Answer Man - How Long Did It Take The Pilgrims To Eat The First Thanksgiving Dinner

Summary

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Harold's Old Time Radio: "Answer Man – How Long Did It Take The Pilgrims To Eat The First Thanksgiving Dinner"

Date: April 1, 2026
Host: Albert Mitchell (moderated by Harold’s Old Time Radio)
Episode Theme: Vintage Q&A radio with a Thanksgiving focus and a variety of historical, practical, and whimsical questions from listeners.

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Episode Overview

This episode of "Answer Man" transports listeners back to the golden age of American radio, with host Albert Mitchell presenting a series of short, fact-filled, and sometimes lighthearted questions from listeners across the country. Special focus is given to Thanksgiving lore and traditions, but topics range from practical home advice and science facts to historical curiosities. The show maintains a conversational, neighborly tone throughout.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

Thanksgiving Facts & Myths

• How Long Did the Pilgrims' First Thanksgiving Dinner Last?
  • Answer: "A whole week, even with the help of the Indians."
    — The Answer Man [01:09]
• Main Foods at the First Thanksgiving
  • "The main items of food served at the first Thanksgiving Day feast were turkey, Indian pudding, and pumpkin pie."
    — The Answer Man [02:32]
• Origin and Nature of Thanksgiving’s Bumper Crop
  • "You are right. The crop was 20 acres of corn and 6 of barley and peas."
    — The Answer Man [06:41]
• First Thanksgiving Proclamation Date
  • "On the second Thursday in December, the first Thanksgiving was proclaimed by Governor Bradford to be held on December 15, 1621."
    — The Answer Man [12:07]
• Poem for Thanksgiving
  • "There are many good ones, but 'Thanksgiving' by Ellen Tupper seems to answer your question the best.
    For health and strength,
    for home and friends,
    for comfort in the time of need,
    for every kindly word and deed,
    for happy thoughts and pleasant talk,
    for guidance in our daily walk.
    For all these things, give thanks."
    — The Answer Man [13:15]

Historical Curiosities

• Folding Chairs in the 18th Century
  • "Oh yes, and before that folding stools, which were called fold stools and were not unlike the present day camp stool."
    — The Answer Man [02:15]
• Did Europeans Know Much About Arabia in the 18th Century?
  • "No. Their knowledge of Arabia was mainly based on the works of the early Greek and Latin writers such as Herodotus, Strabo, Pliny, and Ptolemy."
    — The Answer Man [05:13]
• Richard the Lionhearted and His Music Teacher
  • Fascinating recounting of the story where Richard’s music teacher, Blondel, tracked him down while imprisoned by singing a familiar song outside the castle walls.
    — The Answer Man [06:52]
• New England’s “Worst Blizzard”
  • "Those who survived it say the Blizzard of 1888...the wind at one time blew the snow at a rate of 46 miles an hour."
    — The Answer Man [05:44]

Science & Practical Home Advice

• Blind Spot in Each Eye?
  • "At the place where the optic nerve enters into the retina, there is a blind spot which is completely insensitive to light...But because the field of vision of the eyes overlaps, we are not conscious of any blindness as we look at things."
    — The Answer Man [01:52]
• Soil for Amaryllis Bulbs
  • "Use a soil mixture of 6 parts loam, 4 parts sand, and 3 parts of leaf mold. With each peck of this mixture, add a half cup of bone meal."
    — The Answer Man [01:28]
• Fighting Fireplace Odors
  • "Keep the fireplace clean, the damper closed, and wire brush the back of the fireplace to remove all the soot."
    — The Answer Man [03:21]
• Getting Cheese to Stick in Mousetraps
  • "Yes, sear the cheese with a lighted match after you've fixed it in the trap. The heat will cause the cheese to cling there by its melting and hardening again."
    — The Answer Man [06:18]
• Making Candied Sweet Potatoes Without Sugar
  • "Oh yes. For every six medium-sized sweet potatoes, use a half cup of honey, maple syrup, or corn syrup."
    — The Answer Man [12:59]
• Why Does Ammonia Help Clean Greasy Pots?
  • "The ammonia increases the alkalinity of the water, which in turn dilutes the grease."
    — The Answer Man [08:41]
• Is There a Standard Size for the Old-Fashioned Beaker?
  • "No. The old beaker varied in size but was usually of the same design, a flat bottom and sides tapering outwards from the base. They were without handles and were usually of pewter or silver."
    — The Answer Man [08:52]
• Making Drinking Glasses Easier for Toddlers
  • "Snap two wide rubber bands around the glass at the top and at the bottom...but she'll be less likely to keep on dropping it."
    — The Answer Man [10:10]

