How Farm Women Made Extra Money in 1937

From the entries in The Southern Planter magazine’s “How I Make Extra Money” contest, as published in the January 1937 issue.

CATAWBA COUNTY

If it had not been for Home Demonstration Club work in our community, I would not have succeeded as I have. Besides being a pleasure, it has also been profitable.

Through a “Live At Home” program, our home agent urged a year-round garden and canning budget, giving demonstrations in our homes. One of my first thrills was to won $2 in a garden contest put on by a nitrate company.

Keeping a record was the hardest part, for every one enjoyed working in the garden and gathering the vegetables. We had more than we could use so we started a trade for canned goods, which we have kept up since. In this contest we were all thrilled to know we had won a $20 prize and all agreed to use it to finish our shrubbery program, which we have been proud of ever since.

Our home agent then put on as our major project: how to prepare different foods and bread making. At a council meeting, a demonstration was put on, making whole wheat rolls. I started making and selling on our curb market whole wheat rolls, until I had worked up a good trade. Then not being satisfied with baking one day and selling the next, I started baking on a larger scale, while my husband delivered them the same day.

My trade increased until I was baking 100 dozen a week, and delivering three times per week. Doing all this baking necessitated more than one oven, so I got an electric range, of which I am very proud.

My help has now all left home, and I am not able to do as much as in the past, but I hope my experience will be of help to others to know what club work has done for me.
--Mrs. P.C. Henry, Catwaba County, North Carolina

CALDWELL COUNTY

I believe my experience in making extra money this summer is unusual or unique. Over a year ago a drug warehouse was established in our county town of Lenoir. They buy all kinds of medicinal herbs and roots, and this summer began buying pollen, which is taken from various wild flowers and weeds which grow in our fields. This pollen is sent to laboratories and made into extracts to be injected into the arms or legs of those who are afflicted with hay-fever. Some people have this disease when rag-weed is in bloom, others when the goldenrod, etc. I gathered the pollen from ragweed, goldenrod, cocklebur, and blue daisy, and in all made $25.22.

It is rather tedious work, but I think it is fascinating and shall try it again next summer.
--Mrs. N.P. Coppage, Caldwell County, North Carolina

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ROCKINGHAM COUNTY

I have a family of 8 children and a husband to care for. In spare time I have crocheted pocket books at a small profit. I sew some, but how I make most of my extra money is cutting hair for the neighboring children at 10 cents a head. I average 6 hair cuts every week. Before Christmas, I cut 20 heads one day besides doing my house work.

--Mrs. J.E. Gunter, Rockingham County, N.C.

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VIRGINIA

Lacking the money to buy a new car last spring, I decided to try to paint the old one. I bought some enamel from the paint store. We received many compliments on our car, so I painted my neighbor’s car as well. With the money received, we were able to buy paint for the house and make some other needed improvements. I also plant and shell late lima beans. There is always good sale for the shelled beans at the stores and market. Late corn sells well, as roasting ears, also.

--Mrs. John Nightengale, James City County, Virginia

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I have a friend who was undergoing a depression that wasn’t universally known. She had a bunch of husky kids that demanded more than their hard-working dad could give. No one could beat her pinching pennies. Still that didn’t suffice.

She had always made her yeast for bread by buying a cake as a starter and using white potatoes. She also found from experience that a ball of risen dough might save her spending 3 cents for a yeast cake each time she made bread.

She found out that yeast could be made from hops. So it dawns on her to try it out. This she did successfully. From that she began to make yeast cakes for everybody in the neighborhood. They sell for 3 cents each. All of us prefer her yeast cakes to the magic cakes in the stores. She is successful and is making good.

--Mrs. C.B. Davenport, Gloucester County, Va.