Note: This is part of a series of articles on traditional foodways in southern Appalachia and pairs with a display on the 2^nd floor of the Transylvania County Library.

ANIMALS AND APPALACHIA

Early Appalachian settlers would not have survived in the mountains without animals, who were used for food, transportation, work, and money. Nearly all activities on the farm were part of surviving on the land – whether to produce and store food, protect food sources from loss and contamination, or create the tools needed for farm work.

A lot of time, energy, and resources went into animal husbandry on a farm. For this reason, nearly every part of the animal was used to aid survival. One common saying is that every part of a pig was used but the squeal! One payout from keeping livestock was a reliable source of protein and fat. These are critical components of any diet for energy and brain function, but especially when strenuous manual labor is a common activity.

ON THE WING

Chickens were commonly kept in Appalachia. They could be tended for eggs and meat, with only one rooster being kept for fertilizing eggs and other young males becoming meat. Hens would be kept while they continued to lay eggs and were used for meat once unproductive. The chickens could also assist with pest control in the garden, set among rows to eat worms and bugs that would otherwise destroy crops. Their scratching feet and droppings would also improve soil conditions and boost food production. Baby chicks or eggs in surplus could be sold to provide money for food items that wouldn’t have been commonly grown, such as sugar and coffee.

Ducks and geese could be kept for eggs and meat, but also for feathers used in bedding. Turkeys weren’t typically domesticated, as they were seen as too unruly to manage, and young turkeys are slower to develop and remain highly vulnerable to predators longer than chickens.

HOOF AND HORN

Pigs were a major source of food for many Appalachians. They acted as a sort of garbage disposal for food scraps, willing to eat nearly anything and turn it into future food, which meant nothing went to waste. Many settlers would allow the pigs to forage for food in the woods until the winter. Although the animals would be susceptible to predators, it was a lower energy output to tend them this way and allowed for a varied diet.

Hog killing was done in the winter for food safety reasons. Hot temperatures would spoil meat faster, and the extensive time spent smoking or curing the ham was best spent in winter months. Shortly before a planned hog butchering, the free-range animals could be brought to a pen to reduce their activity, leading to more tender meat, and a diet which could be controlled to ensure a desired flavor. Pen-kept male pigs might also be altered because of the aggressive tendencies of boars. It was often safer for caretakers to reduce violent behaviors of unruly boars through this type of hormonal alteration. Some even say that unaltered boar meat has an unpleasant “taint” that is not present in altered male pigs.

Cows were an essential part of most Appalachian farms as well. They provided milk, meat, manure that could be fertilizer for crops, and leather. Leather was used for many implements around the farm, such as harnesses, bridles, and saddles, as well as shoes and clothing for people. Dairy cattle needed to be milked twice daily and were more likely to be penned on pastureland so that they wouldn’t roam too far. Beef cattle might have been allowed to roam free, similar to the pigs described earlier in this article. A type of branding was utilized by Appalachian farmers in which notches were cut on the ears of cattle in a particular pattern. These markings were sometimes even registered at the local courthouse as an official property document.

Sheep were frequently kept by Appalachians, who could utilize wool for clothing and home furnishings. Milk, meat, and offspring were provided by sheep as well. Goats could provide milk and meat but were less likely to be kept by early Appalachians, as many preferred cows. Goats are notoriously difficult to manage and are less productive than cows for milk, so the care of a cow led to greater resources.

OTHER ANIMAL HELPERS

Some farm animals were important for food production but were not food sources. Horses helped to complete much of the hard labor on the farm and provide transportation. They could pull carts, plows, and heavy objects. Mules could be used for this same purpose, but historical accounts show that they were not the best investment. Farmers of yesteryear have stated that mules were slow, stubborn, and expensive to feed. Unlike horses, which could be turned out to pasture to self-feed on non-working days, mules required human-provided feed every day. Farmers could get away with supplementing a horse’s pasture diet on non-working days but not mules, making them more costly to feed. Once gasoline-powered tractors came to the mountains, farmers rarely chose to use mule-power. They adopted the new labor-saving technology and never looked back.

Dogs were domesticated for protecting farmers and livestock and herding sheep and cattle, among other tasks to be covered later in this article series. Cats assisted with rodent control by safeguarding food stores so much had been invested in so they would last until ready for human consumption. Cats and dogs weren’t companion animals or pets the same way we look at them today. At the end of the day, cats were usually allowed to sleep in the barn, and dogs would sleep under the porch or in some other outside structure, like a shed, but would not be allowed inside the house.

Domesticated farm animals were incredibly significant to the survival of early Appalachians. Photographs and information for this column are provided by the Rowell Bosse North Carolina Room, Transylvania County Library. This article was written by Local History Librarian Laura Sperry. Sources available upon request. For more information, comments, or suggestions, contact NC Room staff at [email protected] or 828-884-1820.