Interview with Arnold Cook, May 31, 1991

Partial Transcript: This is Arnold Cook being interviewed by Zack Lewton on 5-31-91.

Segment Synopsis: Arnold Cook talks about farming and working in the coal mines, and where he grew up. He talks about gardening and running the farm.

Keywords: Childhood; Coal companies; Corn; Cultivators; Families; Farming; Gardens; Grass; Growing up; Planting; Tractors; Working

Subjects: Agriculture--Kentucky; Coal miners; Family farms; Gardening--Appalachian Region

Partial Transcript: All this grass I tell you about, and corn, it feeds the livestock.

Segment Synopsis: Cook talks about raising chickens and selling eggs, chickens, and feed.

Keywords: Eggs; Feeders; Hogs; Poultry; Selling

Subjects: Agriculture--Kentucky; Chickens; Chickens--Feeding and feeds; Livestock--Appalachian region

Partial Transcript: So what do you have now? About how much do you plant now?

Segment Synopsis: Cook talks about what he grows in his garden, and using black plastic mulch in his garden. He talks about the greenhouse and fertilizing. He talks about where his parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents are from. He talks about his grandfather's horses, and about his brothers and sisters.

Keywords: Brothers; Crops; Family; Fathers; Fertilizer; Flowers; Gardens; Genealogy; Greenhouses; Mothers; Mulch; Parents; Planting; Potatoes; Siblings; Sisters; Work

Subjects: Agriculture--Kentucky; Families.; Gardening--Appalachian Region; Horses--Breeding--Kentucky

Partial Transcript: What can you tell me about growing up?

Segment Synopsis: Cook talks about painting. He also talks about his father's steam mill, and the animals they used to have on the farm. He talks about helping his father with logging, and making railroad ties.

Keywords: Cattle; Farming; Growing up; Hogs; Horses; Livestock; Mules; Paint brushes; Railroads; Steam mills; Timber; Work

Subjects: Family farms; Logging; Painting

Partial Transcript: What all kind of chores did the kids have to do back when you were growing up?

Segment Synopsis: Cook talks about the chores that he and his siblings did on the farm. He talks about the challenges of going to school.

Keywords: Childhood; Chores; Cleaning; Cooking; Duties; Gardening; Livestock; Milking; Schools

Subjects: Education, Elementary; Families.; Family farms; Rural children

Partial Transcript: See, we had to put away everything we--didn't go to the store.

Segment Synopsis: Cook talks about how his family was able to avoid going to the store because they grew most of what they need. He talks about the supplies they did buy. He talks about buying clothes and how most people made their clothes.

Keywords: Buying; Clothes; Coffee; Money; Sewing; Sheep; Spinning; Stores; Supplies; Wholesale; Wool

Subjects: Appalachian Region; Clothing and dress; Country life

Partial Transcript: I think they got a lot more out of life down there.

Segment Synopsis: Cook talks about some of the families he knows that live in the area. He talks about his chicken business. He talks about getting loans. He talks about what his kids do, and putting his kids through school.

Keywords: Changes; Children; Education; Eggs; Families; Farming; Finances; Loans; Poultry; Schools

Subjects: Chickens; Country life; Families.; Family farms--Finance

Partial Transcript: How about the farming where you're at?

Segment Synopsis: Cook talks about the costs of milk. He discusses how dairy farmers aren't doing well financially. He talks about strip mining, and talks about building parks to bring in tourists.

Keywords: Cattle; Costs; Dairy farms; Milk; Parks; Scenery; Strip mines; Waterfalls

Subjects: Agriculture--Finance; Dairy products; Family farms; Strip mining; Tourism--Appalachian Region

Partial Transcript: These coal trucks run all day and all night, or?

Segment Synopsis: Cook talks about the coal trucks and the nearby coal mine.

Keywords: Coal company; Coal trucks

Subjects: Coal mines and mining

Partial Transcript: How much of this do you own? How far back up?

Segment Synopsis: Cook talks about what he's done with his property and his house. He also talks about the livestock he owned. He talks about the highway nearby.

Keywords: Building; Cattle; Children; Fruit; Gardening; Highways; Horses; Houses; Land ownership; Trees

Subjects: Agriculture--Kentucky; Land use, Rural--Kentucky; Livestock; Property--Kentucky; Rural roads