A lot of people look back at history and see families as poor. But, the families never knew that they were poor. Back then people had respect for family and friends. You helped your neighbors and family. You respected and relied on friends and family. They might of not had money. But they definitely wasn’t poor. I wished that today people cared about each other like they did way back then. Thanks Donnie

For all the hard work required for cooking on a old wood stove, we were blessed the best biscuits, cornbread and beans the world could offer. Glad you're back on your feet, Donnie. Blessings of the day to 'ya.

I remember when neighbors in rural Washington would all get together and bring their equipment to harvest one farm (lots of hay). The women cooked breakfast, lunch and dinner for all, and the kids ran cold water out to the men in the field. After a day or two, they moved on to the next neighbor's farm.

When I was a kid my grandma would make us treats like mince meat pie, monkey bread and paw paw jam , how many people in todays USA have eaten or even heard of these treats. Maybe 1% . Love your videos, Thank You!

I't's always good to start the morning with a Donnie Laws appalachian video. Have a blessed day. ❤

When my father was drafted into the Army during WWII, the family lived in a rural part of West Virginia. He had to report for duty at the county seat and there was a big snow on. The cars of the day couldn't make it through, so he had to come to town by a wooden sled and a team of horses. Hardship was just taken in stride. All of the entertainment devices of today, were not needed back then. Most of the time was spent, just surviving. Very little time for entertainment or recreation. Yes, as a child, I have eaten a lot of squirrel, rabbit, deer and even groundhog now and then. It was a lot of work, feeding our large family of 13. We raised chickens and hogs and very large gardens. We always canned anything and everything, including squirrel meat. At one time, we even had our own grist mill to grind corn. We would power that mill with an old, single-cylinder flywheel engine, fueled by natural gas from one of the many oil/gas wells on the farm.

Most people don't know that horses sweat, but I have heard people round here in NC mountains talk about logging horses so hard that they had steady streams of sweat running off them like a faucet. And you had to be careful or you would "break their wind" and then they weren't able to work anymore.

So good to see you back! Pray you continue to heal! God bless you!!

This should be compulsory view for schools! The young now have no idea where their food comes from, and care even less, problem is they have the idea that they are more intelligent that people back then, I well remember walking down the garden to the hen coop to collect eggs, with me was a young visitor, very well educated of about 12 years old, she looked at me puzzled when I got 4 eggs from the nest box, "Why do you keep your eggs in this shed ?" she asked, I had no word to explain such a basic fact. Stay sane! Chris B.

Thank you, Donnie. Through your videos, I get to go back into time and visit with people and places of times gone by. God bless you, friend.

God bless our farmers, truck drivers, police, firefighters, and all that continue today to provide us with our needs. So many people don't realize the gifts from God. Thank you for another inspiring video. God bless you and your family. 🌾🐄🪵🪓🚒 🚑🚛🚜 Praying and Blessed! 🤗🙏💕

Most of us don't know how good we have it nowadays , thanks for sharing God bless you sir

Growing up we had chickens, a big ol garden and we made our own butter and cottage cheese. The smoke house was full and we never went hungry. I loved working the garden then later sitting on the porch breaking beans and shelling peas. Mom would can everything. Good times. I sure miss my elders. The history and knowledge they shared is a rare gift immeasurable immeasurable immeasurable

Donnie, this video is fantastic! The subject matter, the photography, the narration, the editing, the finished product. Your work is a joy to watch!

I just love these videos! Thanks for sharing & teaching us. Even though I’m 73 & was raised on a farm, there’s a lot of these things I never ever knew. Blessings always my dear friend! Please continue to let you body heal! ❤️😊✝️

What a great tribute to our fore fathers Donnie. Thank you.

Thanks for sharing Mr Donnie I have seen allot of the old way's My Grandma would tell me how they made the lye soap and how they washed the clothes boiled the water in the iron kettles to wash the laundry she was a hard working woman oh hI miss her ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️🇺🇸🗝️

I grew up in the city, but my grandparents, grew up the old ways. I wish I had grew up the same way as them. God bless,peace and love from Australia

Thanks so much for the reminder of the awesome way our ancestors lived. So hard working and inventive. So strong in their faith.

