Cattle and the Cow Hunter Tradition
Cattle ranching was particularly important. Spanish explorers had introduced cattle to Florida in the 1500s, and by the 1700s wild herds roamed the prairies. Cracker cow hunters rounded up these herds, driving them through swamps and pine forests. The whip—never intended to strike the animals but to snap through the air—became the iconic tool of the trade. The museum highlights these practices, preserving saddles, bridles, and whip handles that embody the cow hunter’s craft.
Farming the Land
Cracker families raised hogs, chickens, and goats, while planting corn, squash, and sugar cane. Cane grinding and syrup making were important seasonal activities, often turning into community events. The museum demonstrates such techniques, sometimes staging reenactments of syrup boiling to connect modern audiences with the rhythm of agrarian life.
Foodways and Self-Sufficiency
Food at a Cracker homestead was not merely sustenance but a reflection of resourcefulness. Hunting and fishing supplemented farming, with deer, turkey, and freshwater fish forming part of the diet. Preservation methods were crucial—smoking, salting, and drying ensured supplies through lean months.
The museum often emphasizes these culinary traditions, with displays of cast iron cookware, butter churns, and syrup kettles. They illustrate how Cracker families relied on ingenuity, making do with what the land provided, in contrast to the imported delicacies enjoyed in St. Augustine’s wealthier circles. shutdown123