Dickie Hudson Highlights Farmers' Experience During the War

Our interview with Dickie Hudson gave us the unique perspective of what a typical farming family in Kent County went through during the war.  While residents living directly in Chestertown were more directly affected by rationing, the Hudson family were much more secluded on their farm and didn’t see their way of life impacted too much by the new wartime restrictions.  The family was self-sufficient on the farm and therefore were not dependent on goods from town. In fact, Hudson recalls that the family only ever went into Chestertown on Saturday nights where young Dickie would use his weekly salary of 25 cents to go to the movies and buy a bag of candy.  

As farmers, Hudson says the family was exempt from some of the strict gas rationing policies and were able to get 3 or 4 more gallons per week than most Chestertown residents.  While some farmers were also exempt from the draft so that they could stay to tend the land, Dickie’s brother, Monroe, enlisted in the Marine Corps.  Luckily though, Monroe never saw combat and instead was stationed stateside where he became a flight instructor.  

Through Dickie Hudson we learned a lot about the differences between townspeople in Chestertown and local farmers during the war.  It seems that the farmers were more isolated and were not exposed to air raid drills and blackouts.  These differing experiences will be something to inquire about in future interviews.

-Joseph Swit