Very nice presentation of how applatia used to be.The people were so into family and church . Hard working and God fearing. Thanks Donnie for the work you put into this video. Your friend, Louise

Good 🌄 friend, What a blessing to be able to fellowship today! Keep those cameras going!🙏👋

❤ love your stories of the past

Hey Donnie, it's amazing what the will to survive and thrive can motivate folks! Thanks for reminding us 🤔. I'm glad you're feeling up to posting again😊. JO JO IN VT 💞

I worked backer, as we call it, way back in the day here in Kentucky. To this day I say it was the hardest work I've ever done in my lifetime and I'm soon to be 64. I did a bit of the "warsh" board too but my most favorite was learning to cook on a wood burning stove. You're right Donnie, it's the best food ever! God bless.

Thank you for sharing the old ways Donnie. Have a blessed weekend ❤

Nice to hear you again Donnie.

It’s a beautiful place, one which I hope to see in the near future. You have inspired myself and my daughter

Good morning sir ☀️ have a wonderful day.. God bless. Thanks for the video.

Continued prayers for you my friend. God bless you. Thank you so much for this Mr. Donnie. It brought back so many memories of listening to my great grandpa's stories. Can't wait to show this to my 5 year old grandson. He's going to love it since you included kids helping out, he's a good helper too😊

Donnie, you brought back so many memories for me! When we would go down to VA to visit family, we'd go to my great-uncle Charlie's house. I remember helping my great-aunt Sally churn butter. Also remember when my Aunt Gladys and Uncle James got indoor plumbing and she had a pump by her kitchen sink! They got a bathtub and toilet too! They had a huge garden and canned all the vegetables. They raised hogs and cattle somewhere off the property. Even after I was grown and married with children, we would go to visit and my adult kids remember how much better all the food tasted. That's why I love your videos! So many blessed memories! Blessings to you and your loved ones.

Some wonderful photos - great video thank youMr. Donnie ❤

Hi Donnie Glad your recovery is going well Blessings to you and your family

Coffee with Ol' Donnie no better way to start the day. I lost my little job this week (prayers for new one greatly appreciated) and all I could think of when I got up was its "Donnie time"! Thanks for your videos!

You know, you tell a story of harsh living. Poor. Secluded. The part I don’t understand is why I feel that it was the best life. The main reason I am rebuilding the homestead. With no chance of seeing it to fruition. All I know is I’m doing something to help preserve this land. And ways of our forefathers. And the really confusing part is I’m a transplant. I’m not selling. I’m not clearing land and making a resort. It is just a love for this land. … maybe don’t make it sound so appealing to outsiders. 😂They don’t feel like me. Most of the locals don’t care much anymore as well. Most have sold off their family property. For a shiny new life. Wish me a safe journey if you would. Love the stories of this place and you tell them well. A lot has changed never to return. Thanks for the history lessons.❤️

This video is the best explanation I have ever seen. I am dating myself, but I remember some of these things. We were poor dairy farmers, so I did experience some of this daily life. Laundry, canning, smoke house, cooking 3 meals a day carrying water from the spring house, chickens cows, horses. I hated the smell of plucking chickens. But I still make my own butter, gardening and canning. My grandma and mom made sure we learned everything we needed to survive. Grandfather taught me to hunt and fish. He felt that even girls might need to know these things. Thank you for bringing to light how it was in the Appalachia old days.

What a treat this is, cousin Donnie! Thank you so much for sharing! Brings back so many memories from my own past. Still holding you in prayer, dear cousin, and hoping you're still getting better with each passing day. Much love to all, and G-d bless!

Thank you Mr. Donnie. I'm 29, and if it weren't for you, I'd never hear all the wonderful stories about this part of the country. And I love hearing what you have to say.😊❤

Morning Mr Donnie. Hope you getting long good. Thank you for another awesome video. I enjoy each and everyone of them. Just the simple life is always been good for me my friend. Nothing fancy!

Morning ☀️ , Great to see another video from you. This was a good idea , and you’re right. We don’t realize how easy our life is compared to the original settlers. Thank you for sharing , as always. ❤

Morning to ya Donnie hope your doing well , God bless you friend 😊

Boy, brings back a lot of Ol memories Donnie! I lived a lot of it in my time a growin up..thankyou for sharing

Great looking forward to watching this Donnie💚💚🇬🇧🇬🇧

Great video Mr. Donnie! It brought back memories of my childhood. I truly miss the old days where everyone knew their neighbors and helped one another out when anyone was down and out. Thanks for sharing this video!

