jendobyns

I seem to remember from a previous foodways symposium and other reading that livestock in general was allowed to roam loose and rounded up on an as-needed basis. And I remember reading primary accounts that talked about chickens hanging out in doorways under the eaves when it rained (and something about dust baths outside doorways, too). So I'm not sure coops were a common thing or if they were rounded up at night against foxes and put in the barn, or what. Free range is not a new idea, though. Just don't remember how they handled the nest for laying hens. I'll check and see if anyone else has covered that ground elsewhere. And yes, interstate commerce and laws protecting farmers of one state from diseases in another go back a ways. It helps keep our crops and livestock healthy, but isn't something we think about in these days of food coming from across the globe. Just think about the blight that killed off the American Chestnuts (and yes, I know they're trying to make a comeback).

This should be fun, Pirates, a mermaid, and Dr. Who in the next episode this Saturday, May 7th, 2011 Looks like the Black Spot even shows up as part of the plot. Jen

Have you had a chance to look in Waugh's "Cut of Men's Clothes"? I can't get to my copy right now, but I seem to remember looking at that coat in the movie, then going to the book to draft a version of it for my son's Halloween costume. We went from Long John SIlver to Captain Hook to Jack Sparrow in that coat (yeah, I know, very wrong especially for Jack, but people 'round here aren't very picky about pirates ) Jen

So I guess chicken breeders shipping chicks handle all that when you order? Too bad you can't have rent-a-chicken like you can with horses from local stables. Where are you looking to transport these birds anyway?

Littleneck, I'm glad you made it down there in spite of the long drive. Prices did seem to be all over the map, with over priced gourds and candles on one hand, and quite reasonably priced items on another. Just depends on what you were looking for and where--one vendor could charge twice as much as the guy down the road, literally. Some vendors were swamped on Friday, others not until Saturday when the weather improved. Some nearly sold out of things by Saturday afternoon, too. Just depends on what they are selling and what is important to buy as soon as you get there, like shoes. Hope you make it back next year, with more time to spend. Jen

We set up camp Wednesday night, watching the weather forecast for thunderstorms and tornado watches. Campers and sutlers alike were relocated due to low areas being flooded by earlier rainfall. Early Thursday weather was awful, but not quite as bad as BPI, Friday grey, some showers and cold wind. But it didn't keep shoppers away. Saturday seemed quite busy and I know of at least one sutler (vendor) who was nearly cleaned out by the end of the day. Amazing! There is such an ebb and flow to the people going through various vendors it can seem deserted one moment, and full of chattering people the next. Rob and I did our part to relieve vendors of their wares, nearly being unable to take it all home Sunday was so wet that at least one sutler reported flooding (and I remember his neighbor having the same problem earlier in the week). And packing up and returning home with wet canvas was not so much fun. I think this has been one of the wettest Ft. Fred Market Fairs in my memory of the event. And I have made due note of the location of the nearest hotel Dutch, we saw you and Grace with her amazing pack basket. Did she manage to fill it? We also ran into a good number of people from the Vigilant Crew.

OK, earlier pics and later pics I can find, from different countries. While not an exact example of the GAoP, the basic concept seems to be consistent across location and time. Big, roomy, open work baskets with a lid or door of some kind. http://www.allartclassic.com/pictures_zoom.php?p_number=150&p=&number=AEP006 Ah, not the packed horse image from CW, but another: http://www.history.org/Foundation/journal/Winter09/images/janice.jpg There is at least one other image I've seen which seems to be somewhere between the two, but I can't look any further right now. While I can't find an image of her work, but there is one basket weaver who has made these. It might be worth getting in touch to see what research she has done. Let me know if you're interested and I can see if I can find her contact info. Jen

Thanks for the link! I'm not sure it's spot on for the dyeing information (some broad generalities, and the comment about the Redcoat coats is in error, the source for red depended on whose coat's we're talking about, officers or enlisted) But useful and interesting anyway.

I'll see if I can find some pictures of the chicken "baskets" that were located during a previous discussion on another list. And while it's a later period portrayal, there was a great pic of a woman with a horse loaded for market with one or two of these packed onto it in a Colonial Williamsburg calendar pic, at least a decade ago. It's a basket type that shows up in various forms in earlier art work as well. Jen

Happy Birthday, Lily!

World War I, and a piece of music where someone is wondering about the person's grave that they're standing by who'd fallen in that war.

