Life Skills of a Pioneer

Throughout Laura Ingalls Wilder's life, and everyone else's as well, there were certain skills required then that we take for granted today. 

Everyone knows that on farms the farmers "farm". What does that mean?  Today many farmers simply plant and harvest their produce (with a lot in between). Over one hundred fifty years ago farmers homesteaded. That is they did EVERYTHING!  They grew their own food and cloth! They made their own clothes and shoes. They slaughtered or butchered their own livestock. There was no supermarket or fast food diner. 

• churn butter 

• milk the cow

• make cream 

• weave hats 

• weave cloth

• baste a shirt 

• make sausages 

• preserve fruits/vegetables in jars 

• dry out fruits/vegetables 

• butcher/slaughter 

• preserve meat in jars 

• fertilize soil with the first snow (poor man's fertilizer

• shear sheep 

• make shoes 

• make gelatin (not jell-o!)

• made their own soap 

• churned and made their own ice cream 

• harvested hay and oats for livestock 

• braided hay or oats(?) 

•lead a team of horses-no license required 

• make candles 

• sew their own clothes 

• quilt their own bed quilts 

• brand cattle 

• birth cattle! 

• 

This is only a sample of the skills needed back in the day. I'm sure there are MANY MORE skills that I have forgotten or overlooked from the book series.