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Harsh Winters are reality in Minnesota - How many on Little House?

posted 5 years ago by xanthas (3215)
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I have been wondering how many Little House episodes actually take place in any other season but summer. I can think of a couple of holiday episodes, and the one where the school kids are caught in a sudden blizzard. But for the most part, this series only takes place in the warm weather months. I'm guessing that in Minnesota (where the show takes place) there are about 3-5 months (top) per year that would be as sunny and warm as Little House episodes appear to be.

Yesterday I watched the episode where we learn that Albert has supposedly been living under someone's porch for 3 years. Seriously? In Minnesota? Where the temperature routinely drops below zero in the winter months?! Come on!!

[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

Shhh. Don't tell anybody but it's really Simi Valley in LA. Allison Arngrim has said they would be decked out in winter gear for their costumes but the temperature would be in the 90's!

[–] xanthas (3215) 5 years ago

Yes, I know this. But they could have at least PRETENDED it was taking place in Minnesota.

[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

I agree there shpuld be more winter episodes. When they occasionally did them, the shortcuts taken were rather obvious with fake snow and ice, as in the Christmas eve blizzard episode

[–] xanthas (3215) 5 years ago

There was an entire Laura Ingalls Wilder book called "The Long Winter," which was about how one particular winter in Walnut Grove was so terrible that the trains couldn't make it into town for several months and the townspeople almost starved to death. But I guess this story would have been too big a downer for the TV series.

[–] AlfredTheGreat (471) 5 years ago

Seems kind of odd given Walnut Grove was a farming community and grew wheat which is a basic staple. Bread day after day would get boring but a person could survive on bread. The farmers also grew rooted crops such as potatoes, carrots, and onions. People such as Mrs Olsen would have to swallow her pride to barter with the farmers. If the people could make it to church then they could trade with one another.

[–] xanthas (3215) 2 years ago

Wheat/Bread are definitely staples, but if that's all you have to eat, you would eventually run out of it.

[–] JosephQCat (706) 2 years ago

You can get a LOT of bread out of a bushel of wheat. As shown on the series there were few that did not farm in Walnut Grove. People such as the Olsen's and Doc Baker for example. Even if they shipped some wheat out to sell ahead of winter they would normally hold enough back for normal use. If the winter was hard enough I could see where it wiped out livestock such as cattle, pigs, and poultry. That game would not be as available to hunt. Maybe a poor prior season for vegetables to harvest. All those things would combine to use wheat at a faster rate but they did survive as Ingalls stated. Anyways, conditions that I hope I never have to endure.

[–] AlfredTheGreat (471) 5 years ago

A series that would have been done much better if not filmed during the 1970's to network standards. If done today it would be shot most likely in British Columbia Canada where cold weather would be readily available. I did not know better as a kid but once I read up on Minnesota the farms depicted on the show were very disappointing and screamed Southern California.

[–] doctorc1970 (281) 2 years ago

Living not too far from Walnut Grove (I'm close to Mankato)..... I only wish Southern Minnesota looked like it does on LHOTP. Flat. No topography. Corn and soybean just about everywhere. In winter it's just white and gray and it lasts forever. Nothing at all like the television series.

[–] xanthas (3215) 2 years ago

I also remember there was an episode where the Ingalls and Olsen families went on camping trip together. Rocky mountains were prominently displayed. The show didn't strive at all for geographical accuracy.