—Uncaitr Firming, Saturday. March 1.1975 42 Mrs. Wenger is using her Drop Spindle, the most 3rimitive method of spinning, to make wool yarn. She ilso uses it for linen and cotton thread. Homestead Notes Country Corner -- As-a chtld, t always knew-wherr-garden-planting time had come as I would annually accompany my parents to a small greenhouse nestled beneath the rolling hills a few miles from our home. During our visit an elderly farm woman would pick out her best flats of pepper and tomato plants to insure our garden flourished well during the summer While spring will not be officially with us for another three weeks, now is the time to plan what will be going in your garden or flower bed and to purchase the seeds before the annual “rush " Mail orders for seeds should be completed within the next few weeks to insure early delivery. Then in case of a mix-up or incorrect order, the seeds can be replaced or returned in time for planting. Purchasing of seeds from stores should also be done early so that you can be assured of the seeds you want. This year more and more individuals will be planting gardens to ease the high cost of food so early selection of seeds is adviseable. If ordering plants or flowers from a greenhouse operator, place your order, early making sure the operator knows just what you want and the quantity. This will be of help to him and will insure your chances of obtaining the plant you desire. Even though the March winds may remind you that winter hasn’t completely faded yet, prepare now for the planting season! Edible Eggs In keeping with their promotion of the “in credible edible egg”, the American Egg Board has recently published a complete cookbook on eggs. Entitled “Always Eggs - All Ways" the authors Janet Salstrom, Linda Braun and Peg Raffles have included chapters on using eggs for appetizers, mam dishes, salads and desserts. Also included is a section on the basic methods of egg cooking. The attractive and illustrated booklet can be obtained from the American Egg Board, 205 Touhy Ave., Park Ridge, Illinois 60068 for the cost of 10 cents per copy. A final note - all the recipes have been kitchen tested for your convenience. with: Melissa Piper ASSOCIATE EDITOR Spring Planting Mrs. Susan Wenger A Creative Farm Woman and Weaver Mrs. Susan (J. Lloyd) Wenger, 83 Lancaster Avenue, Strasburg, who says she always did like to be self sufficient, makes her family’s cereal, Jelly, bread, sauerkraut, potato chips, fills two lockers and two freezers and makes her own clothes, hats, gloves and household items from scratch. * Mrs. Wenger’s farm background probably accounts in part for her ability to be independent, even in this machine age. Susan, the daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Mowrer, grew up on their 20 acre fruit and general farm in East Lampeter Township which is now part of the eastern by-gaga, round Lancaster where Greenfield Road and Hempstead Road are located. Mowrers had apple, peach, pear, plum and cherry trees in - their orchard and grew tobacco, wheat, corn, hay, asparagus, strawberries and raspberries. Some of Susan’s cherished possessions are snapshots of the or chard trees in full blossom and it makes her sad to see the roads and industrial development which have changed the landscape. Susan helped take tobacco off the lath, picked strawberries, raspberries and asparagus and helped get the apples ready for making apple butter. This was no small job because they made 75 to 100 gallons, even as high as ISO gallons per year. They also bad venegar made and sold it by the gallon. Their apples lasted till February or March and people came to theu farm to get fruit, berries, vinegar and apple butter. They also sent asparagus, raspberries, strawberries and rhubarb with Amos Brooks who had a stand at the curb market on the first Mocks of North Duke and East King Streets in Lancaster. Mowrers always did a lot of canning and preserving too. Susan graduated from East Lampeter High School then worked five years in the Friction Jeweling Department at Hamilton Watch Company, Lancaster, where she assembled watches and steel fitted. Lloyd, a son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Harry G. Wenger, was bom and raised on their near-by general farm. He arose at 4:30 in the morning and helped milk the cows by hand, by the light of an old-fashioned lantern. He is a World War II veteran, having been a Staff Sargeant in the Air Force and was stationed in California, Washington, Florida and Wisconsin over a three and a half year period. He bought a 43 acre farm, near, where he grew up, in 1934 and farmed it two years. He finished about 10 steers a year and grew com and wheat. He rented out the farm for 15 years and he and his brother made some of the farm into building lots before selling it. He retired from Arm strong Cork Company in 1969, having worked 32 years in the Inlaid Stoves Department. Wengers have lived at their present location about three years. They have a garden which Mrs. Wenger helps with when she has time. She freezes and cans more than they can use. Besides filling their two freezers they have two lockers filled at a freezer plant. They take the excess vegetables to Conestoga View. Mrs. Wenger