LIFE IN A SOD HOUSE

as told by Albina (Zajicek) Freeouf

The walls were white washed or papered with newspapers. The floor was packed dirt, which was washed and swept with a damp broom.
The kitchen stove was cast iron and the heating stove was a drum like stove. My father drove ten miles for wood to burn in the stoves. We also gathered cow chips to burn.
The kitchen table was made of boards. Each person had a chair. Benches were used to sit on if there were more guests.
White washed boards separated the bedroom from the kitchen.
A lean-to was built on to the house for overshoes and supplies which also had a dirt floor. Later a wide board floor was put in the kitchen and bedroom.
The windows were four panes set into the eighteen inch deep walls.
A large iron kettle was set into the fire and baking was done in the oven.
Beds were made of boards and mattresses were stuffed with fresh straw or corn shucks.
Quilts were mostly feather beds.
A farmer had two or four horses, one or two cows, twenty four hens, one sow and litter, three geese, and some ducks.
Chores were to graze the animals as there were no fences and to carry water.
Food was corn meal, corn mush, boiled home made molasses, bacon, smoked ham and wild game.
School students went from age five to twenty one after the corn was husked in the fall.

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