A FARMER'S DIARY

 by CHARLES HENRY CUSHMAN

 Submitted by Max B Cushman

 JULY 1895

From Book #1 - dated at Annawan, Illinois.

01 I shocked rye in fornoon after dinner we both plowed corn.

02 Plowed corn all day and finished, took Bill Jim & Dazie over to the pasture at night Nell & Johnnie was here today selling extracts

03 Went to Kewanee after potatoes. Bowen come over and fixed the wind mill. Jack went to Annawan at night.

04 July the Fourth. We went to Rockfellows had ice cream.

05 I hoed potatoes and trimmed hedge. Jack did not come home untill tonight went down to Modests to have him help stack my rye tomorrow.

06 Modest & Ben helped me stack rye all day. Jack went to Annawan at night I paid him $10

07 Sunday we stayed at home all day had quite a windstorm and a little rain in after noon

08 Jack and I trimmed hedge in the fornoon after dinner I commenced cutting John F. oats They finished stacking my rye and commenced on Modests rye.

09 Jack helped Modest stack rye all day they got done I finished cutting John's oats

10 I commenced cutting my oats Jack shocked.

11 We cut & shocked oats all day.

12 Went out to cut oats in the morning broke my binder so I had to go to town. Jack trimmed hedge. Cut oats all afternoon.

13 Cut oats all day.

14 Sunday stayed at home all day. John & Em was here a little while in afternoon Had a big rain at night just the thing for corn.

15 Jack trimmed hedge in fornoon too wet to cut oats. Cut oats all after noon

16 Cut oats all day had another big rain at night.

17 Too wet to cut oats we trimmed hedge & cut weeds.

18 Trimmed hedge in forenoon. After dinner cut & shocked oats. Lydia went to town with Myrt. It rained very hard at night.

19 Plowed a little patch for turnips and finished cutting oats in the after noon

20 Lydia & I went to Kewanee Jack shocked oats

21 Stayed at home all day. C. Folsom was here in morning Modest come up a little while too. Myrt came up in the eve and stayed all night. Jack went home.

22 Jack quit this morning to go with thrashing machine. We settled up and I owe him just $90.70. I set my bundles out to dry this forenoon. Helped Kimerling thrash all afternoon.

23 Helped Perry Rose thrash in fornoon, cut oats for Modest after noon

24 Helped Stone thrash all day, George Mesmore got load of corn. Wagon weighed 1120 lb Load 3400

25 Finished thrashing at Stones, went to George M. and thrashed the rest of day.

26 Finished at Mesmores and went to P.DeWitts at noon finished there at night. Big wind

27 Rained so we could not thrash went to Kewanee after noon.

28 Went over and got the horses & brought them home Jack & Billie was here. John F. paid me five dollars for cutting oats. Johns family was here

29 Jack come up after team, went over to Fathers to fix fence Bur went with him Modest & I raised the old house up.

30 Helped Charlie Eyer thrash untill noon came home and worked around house afternoon. Lydia went to Kewanee after bread for thrashers she brought Ella home with her Jake brought the team home at night

31 Went after hands to help thrash in forenoon after dinner Modest and I loaded up four loads of oats to thrash in morning The thrashers come tonight.