Maybe those spices were good because they don't spoil as easily as something like dill or basil? Or were they used for trading perhaps? Not to mention being strong enough to mask the taste of not-so-good food. Excellent points. And I suppose 1000 lbs of flour isn't all that much for a family of five. I was just thinking about the poor oxen having to haul all that weight, along with their pianos, book collections and various family heirlooms.
It took a brave person to venture forth into the unknown like that.
It sure did. I am amazed at the fortitude and courage of the pioneers who settled the west.
Once pioneers arrived, they were sent to even more desolate places throughout the state to establish colonies. Here's one in the western part of the state - Delta.
A lot of them are desert and salt flats with a river an green in the middle, like this one (There are more pictures like this one at http://www.freepstuff.com/frisco.html)