This building was built in 1868 from local brick. As the name infers, this kitchen was run by a boss named Shoup. It was also Setzer's Kitchen at one time. In my research, I have often found the name Shoup and Schaup interchanged depending on the source. I have to admit that I haven't delved very deeply in this subject. My instinct tells me that the name was changed at some point in time from Schaup to Shoup. I may be wrong about this, and if I am please correct me. I mean no disrespect by that!
This building was the first one in South to stop being a kitchen. This was within the living memory of my oma (grandmother). Most of the information that I am using came from her. She lived in the old, communal ways for a third of her life. She is now 96 and still sharp as a tack! I also received assistance from the Amana Heritage Society. They provided me with an opportunity to guide a tour of South Amana a few years ago. Some of the information that they provided me has found its way into these pages. They also provided a number of pictures. A big thank you to my family and the Heritage Society!
As I mentioned above, this was the first kitchen to pass into history. This happened about 1921. There was a large kitchen garden on the south side of the house. These gardens supplied the villages, and more specifically the kitchens, with almost all of their vegetarian needs. There was a large communal garden, but each of the kitchens had their own. There was also a yearly routine when it came to planting. One of the things I remember about gardening as a child was not understanding my oma when she would say things like "The moon isn't right" or "It's just not time yet". Evidently there were ways of knowing these things. I wasn't privy to that information. I just knew that you couldn't plant things until everything, including the moon, was as it should be! When things were finally right, onions, tomatoes, lettuce, and tobacco were the first things planted. The latter three of these were "started" in winter. Tobacco was not grown in most of the communal gardens. However, many people grew their own tobacco. This was dried and made into cigars or pipe tobacco.
I said "started" because these things needed longer growing seasons to reach maturity. They could have been started in two ways. The first was in a box outside. This was usually in a sheltered spot. It had four solid walls that looked much like a sand box frame. Atop this would be placed a window. This formed a sort of miniature green house with a mulch (usually chicken manure mixed with hay) inside for the plants. The other way was to have them in a shop or basement window. These things were transferred outside as early as the weather would permit. Usually this was in the early part of April.
Other crops would follow. Also in April, potatoes, squash, cucumber, melons,and garlic were planted. Often times individuals planted garlic around trees in the hope of keeping away pests! Things like corn, carrots, beets, and beans of all sorts went in around May. Ground cherries and strawberries began with warm weather. This regiment still holds true today in many local, private gardens. I know my parents manage to meet most of their needs with their garden.
This planting ritual held true throughout the villages. I think that each person, the kitchen bosses in particular, had their own ideas about when to plant things. This made a friendly competition between kitchens. Everyone still was working for the collective, though. This ideal was ingrained from infancy. It is still prevalent today, even though many of the family members had no first hand experience with "the old ways"!