Animal Oddities and Folklore

• Daddy Long Legs: Finding Cows?
  • "You're supposed to pick up the daddy long legs and ask it where the cows are. Then when you put it down again, the daddy long legs is supposed to show the way. It doesn't work."
    — The Answer Man [03:44]
• All-White Meat Turkeys
  • "Yes, white turkeys produce all white, or at least all light meat."
    — The Answer Man [05:02]
• Do Only Rattlesnakes Vibrate Their Tails?
  • "No. The bull and fox snakes also have the characteristic of vibrating their tails..."
    — The Answer Man [12:40]
• Dachshunds: Are They Brave?
  • "They certainly are. They were originally a hunting dog, but brave enough to hunt their prey in its lair."
    — The Answer Man [10:50]

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Most Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On the length of the first Thanksgiving:
  "A whole week, even with the help of the Indians."
  — The Answer Man [01:09]
• Blunt answer to folklore:
  “It doesn't work.” (about the Daddy Long Legs finding cows)
  — The Answer Man [03:44]
• Thanksgiving sentiments:
  "For all these things, give thanks."
  — The Answer Man, quoting Ellen Tupper [13:15]

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Timestamps of Important Segments

• [01:09] – How long the first Thanksgiving dinner lasted
• [02:32] – What the Pilgrims ate at the first Thanksgiving
• [03:44] – The truth about the Daddy Long Legs cow lore
• [05:44] – The East Coast’s worst blizzard ever
• [06:41] – The Pilgrims’ bumper crop
• [06:52] – Richard the Lionhearted and Blondel
• [08:41] – How ammonia cleans grease
• [10:10] – Kid-proofing drinking glasses
• [12:07] – When and by whom the first Thanksgiving was proclaimed
• [13:15] – Reciting an appropriate Thanksgiving poem

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Episode Highlights & Tone

Albert Mitchell, acting as the warm, all-knowing Answer Man, delivers direct, practical, and sometimes humor-laced responses to a wide variety of listener questions. The tone is approachable, nostalgic, and informative, reflective of mid-century radio sensibility. A few brief moments of traditional radio advertisement jingle and banter occur, maintaining the feel of a classic family broadcast.

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Conclusion

This episode provides a charming snapshot into both mid-20th-century radio culture and the American curiosity about Thanksgiving. Listeners receive a mix of historical insight, practical advice, and everyday trivia, all wrapped in the familiar, engaging style of The Answer Man. The focus on Thanksgiving traditions, food, and myths make it especially seasonally resonant and inviting.

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Transcript

[Alex Kanchowitz]

Hi, this is Alex Kanchowitz. I'm the host of Big Technology Podcast, a longtime reporter and an on air contributor to cnbc. And if you're like me, you're trying to figure out how artificial intelligence is changing the business world and our lives. So each week on Big Technology, I bring on key actors from companies building AI tech and outsiders trying to influence it, asking where this is all going. They come from places like Nvidia, Microsoft, Amazon, and plenty more. So if you want to be smart with your wallet, your career choices, in meetings with your colleagues and at dinner parties, listen to Big Technology Podcast. Wherever you get your podcasts.

[Albert Mitchell]

This is Albert Mitchell's daytime answerman program at yout Service, a program that answers your questions and helps you out with your problems. Anyone can ask a question about anything and everyone will receive a reply, some on the air, all by mail. And now here he is, your daytime Answer Man.

[The Answer Man]

Good afternoon and Happy Thanksgiving Day to you all. Now for today's questions, here's the first

[Albert Mitchell]

from a Bridgeport, Connecticut listener. How long did it take the Pilgrims to eat the first Thanksgiving dinner?

[The Answer Man]

A whole week, even with the help of the Indians.

[Albert Mitchell]

And a Freeport, Long island woman asks, what kind of a fish is a skipjack?

[The Answer Man]

The skipjack, or Pomatoma saltitrix, is commonly known as the bluefish.

[Albert Mitchell]

Next, a Carlstadt, New Jersey woman inquires, what is a good soil to use for forcing amaryllis bulbs in the house?

[The Answer Man]

Use a soil mixture of 6 parts loam, 4 parts sand, and 3 parts of leaf mold. With each peck of this mixture, add a half cup of bone meal that nurses the amaryllis along very nicely.

[Albert Mitchell]

An Ivoryton, Connecticut woman writes, my daughter is trying to tell me that every person has a blind spot in each eye. I find this hard to believe, but thought I'd ask you to make sure. Is it true or isn't it?

