farbiness at it's finest

[yellowthornoftexas]

.

 

[Yankeedave]

when you are not looking the hard cores are off at the carnival eating five hamburgers.

 

[AndyHall]

. . . with two bags of Arby's and four large drinks in plastic cups!!!! . . . oh life was so rough back then

To be fair, Arby's is pretty bad. Just be glad the dysentery probably didn't kick in 'til they got home.

 

[James B White]

Seeing how this was my first 'campaigner' event, I strived to be as accurate as possible. Having a missus that is radical about my health, lol, no hardtack and bacon was allowed! LOL BUT, bless her heart, she did pre-cook some items and put them in mason jars (a very nice lady gave me the food while out foraging...LOL), which I kept hidden in a farby ice chest covered by a tarp in the company tent.... Seeing these guys come up with the 'fast' food was quite discouraging. Especially since the same unit had a huge canvas camp complete with thier company mess!!!

At the campaigner events I've been to, one portrays men on campaign, carrying everything on their backs, camping in a different place each night. This doesn't sound like that.

Edited to add, I think a lot of reenactors get an idea of what they think campaigners are by seeing those who call themselves campaigners, at mainstream events. In fact, what they're seeing are the reenactors who aren't at actual campaign events because they're more comfortable in a mainstream environment.

Not that I haven't seen what I consider raging farbism at campaign events--constant modern talk, constant picture taking, that kind of thing.

 

[Yankeedave]

the civil war diet and arby's seems to have had they same results.

 

[Yankeedave]

and whatever equipment they rolled over.

 

[7th Mississippi Infantry]

I think it's time for this classic meme,

 

[Yankeedave]

or god's way of saying victory is yours. And no slight was intended when i started out and said the Texans rolled over some serious yankee equipment.

 

[Yankeedave]

cnt do with a full tummy and set of teeth, altho i think that guy was my commander

 

[Rebel_Giratina]

the civil war diet and arby's seems to have had they same results.

No sir, if you *really* want some *added* authenticity before a reenactment, you want to eat Taco Bell.

 

[FarawayFriend]

From the point of view of the audience who wants to get an image of how it must have been then I think it is extremely shameful that the impression was so destroyed. I always found it thrilling to ask a reenactor about something and get an answer in the way people would have talked then. At Appomattox we were even told that we should not ask for being allowed to take "photos" but to take the "likeness" of somebody. And if you had used a word that did not exist then, then the reeaactor would raise an eyebrow and say "I don't know what that is?". I always liked that a lot.
This being said, may I ask an ignorant's question? Why is canvas farby? What would have been the correct fabric for tents?

 

[MaryDee]

Because of the smaller numbers, I don't think you'll find a west coast event that isn't "mainstream. " I certainly find that true in the Pacific Northwest. However, there are a number of us who do try to be as authentic as we can. The "civilian street" for our group has mostly wall tents, wood stoves, etc. However, we treat these as our permanent "homes" even though they're canvas instead of wood or brick. A number will floor their tents with carpets and use double beds with authentic looking quilts. We eat from earthenware or china, not tin, since we are not soldiers!

In the past, I've had to patronize the food vendors at events because I didn't yet have my period cooking gear. It's pretty hard to disguise a latte (this is, after all, the Northwest, where a morning espresso drink is the essential food!) or a hamburger as period food, but I at least tried to consume them from period-correct utensils.

Of course the mere presence of wives, children, grandparents at a military encampment other than winter quarters is farby right there! Some civilian groups pretend to be a nearby town; others, like my group, pretend to be at home. In actual 1863 life, we wouldn't be there at all, or would be cowering in nearby cellars!

If your group or subgroup tries to be as authentic as you can, that's about as good as you can hope for. The umbrella organization, though, should at least ask those whose farbism is blatant (such as the Arby's customers) to tone it down a bit. If they go too far, though, the farby folks will scream "stitch Nazis" and quit. It's pretty hard to please everyone!

BTW, those big east coast events are plenty farby, too. Even the events that claim higher standards don't enforce them (example--the BGA 150th Gettysburg). The truly authentic campaigner events are quite small.

