My homemaking series continues today as we take another deep-dive into the Little House on the Prairie book series with my Farmer Boy observations.



In today's video, I'm sharing the second half of my observations on Farmer Boy. This book is full of homemaking inspiration as the Wilders had a very full and fulfilling family life.

You can see my Little House observations here and Part one of my Farmer Boy observations here.

🍂 Lesson 11 They weren’t afraid of using technology when it suited them.
On p.164, it says, Mother didn’t card her own wool anymore, since there was a machine… But she dyed it. The Wilders were definitely open to new technologies and using them to improve their homemaking. I have had new technologies that I've resisted in my own homemaking, that have changed my life for the better once I finally decided to give them a try. Have you ever resisted technology to improve your homemaking?

🍂 Lesson 12 They made their own household necessities.
While they did enjoy new technologies, they also made many of their own household essentials from scratch such as soap and candles... They took a deep satisfaction from these domestic arts.

🍂 Lesson 13 The children were taught to enjoy homemaking.
Almanzo actually looked forward to the work on the farm… even more than school (p. 166). The atmosphere of home was so inviting, he didn't want to leave. This stems from the children being taught to enjoy homemaking, so much so that they preferred it over other activities.

🍂 Lesson 14 They all banded together to help in a crisis.
This tip didn't make it into my video. I believe I skipped it on accident when I was filming. On page 169, in the chapter called, Cold Snap, the entire family banded together in a crisis and got out of bed on a very frosty evening to help save the crops. The entire family came together to help in a crisis and put their own personal comfort on the back-burner to do so.

🍂 Lesson 15 They worked hard and played hard.
On page 199, in the chapter, Summertime, Almanzo's father quotes the famous phrase, All work and no play makes Jack a very dull boy. The Wilders enjoyed playing hard, but only after they worked hard. Also, note that their "fun" also involved chores (berrying).

🍂 Lesson 16 They didn’t waste anything.
On page 199, Mother “scraped every bit of buttermilk”. She didn't waste anything. This tip convicted me and made me realize that I am apt to waste food, by not scraping every last bit. I will work to change that.

🍂 Lesson 17 They were proud of her home and of keeping it nice.
Mother is described as being proud of her home and in keeping it nice (p.224). Even though the term, "house proud" has negative connotations, most of us are a bit proud of our homes and naturally want to keep them looking nice. I think this is a good thing. It's this pride that keeps us on top of things.

🍂 Lesson 18 The kids knew when they needed to HUSTLE.
When the Wilder children are left alone on the homestead, they goof off just like any other children would do... but when they realize their parents are returning shortly, they HUSTLE and truly go beyond by working all day and into the late evening to get their tasks done.

🍂 Lesson 19 Suppertime was a cheerful time for bonding.
On page 147, suppertime was described as "not as cheerful as usual", which indicates that suppertime usually was a cheerful time. The book describes several of their meals with great detail and the reader gets the impression that the family truly bonded over these excellent dinners.


🍂 Lesson 20 Children were given big responsibilities and their abilities weren’t underestimated.
This was really eye-opening for me. The Wilder children were given big responsibilities and their abilities were not underestimated. Modern-day parents sometimes underestimate what their children are capable of, especially with homemaking. No matter how small the child is, they can develop an appreciation for looking after the home.

🍂 Bonus Observation: Even Almanzo's mother (homemaker extraordinaire) got flustered right before company came over. Ha!
In the chapter, Christmas, “Mother was everywhere, talking all the time”. It was very comforting and humorous for me to read about Mrs. Wilder running around after the children and displaying pre-company stress that so many of us deal with. It reminded me of one of my favorite comedy skits on YouTube from Trey Kennedy, Company is Coming.


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Killing time with Madame Chic - I'm a bit too early for my breakfast date with the lovely @sylverillustrations, so taking the opportunity to brush up on French elegance ❤ 💄💕📚 . . . . . . . . . #tea #teabreak #chamomile #decafe @deleeuwarden #leeuwarden #holiday #book #booksofinstagram #bookstagram #reading #madamechic #jenniferlscott @dailyconnoisseur #20stylishsecretsilearnedwhilelivinginparis #20stylishsecrets #frenchliving

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Comment of the Week

smallhouseinthemeadow writes:

Dorothy Parker I"ll never be,
but here's a poem I hope you''ll see
How greatly you inspire me
As Chic as you,I try to be


Your poem made me smile from ear to ear. Thank you!

Thank you for joining me for this installment of my homemaking series. I would love to hear your observations. Your comment could be chosen as comment of the week on the blog.



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My homemaking series continues today as we do a deep-dive into Laura Ingalls Wilder's Farmer Boy. Last time, we explored the homemaking secrets found in the Little House series and the subject matter resonated with so many people who loved reading the books.



Today, we continue with part one of our exploration into Farmer Boy. I actually have 20 life-changing homemaking secrets from Farmer Boy, so in part one, we will discuss the first ten.


🍂 1. Homemaking traditions anchored their week

On page 84, we read that Almanzo's mother was making pancakes “because this was Sunday”. It is clear that they could look forward to this mouth-watering breakfast every Sunday. Creating traditions centered around food is a wonderful idea to incorporate into family life. A lot of people do this with “Taco Tuesday” or other meal traditions.

🍂 2. Everyone in the family kept busy. They worked really hard and had a strong work ethic.
In chapter 8, Sunday, Almanzo’s mother is described as someone who “never sat down in the daytime, except on her spinning-wheel or loom.”
But not just, Almanzo’s mother, the entire family kept busy...

