December 08, 1994 - Focusing on Nature's Human ElementDecemb6r 8,' 1.994 • The Suffolk TimeF * 7.w
Focusing on Nature's Human Element
By Paul Stoutenburgh
One of the nice parts of writing this col-
umn each week is the warm and friendly
letters I receive from a wide variety of
people. Usually I answer each but once in
a while I'll stop by and visit to discuss a
particular item or point that the sender has
spoken about. Last week I stopped by to
see an 88 -year -old farmer in Laurel. I was
greeted by his
wife, who could Focus on
have doubled for
anyone's mother, Mature
smiling, friendly
and full of life. She
led me into the spotless house. I immedi-
ately felt at ease for it had that wonderful
homey feeling that you get when the sur-
roundings blend in with your own. I soon
met the writer of the letter, a tall elderly
gentleman who had a twinkle in his eye
and graciously invited me to sit down and
be comfortable.
The letter he had written to me con-
cerned smoking meats, a subject I'm
always interested in. It seemed that in the
years gone by he always smoked hams
and ribs and wanted to share his experi-
ences with me. His wife was the daughter
of the owner of the old country store in
Mattituck. In their conversation they told
of what went on in that center of impor-
tance of business and enterprise. It was
the "country's" conglomerate of a con-
densed version of what would be includ-
ed in a shopping mall less all the frills of
modern -day shopping.
Nails to wire, rubber `Nothing
boots to hats, dry goods
of all sorts and coffee do or see
and candy could be
found in that wonderful, or touch
crentert ctnre of memn-
nes.
It was the time when this web
you brought your own
can to get kerosene or a
gallon jug to fill with that thick, black
molasses, and it was here I was told the
secret of my farmer's success in smok-
ing. Seems when the 52- gallon barrel of
molasses was emptied there were always
a few inches of crystallized molasses
sugar in the bottom and it was this that
gave the smoked hams their tantalizing
taste.
Seems he would cut up one or two
pigs and soak them before smoking in a
solution of saltpeter, molasses and other
secret ingredients that resulted in his
own words, "Mmmmmmm. They were
some good eating." He told me that of-
ten he experimented with different kinds
of fires and finally found out the
best solution was to have the fire
outside the smokehouse and
piped underground into the house
itself, something that we've
incorporated in the smokehouse
at the Hallockville Museum Farm
in Laurel.
It was good to sit and talk with
people who knew the country
and had seen its changes. We
spoke of old buildings and what a
shame some of them are going
down to the bulldozer. He spoke
of his old barn that he reshingled
that had cypress shingles on it
originally, 36 inches long and
three - quarters of an inch thick.
That in itself tells a story for
cypress is no longer an available
wood. It's a tree that has been
wiped out by overlumbering.
Many of the old houses used
cypress in their trim around win-
dows and doors because, when
finished properly, it looked beau-
tiful.
We spoke of sons and daugh-
ters and the problems of today's
young people being brought up
in a world of violence and drugs.
Both of us agreed that we were
glad we had done "our thing"
when the world was a simpler
and more sane place to live. How
did it get off track so quickly? we
asked each other. My stay was
much too short
we can for I could have
chatted all day
or smell With these won-
derful people.
can be Going out the
front door I mar-
veled at a beauti-
ful sideboard and
of life' desk that stood
there majestical-
ly. With great pride they showed
me the various compartments and
drawers and opened the old glass
doors to reveal its true splendor.
Everything worked and slid in
separated from
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and out with grace. Pieces like
that are seldom made today for OLD
the skills and crafts of yesterday that t
have all but disappeared. Should be pr
the few with those guarded skills
make any of these fine pieces of furni-
ture today they are so expensive that few
can afford them. I left them both smil-
ing, he with his cane and ruggedness,
she with her soft, mellow look.
Driving home I passed under the
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2 stores east of library
Photo by Paul Stoutenburgh
BARN — Scattered throughout our East End are old farm buildings and barns
ell of an age gone by. Many are fine examples of early architecture and should
eserved for posterity.
Mattituck railroad bridge and thought
that there was a structure that hadn't
changed through time and yet when I
look back the railroad itself has changed.
The station houses of old are gone and
even the stops on the route like Laurel,
Cutchogue and Peconic are no longer on
the schedule. The trains run less and are
no longer pulled by the great iron horses
of old. Today's diesels do the job.
A Cutchogue Memory
How I remember the Cutchogue sta-
tion with its platform and fancy- trimmed
station. It should have been preserved.
Often when you went in there to wait for
a train the telegraph key would be click-
ing away. Mr. Hand was the stationmas-
ter and he always had the potbellied coal
stove glowing in the center of the station
floor. As you walked the black, oiled
floor it creaked under your steps.
Around the edge were benches where
you would wait for the train.
Then, off in the distance, you'd hear
that train whistle and all would get up
excited and rush outside to watch the
monster roll down the track. It was never
a sight you tired of, what with its hissing
steam and smoke and huge size sitting
on the track waiting for the passengers.
If it passed through it literally shook the
ground and we kids would often put pen-
nies on the track to have them flattened
out as the engine rolled over them.
The heading of all my articles is Focus
on Nature. Some might wonder what
reminiscing about olden times and trains
has to do with nature. For those of you
who ask this question, I'm afraid I've
not gotten to you as yet for all about us
and most importantly ourselves are part
of nature. Nothing we can do or see or
smell or touch can be separated from this
web of life that makes up the world
around us. Once this understanding takes
over then we can start living our lives in
harmony within that web of life and so
truly focus on nature.
On Lyme Disease
A support group for adolescents,
ages 12 to 18, with Lyme disease
meets on the second and fourth Fri-
days of the month at Central Suffolk
Hospital. Meetings run from 8 to 10
p.m. Call 736 -4550.