ORGANIC
Br
Robert Roddle
In 1771 Everyone Lived Organically
With America's official bicentennial celebration less
than a year and a half away, we’re already being sub
iected.to all sorts of promotional and advertising hoopla
urging us to celebrate our nation’s 100th birthday by
purchasing everything from red, white and blue “special
edition” cars to beer mugs embossed with the distinctive
bicentennial symbol.
Bicentennial hucksterism is unfortunate because it
obscures the true nature of our country’s origins and takes
away the special meaning our country’s 200th birthday
party should have. Perhaps by looking more closely at
what things were like in 1778, we can get some insight into
how far we’ve gotten off the track.
Life in 1776 was tough. For men, women and young
children, a work day lasted from sun up to sun down with
little time set aside for recreation. Very few things came
easy in those days. But in many respects, life then was
more natural and satisfying.
Take tools, for example. In colonial days, a tool was
made to last. All the necessary implements needed for a
day’s work were handmade to fit the craftsman who took
pride in what he did. Today, “antiques” of 200 years ago
reflect the competence and pride of those days.
One of the major changes that has occurred over the
past 200 years has been in the production, preparation and
type of food we eat.
Two hundred years ago, people were much more self
sufficient than they are today. Rare was the home that
didn’t have a garden and a few small animals like
chickens and pigs to help feed the family.
The food that appeared on the kitchen table was grown
at home, prepared at home and almost always eaten at
home at a meal attended by the whole family.
Besides that, the food was fresh. So-called “convenience
foods” didn’t exist in colonial days.
Small, independent, self-sufficient family farms were
the norm. Everyone in the family had his or her part in
survival, doing daily chores such as caring for toe crops
and animals, or planting toe food that would feed them
from year to year.
The United States was founded by strong, hearty, proud
neople who lived a satisfying, individualistic way of life
which has, except in a few, rare instances, long disap
neared from the scene. This is the United States whose
birthday we should be celebrating and not with red, white
and blue cars or special beer mugs.
Fortunately, worthwhile projects are
Announcing... the
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See the performers at.
LAWN CARE OF PENNA.
1 Mile North of Martindale on Grist Mill Road
Phone 445-6650
MON., TUES., THURS., FRI., 7 A.M. - 9 P.M.
WED, SAT. 7 A.M.-5 P.M.
.mi on a Massey SKI Wing
. Wl >*n performance counte-you «n co« |A/p
tillxn <*li»r c*r»«rai(tn
LIVING
being
con-
templated for the bicentennial, which'will honor our past
heritage.
In Goessell, Kansas, which is near Wichita, a demon
stration wheat farm is being constructed to show what
wheat farming in the early days was like. It will be done
with colonial tools and implements. •
In Grand Island, Nebraska, another recreation of an
actual farm of the 1880’s shows the life-style of that age.
It’s being used as a school for students of the 19th century.
The bicentennial observance does not only include
replicas of life in the past. The National Parks and Con
servation Association is planting a seed bank of en
dangered species. This project will preserve those plants
now in danger of extinction so that people in the future
won’t have to rely on a botany book to know what plants
existed in the United States today.
Town fathers in New Fairfield, Connecticut, passed a
resolution urging that “every ablebodied New Fairfielder
do design, construct, cultivate and maintain ‘ln
dependence Gardens’ on their homesteads and thereby
conserve fossil fuel, supplement their diets with home
grown victuals, and know the joys of cultivating God’s
good earth.”
You don’t have to live in New Fairfield to have an In
dependence garden for the bicentennial. You can have one
wherever you live. It’s the least you can do. Perhaps if you
plant a garden for the bicentennial, you’ll rekindle some
H. M.STAUFFER&SONS
/a Calls your attention to 1 :
//Miii'ii till till I \\
FALL FARM FIX-UP TIME
BARN SIDING
IxB WHITE PINE
CYPRESS BOARDS
TIMBERS
MIXED HARDWOODS
Cot To Order .
Up To 22' Long A
22L
Minimum order - 5000'
RENTA TREATED LUMBER
10 I 12 I 14 I 16 I 18 I 20 I 22 I 24
''Q 4 02 4.69 5.7*
4, 7 -41.
[_ 1 [. 0 4 ?"
ill I 1
5.07
7.80
4x6
12.30
6x6
20L
Ix 4 - Ft.
Ix 6 - 21£4/Ln. Ft.
IxB - 294 /Ln. Ft.
Ixlo - 38^4/Ln. Ft.
Ixl2 - 464 /Ln. Ft.
THE POLE BARN EXPERTS
PHONE7I7-6S6JB.U -
of the independence and strength upon which this country
was built.
That's what the bicentennial is really all about.
I Editor’s Note: The opinions appearing in “Organic
Living” are those of its author, Robert Rodale, an in
dependent columnist. Rodale’s comments do not
necessarily reflect the thinking of the Lancaster Farming
editor or anyone else on the Lancaster Farming staff.)
Automobile Service Tips
12.80
10.92
9.36
.9.6
17.2
14.76
CORN CRIB
BOARDS
50 lb.
ROLL ROOFING
StsndSrer
H M STAUFFER & SONS. INC
LEOLA, PA
Umcwter Farming, Saturday. Oct. 19.1974
KEEPS ABRASIVE VUSTCUTOP THE
CARBURETOR AND ENGINE . A DIRTY
AIR FILTER COSTS GAS MILEAGE
IN NORMAL USE IT IS REPLACED EVERY
12 ,000 MILES. IF SEVERE PUSTCONPIVONS
ARE ENCOUNTERED, ELEMENT SMOULP
BE CLEANED OR REPLACED IMMEDIATELY
REPLACEMENT IS ALSO CALLED FOR ANV
TIME ELEMENT IS PUNCTURED OR PLUGGED
Dutch School
Natural Foods
LARGEST SELECTION OF
NATURAL FOODS AND VITAMINS
IN CENTRAL PENNA.
RT. 222, AKRON, PENNA.
PH. 859-2339
15.30
20 2
17.41
27.95
30.36
26.70
Ix 6 CYPRESS
While They Last
4.10/
RE-ROOFING?
LET STAUFFER GIVE YOU AN
ESTIMATE ON STOCK OR
CUSTOM LENGTH GALV.
OR ALUM. ROOFING .
34.56
24'
Ain.
45