makes quantities of sauerkraut and freezes it after it has fer mentecL She bakes their bread, makes and makes jelly, especially Lloyd’s faverite quince jelly. She also makes grape nuts cereal. Mrs. Wenger not only made the fireplace and regular brooms she is holding but also grew the broom corn to make them. She made all of the items on the table. Mrs. Wenger says “I have always made all-purpose soap.” She grates this and puts it in a small doth bag in the washer to launder their clothes. Now she also makes scented toilet soap and figures it saves her about half the cost. She probably saves more on the all-purpose or laundry soap. Mrs. Wenger says “I was always interested in old things.” She loved to listen to her grandmother tell how her aunt grew flax, spun toe thread, wove toe material and made their clothes. This interest plus seeing crafts demonstrated prompted her to leam to spin and weave. She took lessons to spin in 1968 from Mrs. Leon (Helen) Weit who is associated with the Ephrata Cloisters Associates. She took three lessons and through a lot of practice became very proficient in this art. Then two years ago she spent two weeks at Mannings Weaving School in East Berlin, Adams County. She commuted each day. .VAV.v.v.v.v.v.v.v.v.v.y.v/AV^<*K*!*W*K , I , K*: , X*>JW«*M , >WXWM«WM ,'rt Mrs. Wenger is spinning wool yarn on her Walking Spinning Wheel. She also uses it for Samoyed dog hair. Her Canadian Wool Wheel can be seen behind the Great or Walking Wheel. Mrs. Wenger has five spinning wheels. The most primitive one is the Drop Spindle which is used for linen, wool or cotton. The old Wool Wheel was originated in 1200 and used widely in India. Mrs. Wenger has a Canadian Wool Wheel. The first spinning wheel, as we know it, dates back to 1540. It is the Saxony Spinning Wheel. It gets its name from Saxony, a province in Germany. It is used for flax or wool. The Hume spinning wheel is common in this area because they were made locally and they are of the Saxony type. The one Mrs. Wenger is using now is a reproduction and was made in Sweden. She uses it more than her other wheels. She also has an old Saxony wheel which her cousin is using. Back about 1840 the Irish people made Corner Spinning Wheels so they could be pushed into toe comer so as not to take as much space in the room. This wheel is also known as a Castle or a Cottage Spinning Wheel. It is used for flax fiber. Hie most cum bersome one is the very large one known as the Waslking Wheel, Great Wheel or the Jersey Wheel. It is very old. It is used to make yam from any kind of animal combings such as wool, alpaca, llama, Angora cats and dog hair. The hair has to be one and a half inches long. In toe early Colonial days almost all the families had spinning wheels but most of toe weaving was done by itinerant weavers. All toe girls and boys were taught to spin at six years of age and they had to grow their own flax. It was mandatory by law for each family to grow their own flax and to have their own sheep to produce their own wool. Mrs. Wenger believes in this philosophy “I’m for teaching people to work.” Mrs. Wenger has two looms. The large one is used to make yard goods, drapery material, rugs, bureau and neck scarfs. Mrs. Wenger has made place mats, table runners and bureau scarfs for her own use and is going to make an afghan on it. You can use it for flax, wool, cotton and man-made fibers. The other loom is called a Tape Loom. It is used to make such items as men’s suspenders, shoe strings, decorative tape and tape which is used for such purposes as draw strings for garments.' Speaking of flax. Although Mrs. Wenger grew some one year in toe corner of toe garden, it is seldom seen growing in these parts. It is grown in toe Dakotas and toe plain states but most of that is used for linseed oil and used in paint making or for cattle feed. Countries like Germany, Belgium or Ireland grow it. Most of toe flax used to spin into linen around here comes from Belgium. Flax is grown and handled differently from most crops. Briefly, it is sown in April, broadcast method, and har vested in August or when the lower leaves start to yellow. When it is harvested, it is pulled so as not to break toe fibers. It is then made into bundles, about half toe size of a sheaf of wheat, and left to dry until September. The bundles are set on end in a shed or if you have a small quantity it can be laid out on a wire over trestles. When it is processed, the first process is to rett it. Retting means soaking in water for a period of time to condition the flax so toe fibers can be separated from toe straw. It is then dried again. Then it is dried over a flax brake. After that it is scutched with a scutching knife. That is to discard the straw and chaff. It is then combed with the heckling combs to remove any remaining straw or chaff and to straighten'toe fibers. It is then ready to spin. However, it must first be formed into a strict. Mrs. Wenger grows broom corn, bends it over and cures .it then makes her own brooms on a broom machine. These were the brooms first used in America. Flat brooms came (Continued on Page 43| by Mrs. Charles McSparran Farm Feature Writer
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