Makin bricks was a new venture for me and ole Jeep about 45 years ago or so. There had been a brick factory on the back of our farm and you could still see where the pits had been. Of course, they'd all been filled in but still was a couple low places that remained. Broken bricks were also strung around in the field there too. Well anyhow, we figered we could make some money by makin and sellin bricks. Nobody told us you had to cook'm. We dug the clay, mixed it with water and formed the bricks. We just left'm layin in the summer sun to dry. After about a week you know those bricks HAD dried and almost to the point of'm bein cooked. They were usuable and in fact, was rite purty. We'd taken time to make'm slick and smooth but just a little bit bigger than they should've been. WE COULDN'T GIVE'M AWAY! Seems nobody needed bricks that were too big! Well we had built at least 20 of those BIG dudes and already outta business. Don't remember just what we were wantin to buy with the money from our business but guess it didnt' matter. As I recall we started a winery after the brick business. Blackberry wine--only thing about it was nobody wanted to pick the berrys! It failed too. We also tried buildin and sellin indian "drags" from young maple saplins. No demand! Tried sellin pears from paps old pear tree. Most people wanted apples instead of pears. Those that did want pears wanted to buy'm for .50 cents a bushel. Tried trappin- didn't like killin the animals for their fur. Thought about buildin and sellin airplanes but I can't remember why that failed. We never even got a prototype built! Another venture was makin slingshots outta inner tubes and maple forks. Every kid already had their own. They built'm themselves. Growin green beans was the most profitable in the summer for us. We made several dollars doin that. In the winter time is was pickin up corn for cash. Almost 50 years have passed since those long ago days and I'm STILL tryin to figure out what to do to make a killin! Methinks it would've been a whole lot easier if'n pap had been a kazillionaire rather than me and ole jeep tryin to get rich on our own! Look at all the experience that we gained by tryin. At least we found out what WOULDN'T work. What about some of you people? What have you tried to make money? Did it work? Matt. 24:44

-- hoot (hoot@pcinetwork.com), September 02, 2000

Answers

Hi Hoot, The only thing I can think of is when my brother and I decided to make our own carnival.We were only around 7 and 6 or so.It was a rather pathetic looking thing.Plywood and concrete blocks all over our side yard.(Can't quite recall HOW we got those blocks out there.) We tried to make interesting rides(well,as best we could at our ages.),and we painted a really pretty sign to go on the roadfront.I think we only charged a quarter for coming to our carnival.(Our minds were no doubt filled with visions of penny candy at the Little Red Store!)No one stopped.We sure were disappointed as we thought we really had done a great job!As a result of that experience,I do not pass up the little children out there trying to earn a few bits whether via lemonade,coloring book pages or whatever.Actually,I can't pass them up;My conscience won't let me!

Blessings,~~~Tracy~~~

-- Tracy Jo Neff (tntneff@ifriendly.com), September 02, 2000.

Hoot, I love your stories. They always get me thinking about my "good ol' days" when I ws a kid.

I can't think of any specific enterprises that made more money then the 5o cents a day we got for chopping cotton, but I know we had fun trying to figure it out. I was six years old when I was given a hoe and two rows of cotton to weed. Anything after that is pure fun!

I think my favorite job was debugging the 1/2 acre garden. After picking all the tomato worms off, I could eat all the sun-warmed, vine- ripened tomatoes I could eat and choose my choice of vegetable for dinner that night. Then pick the best watermelon or cantaloupe for a sunset dessert. Good food is a great motivator.

When my oldest daughter was just 4 years old, I found four-leaf clovers and she decopauged them on cards for bookmarks to sell. I offered for her to set the price. She felt because they are so very rare and hard to find, they bring good luck so they MUST be worth a lot of money, we should ask $100. for them. I had to leave the room to laugh myself silly. She did sell them for 25 cents apiece at the library and donated half her money to the book fund. She probably still has her share of quarters stashed away.

My middle daughter thought she could make a lot of money selling kittens. Sometimes we have to learn about life the hard way, but not this time, I just said NO. (does anyone want a kitten?)

-- Laura (gsend@hotmail.com), September 03, 2000.

I remember every fall, in the rain, picking up black walnuts for 50 cents a burlap bag full. Those were LARGE burlap sacks and the walnuts were NOT that big. You could always tell the kids at school who either didn't come from a well to do family or whose parents believed in teaching a child the value of money. How? Our hands were green from the black walnuts all of November! I always made a few dollars though. Enough for Christmas. Then I got smart and started teaching piano lessons instead. Now, that is how I earn my living and it is very fullfilling and lots of fun however, I still remember being wet and cold and excited about how fast my big burlap bag was filling and knowing Mom would have a wonderful HOT dinner for us when we got home. Thanks Hoot for reminding us to remember our past and to make new memeories.

-- Cheryl Cox (bramblecottage@hotmail.com), September 03, 2000.

Hey Hoot! Guess what my little kid was doing today? Making bricks out of the mud she dug out of the ditch. Of course, they just kinda look like mudpies to my grown-up eyes, but she is so excited about making them for me. I just had to share this with you.

Kids don't need tv, nintendo or electronic toys. They just need dirt, water rocks and sticks and they can stay busy all day. Take care of yourself and Li'l Dumplin'.

-- Laura (gsend@hotmail.com), February 10, 2001.

Laura! Tell your little one to not make those briks too big llike ole jeep and I did!

Second verse--same song! AFter all those bygone years ole Jeep and I are yet again try'n another business venture. His Logic: "People are dying everyday and don't want to give bunches of their money to the undertaker for a coffin of unknown quality and workmanship. Why don't we build'm and sell'm". He is! I'm kinda the silent partner-cept'n I'm not too silent as HE does all the work. har har. First one completed he's starting another style today. He wanted me to "try it on" for size but I'm not THAT silent! Gotta go take pictures of it today to put on our new websited-www.illinoishillbilly.com. Should be up and runn'n this weekend. I kinda wonder if the "brik buildn" would work now. If it would maybe we could hire Laura's little one to help us out. Ya'll be good to each other-it makes life a whole lot easier to get along as He wants us to. old hoot -the not gonna build'm or try'm on- business partner of ole jeep. Matt.24:44

-- hoot (hoot@pcinetwork.com), February 10, 2001.