fbpx

Prices of Farm Products Fell Terribly during the Depression Era

During these depression era, farm products in an amount available for sale brought little profit. Prices varied according to location, but in our area the prices paid for eggs at the purchasing center remained around the 12q: a dozen level. Wheat produced during this time brought in the 25~ a bushel range, which led many farmers to hold their wheat, grind it with other grains and feed it to their chickens and livestock, saving some for next year’s planting.

A full gallon can of rich cream, taken to the local creamery, brought but $1.50 to $2.00. If one could sell the golden home-churned butter it would bring 351t per pound.

Local grocers sold milk from the nearby dairy for 11 cents to 14 cents a quart – or 71 cents – 81 cents if you had a bottle to exchange. Un-sliced bread was sold for Sit -10 cents a loaf, or on very special sale days three loaves for 10 cents at our Cloverfarm store where a huge bunch of bananas hung on a hook from the rafters and one could buy a bag full for less than a dollar, if you had a dollar.

One hundred pounds of potatoes could be purchased for one dollar, if for some reason you had not raised any. Fifty pounds of beans cost $2.50. These were representative prices of staple items as they existed in our local area.

Reva M. Smith
Abilene, Kansas


Back in 1955 a call went out from the editors of the then Capper’s Weekly asking for readers to send in articles on true pioneers. Hundreds of letters came pouring in from early settlers and their children, many now in their 80s and 90s, and from grandchildren of settlers, all with tales to tell. So many articles were received that a decision was made to create a book, and in 1956, the first My Folks title – My Folks Came in a Covered Wagon – hit the shelves. Nine other books have since been published in the My Folks series, all filled to the brim with true tales from Capper’s readers, and we are proud to make those stories available to our growing online community.