[The Answer Man]

It is. At the place where the optic nerve enters into the retina, there is a blind spot which is completely insensitive to light. The spot covers a visual angle varying from 3 to 9 degrees. But because the field of vision of the eyes overlaps, we are not conscious of any blindness as we look at things.

[Albert Mitchell]

A Scarsdale, New York boy wants to know if they had folding chairs back in the 18th century.

[The Answer Man]

Oh yes, and before that folding stools, which were called fold stools and were not unlike the present day camp stool.

[Albert Mitchell]

A bride living on Staten island writes, I would like to make my first Thanksgiving Day dinner as nearly like the first one served by the Pilgrims as possible can you tell me what they ate?

[The Answer Man]

Well, the main items of food served at the first Thanksgiving Day feast were turkey, Indian pudding, and pumpkin pie.

[Albert Mitchell]

This question comes from a potsdown, Pennsylvania listener. How does the average height of a Japanese woman compare with the height of an average Japanese man?

[The Answer Man]

There's usually about 5 inches difference, the average Japanese male being 5ft 3 1/2 inches tall and the female 4ft 10 1/2 inches.

[Albert Mitchell]

A Ringo's New Jersey woman asks, do we know where Joshua of the Bible was buried?

[The Answer Man]

Yes and no. We do know that Joshua was buried on the side of Mount Ephraim on a hill called Gaash, but we've never been able to locate the hill.

[Albert Mitchell]

A note from a Yonkers woman reads, I am aware of an acrid wood odor that I think is coming from the fireplace when it's not burning. Is this possible and what should I do about it?

[The Answer Man]

It's very possible, for such an acrid odor can come from a mixture of moisture and wood ashes in the fireplace. To do away with it, keep the fireplace clean, the damper closed, and wire brush the back of the fireplace to remove all the soot.

[Albert Mitchell]

An Ossening New York youngster inquires, how are you supposed to get a Daddy Long legs to show you where the cows are and does it work?

[The Answer Man]

Well, you're supposed to pick up the daddy Long legs and ask it where the cows are. Then when you put it down again, the daddy Long legs is supposed to show the way. It doesn't work.

[Albert Mitchell]

Now for a message about Grape Nuts flakes.

[Grape Nuts Flakes Announcer]

Grape Nuts Flakes have something new. They're sugar roasted.

[Grape Nuts Flakes Singer]

Yum yum, yum, yum, yum. My Jiminy Grape Nuts Flakes are good by Jiminy Sugar roasted New and better. They're richer now in sweet malt sugar. Sugar roasted good by Jiminy Grape Nuts Flakes. Yum, yum, My yimini.

[Grape Nuts Flakes Announcer]

Yes, the new Grape Nuts Flakes are even better than ever before. They're sugar roasted. Yes, roasted in sweet malt sugar. Delicious golden sweet malt sugar. To make that flavor even richer, to make that double barrel goodness extra good, Try the new Grape Nuts Flakes. They're sugar roasted.

[Grape Nuts Flakes Singer]

Yum, yum, yum, yum, yum. My Yimini. Grape Nuts flakes are good by Jiminy. Sugar roasted New and better. They're richer now in sweet malt sugar. Sugar roasted. Goodbye, Jiminy Grape Nuts Flakes. Yum, yum, My yimini.

[Grape Nuts Flakes Announcer]

Ask for the new Grape Nuts Flakes. They're sugar roasted.

[Albert Mitchell]

Now back to the answer man, a Brooklyn woman asks, is there such a thing as a turkey with all white meat?

[The Answer Man]

Yes, white turkeys produce all white, or at least all light meat.

[Albert Mitchell]

And a Pelham man, a New York student inquires, did the people of Europe have much knowledge of Arabia in the 18th century?

[The Answer Man]

No. Their knowledge of Arabia was mainly based on the works of the early Greek and Latin writers such as Herodotus, Strabo, Pliny, and Ptolemy.

[Albert Mitchell]

A Prospect Plains, New Jersey, housewife wants to know how she can protect some shelves of canned and preserved foods.

[The Answer Man]

You might tack a piece of oil cloth on the edge of each shelf so that it hangs down over the contents of the shelf below. This will keep harmful light and heat from the canned and preserved foods.

[Albert Mitchell]

This question comes from a Philadelphia listener, what was the worst blizzard the east has ever suffered?

[The Answer Man]

Those who survived it say the Blizzard of 1888. The Blizzard blew from March 11 to March 14, with New York and Philadelphia being the city's hardest hit. The wind at one time blew the snow at a rate of 46 miles an hour.

[Albert Mitchell]

A Stanford, Connecticut man asks in English slang, what is a downy cove?

