The Foxfire Book: Old Time Homesteading Straight From the Mouths That Lived It
This is my entry into the @naturalmedicine Book Wisdom Challenge
While not specifically a book on natural medicines, there's definitely a wealth of natural wisdom in this book. I received it as a gift from my friend @ogbrog (not active, but I made him sign up back in the day).
Written by a bunch of high school kids waaaay back in the 70's, this book sets out from the start to preserve the wisdom of previous generations. And it sets on fast. Like the cover implies, there's a lot going on in this book. I'm currently in the log cabin building bit, and I feel like I'll be relatively competent after reading it. If only I had a place to practice all this...
There's a section on wood selection and uses for different types of wood found commonly through the Appalachian forest. Lots I didn't know, and most of it is also common to Texas. The page in thee picture is one of three or four pages of information covering shingles and wagon wheels and ox yolks. Lots of wisdom in there that took people generations to learn!
In all, these 72 kids interviewed (and rightly transcribed) over 150 community elders for this project.
The contents give an idea what all is in here, but there's more to it than just that list. These interviews are about the lives of these people, and they really get into it in true old folks fashion.
Almost 400 pages of information that would be lost if not for these kids. I say kids. These folks are older than my parents now.
The transcriptions are really awesome. Lots of what I call "y'all'd've." Meaning that the real words these people used are there. Here's an example:
An' I don't think I got ary'nother'n's any sharper. I've got a good notion t'go in ther'n get that hand saw'n let'cha saw that in two right through here. Then you'd get 'at out! If it takes y's'long t'get that out as't do that other'n, we'll be worried t'death.
That's from the first interview in the book with a woman named Aunt Arie. The kids, as they conducted interviews, would actually help and get involved. In this particular bit, one student was helping Aunt Arie get the eyeballs out of a hog's head. It was a good bit. You really get a feel for how these people lived and spoke and experienced life.
As for a homesteady reference, I love this book. I'm loving reading it on my short breaks at work every day. In my current rewilding path, this will be indispensable: these were wilder people than me by far, and I'm grateful to have the opportunity to learn from them! I'm really looking forward to all that info about making things out of white oak! We've got a lot of it around here, and I'd love to put it to use as a sustainable source of something other than firewood. Firewood is such a boring use for trees! The prospect of making baskets like @mountainjewel is exciting. I'd really be proud to be able to make and use a basket.
As for folks that can benefit from owning and reading this book, @makinstuff comes to mind first. And @senorcoconut, @mountainjewel and @frejafri. These folks are out there in what I call the deep homestead life, and there's a huge amount of old, deep wisdom in this book for people in the depths of that life. Some of the information in this book is no doubt available online, but nothing beats the character of a book on a shelf.
I hope someone can read this review and find the book to be as great a reference as I have. It was a gift to me from a dear friend, and when I'm done reading it, it'll have a special place on my shelf and in my mind.
All action for the good of all.
Nate.
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My mom turned me onto those when they were still in the library.
Here is a compilation a few years later by another hillbilly.
The Survivor series could overwhelm you, if it wasn't in such down home literary style.
My mom had collected 6 of the (I think) 13 editions and passed them onto me. They are fascinating reading. :))
There's more?! Yes! I must find them 😍
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What a beautiful, beautiful book. Not only is it inspiring and informative, it also contains a history of the people who wrote it. Together, we build, inspire, create. Knowledge IS a natural medicine, my dear - it doesn't need to come in the form of a herbal tincture or a crystal, but us plugging into the matrix of wisdoms that have come before us so we have better, more complete lives. Thanks so much for sharing. Amazed that two poeple have responded and KNOW these books!! Cool bananas.
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Yeah, I was kinda surprised at that too!
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Oh that looks like a wonderful book! Not only is it packed full of information but you get all the stories and with the original language you can really get a feel for the people! That's what I like best is feeling like I'm getting to know the people!
Thanks for sharing! I think I'll get myself a copy!