It never ceases to amaze me at how these old structures from 200+ years ago are still standing! I've got a few on my road that date back to the early 1800's! They may be decrepit and falling in on some areas, but they still have their rock chimneys and foundations. I know of newer houses that blow right down in a heavy gail or leak. But our forefathers knew how to build good, strurdy barns and homesteads. Thank you, my good friend Donnie! God Bless You, Sir!✝️🙏✝️

Beautiful times...hard, but Beautiful all the same...thanks again Donnie...

Great video Mr. Donnie! The younger generations have no clue! This may be coming back sooner than we think! Thanks for sharing!

I am always amazed when people say that the food comes from the grocery store. I farmed for many years. I enjoyed your video. Brought back a lot of memories when I was a kid.

I live in Melbourne, Australia. It's a big City. There is a special farm called The Collingwood Children's Farm not far from the City itself. It's there to show children who never or hardly ever get out of the City, where food comes from and how it's grown. The kids can milk a cow, feed a baby animal and learn a bit about the farming world. Also, as a child, I went to school with a lot of kids from a children's home. An orphanage you might say. Those kids didn't know that bread didn't come with the butter already on it. When they sat down to eat, the bread on the table was already buttered. They didn't see it done and had no idea where butter came from. They just thought the bread and butter came out of the packet. They had to be taught.

Mr. Donnie, you are absolutely the best filmmaker! This was so good. I heard my Dad talk about plowing with a mule when he was a little boy. So cool. Thank you so much and I hope you are feeling stronger every day! ❤🙏 from SC, Jane

Mornin' Donnie. It's good to see ya! Have a good weekend hun.

Beautiful. I didn’t understand all that back country till I got on 3 wheeler and rode back country for 2 hours and was in awe of everything I seen tucked away. Love the videos!!!

I'm just commenting for the algorithm because you already know that we're all prayin for you and yours! Sir you're as real as real can be, and that fact shines through everything I watch of yours! God bless!!!

Hard life years ago. If we had to go back to these times, not many would survive. I'm thankful I grew up on a farm and learned this way of living.

Good morning ☀️. I really enjoyed this and brought back so many memories. Yes, life was hard back then, had very little yet so much more. They made do, worked hard, morals, values and your word meant something. As I watch this throw away society, no clue what hard work is, technology has become their lives instead of family and neighbors I realize how blessed I was to have grown up when I did. Thank you Donnie for another wonderful video❤, sending you blessings from upstate New York. Debby

Times were hard, but much simpler. We live in a world today where everything is technology. Shop has been taking out of schools, home economics in almost out of all schools, cursive writing and so many other essential classes. Fortunately, I grew up in a time before all those were taking away. I remember growing up cooking food on the wood stove. Not too long ago. That was the 70's. My mom did all the canning, made homemade jams and dried out the fruit while still working and raising a family. Those were the days. Not all kids are bad today. But a lot of them have no respect and seem ungrateful. This was excellent video Donnie!

Thanks for down-home atmosphere, peace and contentment that you offer us in your program!

Good morning 😊 I love these thank you

Donnie my friend, I always look forward to your videos and you have become one of my favorite Appalachia storytellers. Much love❤ from New England, where the Appalachian chain reaches north

Good morning Mr Donnie. And thank you for sharing another great video. Prayers are still going. You just keep on getting better now. God Bless you and your family.😘💋😍❤️☮️✨

I really enjoyed this... I'm fortunate to remember my grandma making hand-churned butter from my uncle's cows...sooo much better than what is in the store! Thanks Donnie... have a wonderful weekend 👍💐

Well brother, I'm one of the few that gets to see the real parts of at least a section of our country & thankfully that portion is the Southeast. I love the backroads & frequently travel 'em. I TRY to "get lost." The 'road less taken' is where I wanna be. Donnie, another perfect video. God bless you, my good man.

I remember a lot of these things at my grandparents house when I was a little girl. They were tenant farmers in NC. We took our baths in wash tubs. Their outhouse was in the cow pasture and I was scared of the cows. One time they came up around the outhouse when I was in there and I was yelling for someone to come get me. My favorite memory is sitting in the door of the tobacco barn while my granny worked. There was a wonderful breeze and the smell of the tobacco was wonderful.