[The Answer Man]

A very wily and crafty individual.

[Albert Mitchell]

And a woman writes from Passaic, New Jersey, we're carrying on our annual feud with the mice. As always, they're stealing the cheese and leaving the trap unsprung. Is there any way we can treat the cheese so the mice can't steal it?

[The Answer Man]

Yes, sear the cheese with a lighted match after you've fixed it in the trap. The heat will cause the cheese to cling there by its melting and hardening again. And the odor of heated cheese should be even more enticing to the mice.

[Albert Mitchell]

A letter from a Largemont, New York listener reads, as I remember it, the first Thanksgiving was a celebration of a bumper crop the Pilgrims had harvested. Am I right? And what was the crop?

[The Answer Man]

You are right. The crop was 20 acres of corn and 6 of barley and peas.

[Albert Mitchell]

A Brooklyn boy inquires, is it true that Richard the Lion Hearted was once saved by his music teacher?

[The Answer Man]

It is. His name was Blondel. And while Richard was prisoner of the Duke of Austria, Blondel traveled through Palestine and all parts of Germany, searching for his master. Finally he heard that a famous prisoner was confined in Durenstein Castle. Placing himself under a tower of the castle, Blondel began to sing one of the French lays which he had formerly composed for Richard. Scarcely had he finished the first stanza when a voice from the dungeon of the tower took up the melody. Thus Blondel discovered his king, returned to England, obtained Richard's ransom and set him free. He was always known thereafter as the Faithful Blondel.

[Albert Mitchell]

Before the next question, an announcement about Colgate Dental Cream.

[Grape Nuts Flakes Singer]

Brush your teeth with Colgate. Colgate Devil Cream. It cleans your breath.

[Albert Mitchell]

Water toothpaste.

[Grape Nuts Flakes Singer]

Water cleans your teeth.

[Grape Nuts Flakes Announcer]

Colgate toothpaste cleans your breath.

[Albert Mitchell]

Water toothpaste.

[Grape Nuts Flakes Singer]

Water cleans your teeth.

[Grape Nuts Flakes Announcer]

And no other toothpaste does a better job of cleaning your teeth than Colgate Dental Cream. Colgate safe polishing agent cleans your teeth gently and safely. Brings out their natural sparkle and beauty and.

[The Answer Man]

And scientific tests prove that Colgate Dental Cream cleans your breath while it cleans your teeth. Prove conclusively that in 7 out of 10 cases that originate in the mouth, Colgate Dental Cream instantly. Yes, instantly sweetens breath.

[Grape Nuts Flakes Announcer]

So don't take unnecessary chances. Use Colgate Dental Cream twice a day and before every date to clean your breath while you clean your teeth.

[Grape Nuts Flakes Singer]

So brush your teeth with Colgate. Colgate Dental Cream. It cleans your breath.

[Albert Mitchell]

Water toothpaste.

[Grape Nuts Flakes Singer]

Water cleans your teeth.

[Albert Mitchell]

Now here's the next question a Manhattan homemaker asks. Why does a little ammonia in dishwater make the grease come off pots and pans easier?

[The Answer Man]

The ammonia increases the alkalinity of the water, which in turn dilutes the grease.

[Albert Mitchell]

And a Spotswood, New Jersey listener wants to know if there is any standard size for the old fashioned beaker.

[The Answer Man]

No. The old beaker varied in size but was usually of the same design, a flat bottom and sides tapering outwards from the base. They were without handles and were usually of pewter or silver.

[Albert Mitchell]

A man writes from Great Neck, Long Island. Please tell me if it's all right to apply putty against bare wood.

[The Answer Man]

No, because the oil in the putty is absorbed, and this leaves the putty brittle and crumbling. Before any putty is applied, the wood should be given a coat of linseed oil or of thin paint to seal the pores.

[Albert Mitchell]

A note from a Mamaroneck, New York housewife reads, please tell me if the early colonists learned how to make cranberry sauce from the Indians or if the Indians learned how from the white settlers.

[The Answer Man]

Neither each knew how before they met the other. When the pilgrim settlers arrived in this country, they found the Indians making a cranberry sauce with maple syrup, while the people of Europe had learned to make cranberry sauce with sugar from the Scandinavians.

[Albert Mitchell]

A young man of Philadelphia writes, the other day I heard an old New Englander talking about frost fish. What fish was that?

[The Answer Man]

It could have been several, but most likely it was The Tom Cod. Tom cods come when the fall frost comes.

[Albert Mitchell]

Here's a letter from a Hohokus, New Jersey mother which reads, my three year old daughter has trouble holding a drinking glass, yet she insists on using one. How can I fix the glass so she won't drop it?