🍂 3. They took off an entire day to do the house cleaning. All of them. Men, women, boys, and girls
In chapter 10, The Turn of the Wheel, Mrs. Wilder says, “We’ll start house-cleaning tomorrow, bright and early.” Page 118 describes the list of what Almanzo had to do on house-cleaning day. “Everything in the house was moved, everything was scrubbed and scoured and polished.” It's clear that this is referring to an annual or bi-annual house cleaning ritual as it is so involved. They seemed to all stop everything and take part.

🍂 4. Sometimes the housecleaning ritual went on for days
“Days and days he spent in the cellar." This indicates that the housecleaning wasn't just one day, but could potentially last for several days. This shows the priority that house cleaning took in their lives when work and school and all other agenda items are dropped in order to get the house in top shape.

🍂 5. When you wear an apron, that means some serious work is about to happen
In chapter 21, County Fair, they dressed up to go to the county fair. Almanzo’s mother wore her 2nd best dress. “And took an apron, for she was going to help with the church dinner.” Page 261 describes the exact work the ladies were doing and it was some serious cooking. Clearly an apron was worn to not only preserve their dress, but also as an indication of the magnitude of work taking place.

🍂 6. Parents held a high standard for cleanliness
Yes, it's true that bath time took place once a week, which doesn't sound very clean by today's standards, but we aren't taking into account the ordeal they had to go through just to pour a bath without running water... especially in the winter. Almanzo enjoyed his "Saturday night feeling" even if he didn't like taking a bath in the cold house. His mother would inspect his ears and face to make sure he kept up good grooming habits, which were probably life-long habits the children took with them.

🍂 7. Sometimes homemaking required them to work into the evenings
Chapter 23, Cobbler, describes how Almanzo’s mother stayed up late sewing them socks and clothes. Sometimes our homemaking requires us to stay up late into the evening and work "overtime", just like any other job would.

🍂 8. They monetized their homemaking
Farmer Boy describes how proud the family were of their mother as her butter was the best in New York and she secured such an excellent price for it. I looked it up, and $250 in 1866 is the equivalent to $7,804.25 today. Wow!

🍂 9. They were good, shrewd traders… a.k.a. Haggling is an art!
In the chapter titled, Tin-Peddler, Almanzo's mother was described as a "good, shrewd trader". She always got what she wanted, but it was all in good fun. Being a good, shrewd trader, is an excellent skill to have as life brings many negotiations our way. Being frugal and haggling for the best price would benefit any family's budget.

🍂 10. They turned their homemaking into healthy competitions
In the chapter on Sheep Shearing, Almanzo and his family engage in a little healthy competition. This is an excellent technique to get you through an unpleasant task. It had me thinking of ways we could turn our homemaking into healthy competitions with the kids. It could bring belly laughs and important lessons on sportsmanship and the satisfaction of a job well done.

⚜️ The Little House 9-volume set
Little House 9-volume set from Scholastic

⚜️ Time Stamps
0:00 Introduction
1:01 Homemaking traditions anchored the week
3:00 Everyone kept busy (strong work ethic)
4:34 They took off an entire day to do house-cleaning
6:46 House-cleaning could go on for days and days
8:43 When you wear an apron, serious work is about to occur
9:57 Parents held their children to high standards of cleanliness
14:40 Sometimes homemaking required them to work overtime
16:02 They monetized their homemaking
18:39 They were good, shrewd traders
20:45 They enjoyed healthy competition with their homemaking

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I hope you enjoyed the homemaking tips in today's video. Make sure you are subscribed to my YouTube channel and click the bell for notifications so you don't miss part 2.


News
📍Join us for The Chic Assignment for August.

📍Take my new eCourse, Carry Yourself with Poise. There are so many amazing ladies on this course, bonding and building friendships as we rally around elegant living. Tamara writes, "I absolutely adored this course! One of the best investments I have ever made in my life. Jennifer, I would like to thank you for taking the time to create a course that is enriching. I look forward future courses."

📍Become a member of The Daily Connoisseur through the MEMBERSHIPS feature. I do one livestream as well 3 episodes of my new Vodcast (a video podcast) per month. (Link must be accessed on a computer.)

📍Thank you for your wonderful support of my new book, CONNOISSEUR KIDS.


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Home Inspiration: Jennifer L. Scott's, Lessons From Madame Chic. @dailyconnoisseur This book has not only influenced my fashion sense but has also impacted other aspects of my life.The part that stood out most to me was Chapter 10: Always use the best things you have. That advice has meant so much to me and has really influenced my approach to decorating my home. Stay tuned for home decor pictures. #books #homedecor #interiordesigns #bookstagram #preppygirl #preppy #preppyfashion #chic #madamechic #instagram #instapicture #instapic #instastyle #fashionstyle #home #decor #elegantstyle #instagood #instachic #love #bookish #classic #classicstyle #dailyconnoisseur #ettiquette #jenniferlscott #foodiesofinstagram #womensupportingwomen #bookgram

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Comment of the week
GreenEyed Susan writes... "Oh my goodness, I was so shocked to see you making macaroni and tomatoes! My Mom used to make that all the time. I thought it was something she made up as I never heard of anybody else that made it, or knew about it. My Mom passed away a few years ago, so this instantly threw my back into my childhood and wonderful memories of my Mom. Thank you!"

GreenEyed Susan, I think macaroni and tomatoes is a nostalgic childhood treat for so many. I'm happy it brought back good memories for you. I will have another meals video coming out soon. I hope you will enjoy it!


Thank you for watching! I would love to know your thoughts on the homemaking secrets from Farmer Boy. Please leave them below and your comment could be chosen as comment of the week.



*NEW* Join The Chic Society on YouTube and become a member of The Daily Connoisseur.

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FTC: This video is not sponsored. I also use affiliate links, including Amazon affiliate links which means I get a small commission from any purchases made at no cost to you. Thank you for your support.