A Window to the Past
written by The Scribbler
Most avid quilters know that feed sacks were once used to make clothing and much more. Women, farmwives in particular, repurposed the sacks by removing the thread holding the bag together. After opening the sack, they cut and sewed the fabric into clothing. When the item was past its usefulness, the fabric was cut up again and the best of this fabric was sewn into quilts.
My husband works for Cargill Animal Nutrition and according to their website, "Cargill, Inc. got serious about the feed business in October, 1945, when thecompany acquired Nutrena Mills, Incorporated, a company that had been in business since 1920 and, at that time, had the capacity to produce a total of 23,000 tons of feed per month in its three feed mills. Nutrena Mills was one of the most progressive feed companies at that time. Back then it was common to sell feed in "pretty print" feed bags so the material from the bags could be used to make tablecloths and clothing."
Over the years I had collected some old feedsacks but hadn't really put two and two together. I wondered if I owned any feedsacks that were sold by Cargill. One day I showed them to my husband and explained what they were and how they were used back in the days of the depression. He was fascinated and took some into work to show others, many who didn't know the history of feedsacks either. Later we came up with the idea to create a wall hanging for Cargill's corporate office which I named "A Window to the Past."
I'm shown above presenting the framed quilt to two Vice-Presidents of Cargill Animal Nutrition. This past summer I got the opportunity to speak to a group of about 75 employees and tell the history of feedsacks.
This photo shows the project hanging prominently in Cargill's world headquarters next to a photo history of Nutrena Feeds, one of Animal Nutrition's brand of products. The small frame to to right of "Window to the Past" tells a little of the history of feedsacks.
Click to learn more about the History of Feed Sacks.