The Sandburg Family Eating Breakfast
Photograph by John Vachon

The dining room was a special experience at Connemara. Food planted, grown, harvested and cooked here was also consumed here. The family raised chickens, pigs, and Black Angus steer. The mid-day meal often consisted of a meat, two vegetables, fresh dark bread, goat's milk butter, cheese, milk, and a salad picked fresh. A soup or stew, Carl Sandburg's favorite meal, was eaten in the evening. The family would gather at the table and fill the room with talk about their day. Stories told and stories heard. Often, Mr. and Mrs. Sandburg would linger long after dinner talking about politics or the world news, having just seen Edward R. Murrow's live news broadcast on the Zenith television tucked into the corner of the room.
Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site, CARL 111980