 

[7thWisconsin]

I don't have a problem with reenactors eating fast food, just don't bring it, or the wrappers, back to camp. I feel the same about modern bedding. My event is not ruined by your mummy bag; but it should be stowed at first light. I'm pretty progressive and campaigner style, but I appreciate the spectrum of reenactors. A sad truth seems to be that whatever level people, or units, start in, they stay in without titanic effort to change. I was sharing a fire a couple years ago with a very mainstream unit, and they're messing style was very mainstream: women cooking, huge fire pit, with a grate, cast iron cookware, etc. They served up a very nice chicken with rice and broccoli cheese thing. One of the new woman was telling her story: "when I started two years ago, I didn't know anything, and they've been teaching me how to do things right. Now look at me cooking over a fire!" Wisdom kept my tongue behind my teeth, and I refrained from telling her that the Girl Scouts (or Guides, for you out-of-towners) could have taught her the same thing. However, I was very encouraging when she was watching me boil up some potatoes, fry some side meat and toast crackers for dinner. She was full of questions, and amazed that I could cook on a shovel full of coals. I don't do my hobby with evangelistic fervor; as a progressive you just can't stand around puffing and blowing at anachronisms. But I am amazed at how hard we make living in the past for a couple days.

 

[nextcity]

I am glad to see that the Reenactment community really do use phrases such as "farb" and "hardcore." Is it all right to use "Civil Wargasm" on this site?

 

[Chattahooch33]

I don't mind the Arby's as much as I hate seeing someone sitting there in Timberland boots, modern eyeglasses, and in a goofy hat from sutler row.
At least Arby's isn't attempting to be authentic

 

[Frito]

No sir, if you *really* want some *added* authenticity before a reenactment, you want to eat Taco Bell.

Taco Bell is fine...... But if your going for authenticity try a Allsups Burrito,then wait for the Texas Two-step to kick in LOL

 

[Northern Light]

I think it's time for this classic meme,
View attachment 81396

The belly, I'm sure, is caused by intestinal distress caused by bad food or malnutrition. (or Arby's!)

 

[M.Warren]

I don't mind the Arby's as much as I hate seeing someone sitting there in Timberland boots, modern eyeglasses, and in a goofy hat from sutler row.
At least Arby's isn't attempting to be authentic

I thought I was hardcore, but obviously not as much as you, lol. Personally I'd rather see effort than blatant disregard. However, If someone went and bought Timberland, and Ray-bans for example, thats not effort its stupidity, when the good authentic gear would have been more affordable. I'd also have to consider the idea that if they already had those items that, One, they could afford to gear up, or Two, their priorities were FUBAR.

 

[ole]

Now, what about quilts? Would a quilt be considered "Farby"? Missus picked up a couple at a second hand store for me.

Rest assured that someone will identify the quilt as a 1920's pattern.

I imderstamd the quest for authenticity, but the stitch Nazis (is that Godwining?) do kinda put a damper on the fun.

I'm guessing that most reenactors are in it for the fun.

 

[Allie]

7th Wisconsin, so true. I agree, I wouldn't have had a problem if they had gone into the tent, and attempted to 'hide' it from the visitors. Like I said earlier, my 'foraged' food was hidden in a SMALL ice chest (actually it was like a soft work lunch box with dry ice in it) hidden in the Company tent. We had orders from the Bde Commander at officers call to make sure the camp was 'de-farbed' by 8:30am. Also, true, my event isn't ruined by the mummybag, as long as it's tucked away in daylight hours. The 'kids' from the Osage Bn (yes, I said that) had their farb hidden under burlap. And the cooking, yes, our civilian ladies do the same, both in the camps and in the civilian area. I will say that mostly cast iron is used, dutch ovens, etc. Fire pits, yes, as dry as we are this year, I'm surprised they even allowed camp fires.
As I mentioned earlier, The Rose put my vittles in mason jars, so as I was cooking up some lunch, with visitors walking around, I'd dumped my taters, and meat into the pan. People asked about it and I simply explained that while out foraging, a kind lady who was sympathetic to us poor old starving (HA yeah, right,...ME starving! LOL) cause, gave me some of her food from the cellar. I had a carrot, tater and onion sitting there also. I even went so far as to find the correct apple!! LOL. Off season I'll be making some hardtack, and some jerky (I know, farb, but, it's homemade) to keep in my haversack to munch on. Parched corn and peas as well.

If you pretend your jerky was made by some of your guys who stole the corpse of a mule killed by artillery from the disposal crew, it's 100% authentic.