Foodways
The term “foodways” refers to the many practices and traditions which develop around how people grow, harvest, prepare, and partake in food.
In Chatham, many of these practices involve farming and gardening, with many interviewees discussing traditions surrounding shucking corn, slaughtering hogs, hunting game, hosting family BBQs, and—to the chagrin of many of our interviewees—canning, lots and lots of canning!
As Chatham’s physical and economic landscape changes, many of this traditional knowledge and cultural memory will change alongside it. You can hear more about the ever-evolving foodways of the county by exploring the themes below.
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Farm Life
Chatham has been a rural county for much of its history and many Chatham natives have close ties to the land. Hear interviewees discuss their experiences growing up on often long-held family farms and their day-to-day tasks helping grow everything from cotton to corn or tending to livestock.
"By the Signs"
The Farmer's Almanac, with its yearly weather predictions, astrological calendars, and planting advice, offered vital guidance for many of Chatham's old school farmers. Those who adhered to the Almanac's advice used the guide to inform everything from the crops they grew in a season, to the optimal time to plant, tend, and harvest their fields and slaughter livestock. Learn more about this practice, known as planting "by the signs," below.
