George & Minnie Winstead
So, This Happened…
I’ve sustained few injuries in the last eight months of working on houses, but take a break and go to lunch with a friend and, WHAM! The keys I pulled from my purse went flying as I fell flat onto the handicapped ramp on a sidewalk outside of a restaurant. Isn’t that ironic? And/or stupid? Be sure not to lose your balance walking down a flat, wide sidewalk. Watch where you’re going. Stop to get your keys out. Lots of advice I could have used.
I immediately went to my chiropractor friend, who put my rib back in place. Bought some Advil. The next day I resumed painting the floor trim in the house. All I needed was 3 more work days, but, alas, the pain was tough. I needed a chair to get up and down from the floor.
After 2 1/2 weeks, I saw what urgent care had to say. Plenty! An x-ray clearly showed I have three broken ribs — one minimally detached. She said I was a tough lady and prescribed me more Ibuprofen (600mg). They help a lot, though I’m only taking one with breakfast and one with dinner.
Isn’t it funny how your daily life can change in an instant? I’m sure you could share similar stories.
Shatto Milk Company
Minnie & George Winstead (late 1800s)
I’m meeting with Barbara Shatto, co-owner with her husband, Leroy, of the dairy with the same name, to get hands-on research and answers to dairy history questions for my next Emeline book. Below are some questions I will ask. Please let me know if you can think of any others.
In the late 1800s, when George and Minnie Winstead lived here, what was their farm like?
How many cows did they have? What kind?
How did they process the raw milk, having no electricity or modern equipment? Did they have special buildings for processing? Or did they take it somewhere to be processed?
Was their milk “certified” by a scientist? Or was it possible to pasteurize?
Did people even want pasteurized milk then?
Was milk the cause of any illnesses during the 1890s?
Were cream, butter, and cheese products they made and/or sold?
How did the events of the Panic of 1893 affect the Winsteads and their farm?
Did they hire employees? How many and for what jobs?
Was their dairy just for them, or did they sell to others?
If they sold to others, did they make deliveries?
What kind of equipment/containers did they use?
How was everything cleaned and sanitized? (including the cow’s udder)
Do you have any old photos from this period I could share?
May I include the history to the current day in the back matter of my work in progress? I would include a link to your website and I would ask that you approve of the content before I published anything. (This will require a 2nd round of questions about the evolution of the dairy.)
Cow Coloring Page
Click to print & color!
Let’s Make Butter!
Fun activity for kids — and delicious!
July’s Chickadee Cheer Winner:
This month’s winner is Heather. Congratulations! You have won a book (or other item) of your choice from my shop. Check it out and let me know which you’d prefer in the email I’ll send.