It is such a contrast between the old days and these times we are in now Donnie...theres nothing like food cooked or baked by a wood fired stove...and those old stoves designs are beautiful...these videos of historic preservation can kindle such sweet memories with some of us.. Thank you for the video Brother.

You no Donnie I’m glad I was taught these skills I can grow it distill it hunt it so when the ‘’SHTF‘’I’ll survive hopefully awesome video friend god bless ya 😇

I think in the south everybody lived about the same way . My mother’s dad is as born in 1873 and died in 1945 . They never had electricity until right after he died . He farmed cotton with horses all his life and raised five children on that old farm . That was in north Louisiana . He had cows , and hogs that ran loose in the woods and some milk cows too . I’m 77 years old and am very familiar with everything in your video because it was still like that when I was as a kid . I loved that video because it brought back a lot of minorities of my childhood . Thanks for showing it . Keep up the good work . I look forward to every video you post .

VERY GOOD! WE ENJOY THESE OLD STORIES AND PICTURES.

Excellent story and video loved it

Thank you Donnie, well done!

Thank you for your look at the past. I enjoy remembering how our parents and grandparents worked so hard just to get by. We're the last generation to remember, first hand from people that lived those hard lives. Good memories. Thank you again for a look at the past. God bless you Donnie!

Great video, Donnie! As always.

Ty again Donnie for your fantastic and historic videos ❤

These people were full of true love. The way they had each other's back and helped each other. Perhaps the most tragic loss from the past is the knowledge of real and true love. Today people give up on each other, their family, their neighbors, too quickly because they think love is something it's not. Our American society has lost the love. God bless you and Mrs. Laws.

❤ go Donnie no words really how good it is to hear you back. Have been watching your videos over cause most of them I can never get tired of. One of my favorite is the John McCally interview ❤

Absolutely Superb Video Thank You. GOD BLESS YOU

Good afternoon Donnie so happy your back❤

I really enjoy these videos! Thank you for sharing! ❤

good morning Donnie Sure flad you are ding better Been praying for you Thank your for the hard work 😀💓💗💗💗

Thank you Donnie

What a beautiful video! Thank you.

Thanks Dannie

Hello from KY love you and your channel ❤️.Donnie another lesson in the past.Folks today don't know what hard work is. The food back then was so pure and good.We never wasted anything.Picking vegetables was back breaking but not as bad as hoeing.Pray every night for you.Keep on healing and filming.😊❤

WONDERFUL VIDEO THANKS DONNIE GOD BLESS MY FRIEND,. SO GLAD YOUR DOING BETTER .

Enjoyed your video Mr.Donnie.Hope you and your family have a wonderful weekend.

This was such a wholesome video and a great reminder of the pioneers that helped build this country. Thank you so much for sharing, and welcome back. You have been missed.

Beautiful Mr. Laws, beautiful

Happy Friday Mr Donnie! Thank you for another excellent how it used to be. Loved the maps and charts too! That population one was powerful. Thanks for the education♡ Very very well done♡

Best video ever. Donnie, how come you don't have a "thanks" on your channel?

Great show buddy I love how it used to be

Wonderful to see you back! I missed hearing your voice and watching your great videos of years gone by in the Appalachian!

Really enjoyed the video,

Wonderful video Donnie your a blessing ❤️ Shelby

God bless you Donnie.

Love the history!! Keep up the great work. Thank you sir for this channel.

Loved this morning, kinda reminded me of grandparents home

Loved it! Thank you so much!

Thanks for the video Mr. Donnie! God bless!

It was hard times but people tried to help one another. We don’t see that as much today.

This was wonderful! So many memories. I made me remember how my grandma used to fry squirrel and make gravy and biscuits on her old wood stove. I’m so blessed to have grown up in those times. God bless you, Donnie. Thank you for making my morning. ❤ (I was baptized in a lake)

It's a blessing to take a trip down memory lane and remember how hard our grandparents and those before them lived and worked. Children these days have no clue where their food comes from. And they will never know the wonderful taste of a fresh biscuit and a glass of creamy milk, straight from the cow. God bless you, Donnie, I hope you're healing well!🙏❤️

Thanks Donnie this video reminded me so much of my grandparents who Lived in Jonesville VA