Another potential starting point is to research gandy dancing. I looked at YouTube for gandy dancer / gandy dancing and didn't have good results, but this might be one of those songs. There was a point in time (early 1980's) where gandy dancer songs and sea shanties were being performed by the same performers (sort of a cross-over performance of working songs). Those songs dated from the days when the railroads were being built and the working songs of the black railroad workers (the gandy dancrs) performed similar timing tasks as sea shanties. There was an amazing piece which timed the hammer blows into the spikes among multiple workers on the rr, but that's for another forum *g* Jen Dobyns

Hmm, mine are full, and there has been reference to the "duck butt" among people who make & wear these, but it sounds like maybe yours are a bit too large? Or is the fabric stiff? Was the fabric pre-washed before they were made? Maybe you can wash them to soften and they'll behave better? You may have room to take them in a bit if you've already tried softening them, the trick is making sure there is enough space to sit down without splitting them out either in the seat or knees. Good luck! It'll be a great sight to see!

Mission, you tease. You need to be more specific than that! C'mon, do tell, what do you use besides spices and mushroom gravy? I want to try sneaking this one past my guys (they're meat and potato types). Oh, one of my cookbooks calls a meatless version of Shepherd's Pie a Shepherdess Pie.

Well put. And I'd actually put the knife _before_ the shoes. My biggest Minimum Garb Standard gripe? The sailor's knife. I know it isn't garb, but if you don't have a knife, how can you not feel naked? If I had a dime for every 'pirate' or 'sailor' that didn't have that most basic tool of the trade, I'd have enough money to buy them one. If you don't have a sailor's knife, get a knife! It's THE tool. Pistols are well and good, but every sailor needs a knife. It's a weapon, eating utensil, tool, and a resume. Nothing says more about a sailor then a well kept and well used knife. Besides, why wouldn't you want a knife? Knives are cool. Do you want to be the only able Seaman without a knife? If you aren't sure, then I'll tell you. No. You don't want to be that sailor. Get a knife! Once you have a shirt, slops and shoes, get a knife. Now back to our regularly scheduled thread.

Where do you get your goat meat? I have to agree, it's very good stuff!

Beautiful work!

According to the current published rules of the SCA, a person only has to make an attempt at pre-17C garb to attend events. Having some experience on and off since the 1970's with the organization, I can tell you this is a very fuzzy line and can be achieved by very little. However, within the group there are sub-groups and individuals who are as devoted to accurate detail for their period as anyone here. With thousands of people world wide in their membership, it really isn't fair to lump any of them into one category or another, any more than it would be to do so with anyone in the Pub. Just as one group of Pirates might tend toward theatrical, Steam Punk or Historical, the same could be said for any group in the SCA (and no, I wouldn't be surprised to find Steam Punk Medieval!) It just depends on who you encounter in your travels. We're all just part of the wide, weird and varied world of the living history playground. Jen Dobyns

Did you get a chance to look inside the Vigilant's trailer? They just re-fitted it for the gear they carry.

what's on the agenda for next year? Real targets? *snort* Wasn't that covered last year? One thing's for sure, it's not a dull event! Yeeehhaaa!

It was tempting to start the story that way when I reported back to the Loyalists, but I didn't *G* I think in decades of reenacting, that was the best/worst I've ever been in, and it was awesome!

What a rush! I just can't describe how cool it was being out there. The Vigilant Crew was just amazing!

No idea of origin of the top pic, other than that it looks rather late, possibly Victorian in style. The second pic is most likely second half 18C, probably continental if the sabot being used as a water reservoir for the wheel is anything to go by afaik. I've seen it somewhere else on the web, but can't remember where. Good look finding the source.

You did ask... It's a good rule of thumb, three primary sources. Of course, the more sources you have, and of different types, to back something up, the better If you only have one source, at least it makes for a good anecdote if you're telling stories in persona (remind me to tell you the story of a man's remarkable behavior at a ball sometime). The links for online resources are great! Gotta love ECCO!

There is a picture that was posted, somewhere, of what is (presumed to be?) a man pressing (presumed) tea into a crate (which may or may not be lined with fabric). I do not recall the date, or where I have seen it. This one, very insubstantial, source, might be what you have in mind. Try asking someone on the SavoryFare2 list, they probably know. Really, you should check out those links and the archives within those links that Grymm and Sterling posted. There have been discussion on this already, the most recent one being over the possibility of pu-erh tea, iirc. As for the lost documentation, it wouldn't hurt to ask the folks on those other lists if they have seen something like that and could they direct you to it, please? Chances are someone knows exactly what you're talking about. Happy hunting, Jen Dobyns