[The Answer Man]

Snap two wide rubber bands around the glass at the top and at the bottom. Then the glass can slide in your daughter's hands, but she'll be less likely to keep on dropping it.

[Albert Mitchell]

A New York City woman writes, I was lucky enough to get a new gas refrigerator. On it are the letters A G A. What do they mean?

[The Answer Man]

American Gas Association. The letters are placed there to indicate that your gas refrigerator meets the standards of construction and performance developed by the aga, which have been adopted by the ASA, or American Standards Association.

[Albert Mitchell]

A young man writes from Suwaran, New Jersey, I have a dachshund dog, and my friend says that dachshunds aren't brave. And I say they are too. Aren't they?

[The Answer Man]

They certainly are. They were originally a hunting dog, but brave enough to hunt their prey in its lair.

[Albert Mitchell]

Now for a message about Bird's Eye frosted foods.

[Grape Nuts Flakes Singer]

Hello, Ms. Cates?

[The Answer Man]

Yeah, this is Clem down at the telegram office. He got a funny kind of message for you.

[Grape Nuts Flakes Singer]

Who's it from, Clem?

[The Answer Man]

It's from your husband. He says, we'll be home in time for dinner. Don't forget to say, what does that mean, Ms. Cates?

[Grape Nuts Flakes Singer]

Why, Clem, it means, get bird's eye.

[Grape Nuts Flakes Announcer]

Yes, folks, let that whistle remind you always to get bird's eye. For example, get Bird's eye French style green beans, they're luscious green beans picked in their prime, sliced French style and quick frozen to keep their summer freshness for your dinner plate. They're stringless, too, ready to cook and serve. Make a note right now to get Bird's eye French style Green beans, the best you ever tasted are your money bag. But remember, it can't be the same

[Grape Nuts Flakes Singer]

if it ain't got that name. Get Bird's Eye. Bird's Eye Frosted Foods.

[Albert Mitchell]

Now back to the answer man. A Paoli, Pennsylvania listener asks, Was the very first Thanksgiving proclaimed on the 3rd, 4th, or 5th Thursday in November?

[The Answer Man]

On the second Thursday in December, the first Thanksgiving was proclaimed by Governor Bradford to be held on December 15, 1621.

[Albert Mitchell]

And a young man living in Platinum, Connecticut, writes to inquire, why is the town of Blue Earth out in Minnesota called that? Certainly not because it has blue dirt.

[The Answer Man]

Really? Because it's situated along the Blue Earth River. It's the river that was named because of the blue green clay along its banks.

[Albert Mitchell]

A Cobleskilled New York man wants to know if the rattlesnake is the only snake that vibrates its tail when excited.

[The Answer Man]

No. The bull and fox snakes also have the characteristic of vibrating their tails to give warning, but since they have no rattles on the end of them, they seldom make any noise except to rustle the grass or leaves which they're lying in.

[Albert Mitchell]

And a young bride living in Scotch Plains, New Jersey asks, could I make candied sweet potatoes without using sugar?

[The Answer Man]

Oh yes. For every six medium sized sweet potatoes you wish to candy, use a half cup of honey, maple syrup or corn syrup.

[Albert Mitchell]

Here's a question from a Mount Vernon, New York woman. Do you know that poem that tells us what to be thankful for on Thanksgiving Day that you could read for us?

[The Answer Man]

There are many good ones, but Thanksgiving by Ellen Tupper seems to answer your question the best. It goes for health and strength, for home and friends, for comfort in the time of need, for every kindly word and deed, for happy thoughts and pleasant talk, for guidance in our daily walk. For all these things, give thanks.

[Albert Mitchell]

If you'd like help with a particular problem, the answer to a question that's puzzling, you just write a note to The Answer Man, Wor, NY 18. Please enclose a stamped addressed envelope. Ask any question you wish, and provided it has a definite answer that's not of a personal nature and does not violate professional ethics, you will get the answer by mail and without charge. Write The Answer Man, Wor, NY 18. Tomorrow midday at 12:45, we'll be back with the answers to more of your questions. And what are some of those questions going to be?

[The Answer Man]

Well, among them will be which fish eats other fish from the inside out? How can you make sticky windows slide more easily? What's a simple way to perk up an oyster stew? Was the fiddleback chair copied from a fiddle? And where was it once against the law to run after a streetcar?

[Albert Mitchell]

So join us again tomorrow midday at 12:45 for Albert Mitchell's daytime answer man program. And remember the evening Answer man tonight at 7:15.

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