Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Ma Brown's

Scout and I found this little treasure for a quarter at the thrift store...

...I searched online for 'Ma Brown Apple Butter' and found nada...

...I also searched for the Squire Dingee Co., Chicago IL... and found this interesting article...

"Fruitdale had an earlier claim to fame, pickles! Many of the area residents grew cucumbers. What started that? Well, the Squire Dingee Co. built a recieving station along the railroad tracks. It was owned by Squire Dingee Co. which ran through Chicago and Illinois. The Squire Dingee Co. was one of the oldest established pickle packing industries in the United States. It was established in 1856. The Squire Dingee Co. came to the area to look over acreage possibilities. Many of the farmers participated in the pickle works. ``The smaller the gherkin the higher the wages were.`` Recalled George Higashi. When the gas rationing and the rubber shortage was taking place during World War II, (WWII) the United States Government bought 25% of the company. Pickles were used to balance the soldiers diets. They felt that the boys who couldn`t get fresh salads daily must have the nutritional benefit of the acetic and lactic acids from pickles."

...have I mentioned that I love the internet...

...notice that the price is marked in ¢ - and it's probably been quite a while since apple butter (or anything else) was marked in ¢...

...I'm sure you've heard me lament the lack of White House Apple Butter up here - but since I make my own in the crockpot now it really doesn't matter...

...we washed it really well and then I got a jar of my homemade apple butter out of the freezer...

...and filled up my little antique jar - it's only 14 oz. instead of a pint - so I'll just have to have some toast and apple butter right now...

11 comments:

  1. How quaint!! Your apple butter looks delicious. MOM

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  2. how pretty! and how come i always leave your blog hungry???

    love, k

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  3. It is quite intriguing, why did this jar survive - who saved it? Did the person use it again or was it kept in a cupboard. It is quite a find.

    Apple butter is also interesting - unknown here. I have seen lots of references to it and recipes. I did make some, but it was maybe a bit more spicy than it should have been because no-one ate it!

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  4. I love that the internet can help us find out the history of a small apple butter jar! I love things like that.

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  5. This is adorable! How cool that you can track down the history of a forgotten little jar.

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  6. My sister and I were just talking about making apple butter and I thought I would give the crockpot version a try.

    The jar is sweet and a perfect receptacle for your yummy apple butter!

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  7. Either you are not as old as I am or they didn't sell it in your area. I can remember buying it in the store. I found a one pound/ twelve ounce jar in my mother in law's jars and realized I hadn't seen it in the stores
    in years. We make our own apple butter in a 15 gallon copper kettle so I am using this jar the way you are, for decoration.

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  8. I LOVED those Ma Brown jars as a little girl. Since Daddy rarely through anything away, I was sure there would be a jar in his basement. Could NOT find one. I was whining about it at work one morning and a co-worker pulled one (filled with paper clips, etc) from her desk drawer. She wouldn't part with it. That night I found one on ebay and ordered it. Of course, the very next day I found 2 in Mom's and Dad's basement. One of them was holding up the corner of a very old metal storage cabinet!

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    1. i was reading this post and was so happy to find someone else who loved Ma Brown jars. Got to the end of the post and found out it was MINE!! :)

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  9. I found a ma brown doll. I have tried to research other dolls like this, but can't find another one to compair.

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  10. @Tiffany Daugherty
    Thanks for stopping by Tiffany!
    I searched and found a picture here:
    http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/vintage-ma-browns-pickles-advertising-doll-rare
    What a Cute doll!
    ~Have a lovely day!

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