although the first year and book from this poetry project are still going to be a part of talks for a while, since the second volume won't come out until autumn in 2016, and poetry readings for specific group audiences are still happening into this spring, it's exciting to share the news of the first interview for year two of this effort.
betty kunkel of hamburg borough worked in three different knitting mills in her hometown during the 1950s and 1960s. born in 1939, she is the beloved aunt of sherry fuhrmann who owns pure wild tea, a mint tea operation in upper tulphehocken township outside of the bernville area.
kunkel remembers that she initially struggled in using scissors as a belt sewer because she is left-handed, and most scissors are made for those who are right-handed. she sewed the waistbands of underwear for men and boys, including the tags noting size.
and she recalls that at two of the mills, music played on loudspeakers. she sang along to tunes by classic country performers like patsy cline.
with no place to heat up food at these jobs, kunkel packed cold chicken sandwiches and sometimes summer bologna sandwiches. her family did their own butchering on their farm, so her bites at lunchtime were not from a grocery store, like so much poultry and meat today.
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hamburg knitting mill's former building on pine street in the borough.
dutching knitting mill, a smaller operation compared to hamburg
knitting mill, sat in a building which faces fourth street.
burkey knitting mill, like hamburg knitting mill, sat on pine street.
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