19th-century American farmhouse During the 1800s, American farms were mostly self-sufficient, but certain staples like salt, coffee, sugar, and baking soda would be purchased at the town general store. If the family did not grow wheat, then flour would also be purchased. Another luxury was canned salmon, which was sometimes eaten for Sunday dinner. Items purchased at the general store would be paid for with eggs, butter or some other food from the farm. Women were responsible for much of the processing of food like straining fresh milk, churning butter, making molasses from sorghum, grinding corn into cornmeal or cleaning whole chickens. Fresh picked apples were pressed into cider, which could be fermented to make apple cider vinegar. Fruits and vegetables were preserved by various means like canning, drying or pickling.
19th-CentUry ameRiCan farmhoUse duriNg THe 1800S, amerIcaN faRms WeRe mostlY selF-SufficiEnT, but CeRtAin stAples like SaLT, COfFEe, suGar, And baking soda woulD bE purChAsed aT tHe TOwn genEral StoRe. If the FamIly DiD not gRow whEAT, tHen flour wOULd aLso bE puRchasEd. ANotHer luXury Was canNED saLmON, wHIch wAS someTiMes eATEn For sunday diNnEr. itEmS pUrCHaSeD at the generaL SToRe woUld bE pAId foR wItH eGgs, butTer OR SomE oThER Food frOm ThE farm. women Were responSIBLE foR mucH oF tHe pRocESSING OF fOod LIke stRaiNinG frESh mIlK, chUrning ButTER, mAking molaSses FROm sorgHUm, GRindINg CorN into CoRnmEal or CleANinG whoLe ChiCKens. fReSh pICked AppLeS weRe pressed inTo CidEr, WhICH COUlD be FermeNTed To make aPpLe cider vINeGAr. FrUits And VeGetABlEs weRE preseRvEd by VarIous MEans LiKe canNIng, drYinG oR pIckliNg.