Indiana Pitch-In Dinner
Courtesy of the Library of Congress
I have been going through my collection of WPA food sources from the Great Depression era found in the archives of the Library of Congress in Washington DC. In our series on food and funeral we turn to Indiana Pitch-In Dinners. In rural Indiana when someone died, neighbors and relatives brought formal table settings including their best silver and and lots of food.. Members work together preparing a large kettle of thick vegetable soup. Traditionally a Indiana pitch in dinner included baked potatoes, cold roast beef, pork, and chicken. Some one would put canned tomatoes, succotash, green beans, lima beans, sweet corn, sweet pickles, and sour pickles. For dessert jellies, strawberry preserves, apple and cherry pies, cakes, and plenty of coffee.
