Every grocery store sells ordinary yeast, which I've always had fine results with. Get regular Fleishman's Yeast or Red Star Yeast, straight from the grocery store in those little packets (three packets sold together - unless you're an oddball like me always buying organic, sugar free products at Whole Foods).
She does use an unusual method to prove the yeast. Usually you do that in a separate bowl to ensure that it will grow and not waste your bread ingredients on dead or stale yeast. She asks you to put the ingredients in a well in the dry ingredients. I'd take the yeast, a quarter of the milk and a quarter of the sugar and proof it in a separate bowl. Wait ten minutes to see if it bubbles, then if all is well, put the yeast mixture in the flour well and continue from there adding the rest of the milk and sugar to the flour mixture.
Good thing bread is so forgiving.
Please let us know if you have more questions. Granny, any additional thoughts, or have I missed anything?
I’m not sure what she means by her neighbor providing fresh yeast. <<<
I think she might be talking about everlasting yeast.
There is the cake yeast, dry yeast, sour dough starter and a sponge yeast and everlasting.
I think the everlasting is what the pioneers used, it is like a sourdough, but not allowed to sour.
I know that my mom did not buy little packets of yeast, when we were kids, I have seen her use cakes of yeast.
Some where on this thread, I posted a bunch of stuff about everlasting yeast.
LOL, I am more asleep than awake, but here it is, a quick glance shows it was the Pioneer’s yeast: