and you really can grow healthy, nourishing produce. Itās all about the soil!Ā Click here to buy now.
Ā
Thank you for visiting Learning And Yearning. May "the LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace." Num 6:24-26
Donna Vinskofski says
You didn’t make moonshine but you tried your hand at making wine! I still remember the dandelion wine fermenting and wondering if you were really going to drink it and hoping it didn’t kill the both of you.
susanv says
I thought this might bring back some memories for you! Love you!
Kathy says
My husband and I started dating when I was 14 and he was 15. We lived in the suburbs growing up but in the last 12 years we have a little acreage on a rocky ridge top outside of St Louis MO. He loved The Foxfire Books and have started a good collection of country living informational books, picked up older books on how things were done in the 1800-1900s, etc. We are learning to garden, butcher, raise chicks and try to be as self sustaining as we can with limited resources. I work in town and he’s a carpenter. I’ll havc to pull out these books this winter too!
susanv says
Wonderful! I know now that those old dreams were anything but foolish.
Kristel @ Healthy Frugalista says
What a charming story! Wow, you were youngsters. My grandma had the Foxfire books and I remember being intrigued by them as a teenager. I liked to read about the crafts and about eating wild foods. I should see if my mom knows the whereabouts of those books.
susanv says
Yep, we sure were young. Isn’t God good to keep up together these 36 years?
Lisa @ Two Bears Farm says
I loved looking at the Firefox books too – I can remember reading them as a kid!
susanv says
Quite a lot of amazing people in those books!
Caro says
Wow! ~ great photo and post ~ Foxfire Books sound so interesting ~ ( Creative Harbor)
susanv says
Thanks, Caro!
Buttons says
Oh I am going to look up these books they sound fascinating. B
susanv says
You’ll enjoy them!
Nancy says
What a sweet memory. xo
susanv says
Thanks for stopping by!
annie @ montanasolarcreations says
I saw your post in the link up and hopped over here, reading your post made me remember that my brother bought me a couple of the books about ten years ago. They’ve just been sitting on my bookshelf for a while, forgotten, until today. Thank you for this wonderful reminder of how good those books are- I’m going to go pick one up and start reading them again!
susanv says
Enjoy!
Manuela@A Cultivated Nest says
I enjoy the Foxfire books too. Love your plaid painted floor!
susanv says
Thanks! That was a lot of fun!
kristy @ Gastronomical Sovereignty says
very cute story. also, very cute pigs!!
thank you for sharing with us at the Wednesday Fresh Foods Blog Hop! i hope to see you again this week with more seasonal & real/fresh foods posts. xo, kristy
susanv says
Yep, I’ll be back!
Foy Update says
My dad has 9 of the 12 Fox Fires. I borrowed one of them last time we were home. Some of the articles are better than other. I was particularly struck by one complete description of make soap. Starting with rendering the lard and filtering water through old ashes to make the lye. They are excellent reads.
susanv says
The people in the books are amazing and incredibly hard workers, aren’t they?
Robin Jingjit says
Wow, those books sound really interesting! Visiting from the TALU… I think I’ll be looking at a few of your posts. We have some things in common when it comes to a natural lifestyle.
Ann Stewart says
I know what Foxfire is! Went with my daughter on her kindergarten field trip to the museum last year, very interesting place, and beautiful! She learned how to make a cup from poplar leaves! Anyway, it was alot of fun and just about 15 minutes from my house. Stopping by from TALU.
Kenya G. Johnson says
I was old by the time I left home. 26! That’s sweet to marry someone from childhood. My parents also got married at 18/19 (and I was right there with them – in the womb) š
akl says
You life comes straight out of the movies! I would love to be able to live off the land, so to speak. for now, I will have to do with farmers markets!
TALU
Debbie - Wrinkled Mommy says
That is fantastic. More people should interview our elders and document things like that. I would love to read those books. (TALU)
MariaAna says
hello I am here from TALU! woww you started dating at that age cool even awesome to be married at the the same person you dated when you were 13 and 14.. this reminds me of my grandparents, they also got married when my grandma was like 17 and my grandpa was 20. and they had a simple life in with a big rice field, farm, and poultry. i lived with them till i was 17. it was a great childhood!
wendell says
I enjoyed those books very much. It’s a shame the teacher who started it all and had the opportunity to inspire so many threw it all away with his terrible actions. Such a shame and a waste. The real losers are the kids. Not just the ones he was accused of molesting, but all the kids who trusted him.
susanv says
Yikes; I had no idea!
Elaine says
Yes It was a shame, but the Rabun County school still continues with a quarterly magazine also called Foxfire. My friend, Joyce Green, recently retired from there as the teacher helped with the project. The children still do articles about the same things and they have a farm where you can go see some of these things are demonstrated.
Susan says
So glad to hear that one person’s terrible actions didn’t destroy this program.
Tamara Hampton says
My aunt had the whole series. When I was in college I spent a summer with her and read them all. . I believe one of my great aunts was interviewed for one of the books.
Susan Vinskofski says
I’ll bet that’s a great memory!