Tales From Way Back When

Despite the hardships, fond memories of growing up during the Great Depression live on

- Adeline Roberts

I was born in the small town of Balcarres, Sask., in 1927, to German immigrant parents, Philip and Caroline Belzer. I was the youngest of nine children. In the first nine years of my life, we lived on three different farms, the last one being in Strasbourg, Sask. I know we were there for three years, because the crops failed each year we were there due to bad weather.

Like most farmers, Dad grew wheat, barley and oats. When the crop was good, he sold it to the grain elevators. I grew up during the Depression years, and so life was hard, but we always had plenty to eat. We raised pigs and had our own smokehouse, so Dad was able to enjoy his bacon, strong coffee and rye bread for breakfast every morning.

My happiest memories were the times I helped Mom in the garden. My special assignment was to find and squash the potato bugs that could ruin a crop in no time. My other job was collecting fresh eggs from the hen house.

Along with potatoes, we also grew other vegetables, such as turnips and carrots, which Mom stored in the root cellar. This way we could enjoy hearty soups and stews all winter. We had six or seven brown-and-white milk cows. I couldn’t get the hang of milking so I was content to watch my brothers do it. I had my own tin cup, which the boys filled for me. I drank the warm milk right on the spot. It was so good! Mom would also make butter and take it, along with the cream, into town to exchange for flour and sugar.