A FARMER'S DIARY by CHARLES HENRY CUSHMAN Submitted by Max B Cushman MARCH 1898
01 Helped Conklin move snowed all day Irve's here at night and went to Rink in Annawan Jack Ella Lydia and Burr went too I stayed at Home snowing yet at night 02 Went to Annawan Went to W.B. Shaws at night Maurer here to buy hay nice day sleighing most gone Ed Mapes had Sale Pola VanLarken loaded Car for Michigan We drove Broncos to School 03 Hauled load of Hay to Maurter nice day thawing Maurer here to see about Hay shot two Rabbits for Dog and Cats 04 Went to Annawan nice day 05 Went to Annawan saw Mr Napp nice day Burr and I went to Exhibition at Schoolhouse heard Tuck dead 06 Wunday went to Fathers nice day Burr stayed 07 Went and Helped Ralph Kemore dig for a Fox didn't get it but saw it nice day but muddy frost most out crick out of banks Howard Batten here to sell oil Ralph here Wester went by toward the West 08 Tipped and sorted Seed corn, ditched and cleaned water out of stable thawed wind in south nice clear day Jack went to town 09 Went to town got some groceries and took some Harness to town and left it to be fixed, and I got some repairs for Harrow sprinkled a little awful muddy, wind turned from South to North West, it has been in South for a week we husked some fodder this morning. Booth went by Haxby killed 4 Hogs man living in Hayes House J. McChesney told me he had sold his farm to Pont 10 Went down to Ralph's for him to help us dig out some Skunks we got four all in one hole got them West of the Barn, then we went over in Dewitts field but couldnt find any Lydia and Ella went to Irves nice day rained at night, somebody here in buggy while we were gone dry enough to sow oats in some fields saw Wiley Brazel he says the President has declared War against Spain for destroying our Battle Ship Maine 11 Chored around all Day Jack went to town Mrs Rocky here nice day 12 Finished husking fodder. Jack went to Fathers and got Burr. Man here peddling range stoves Cloudy fore noon sleet and rain after noon. Snow at night awful muddy 13 Irves here nice day snowed all night last night all gone now 14 Chopped treetop up fore noon. went to town after noon got some pieces of Harness that Perry fixed had it charged 3.00 got sack flour paid 1.55 nice day overhead terrible muddy, Burr went to Preachers 15 Took 14 bu corn to Fathers got some vines and Plum trees nice day awful muddy Burt Taylor Sale rented Fathers pasture for 80.00 16 Took Colts over eto Fathers nice day mud drying up fast set out some plum Tres and Grape vines let sow and pigs out gave preachers Boy some apples he helped with colts 17 Chopped Tree and burned some brush Jack plowed some on 80 and went to town after noon and at night nice day 18 Got load Coal rained most of daiy let sow out with pigs played Finch at night 19 Went to Annawan to Caucus Odeman sold Implements at auction saw Bakers and engaged some Red Oats to sow nice day Cool bought Calf of Barker for 5.00 get it next week 20 Sunday Mrs Hunt buried at Fairview and Mr. Tompkins of Mineral Buried at Fairview nice day sprinkled a little at night 21 Got tools ready for sowing Oats, I went to town with Peart fore noon. We started to sow Oats afternon sowed about 8 acres rained a little Jack commenced to work by the month I am to pay him 21.00 per month man went by with stoves came from Cambridge Ralph was up awhile Duke wants me to get Calf right away he says their Cow has the Spinal disease 22 Went to Annawan fore non and got Calf of Barker took 90 bu Oats after noon got 25 cts sold to Ely paid Barker 5.00 for Calf misty day saw a man looking for some lost Horses Bennie Henry came after noon big red Cow I got of Bowen had Calf 23 Killed Hog Ralph helped I gave him some apples he said he would get some millet tomorrow cool froze last night Man went by with some Horses 24 Burned some Hedge Sold Ralph some millet for 5.00 and he hauled it Home Lydia and Ella went to town Burr and Benny went to Irves Ralph brought Black mare up and Bred her he is to pay 5.00 for a colt we gave Ralph some spare ribs played cards at night Lydia and Jack beat Ella and I nice day thawed 25 Jack got load Coal at Dreweys paid for it we sowed Oats after noon nice day froze some last nitht Burr came Home from Irves W. Haxby went by and stopped and talked man selling stoves went by 26 Sowed Oats and Cultivated nice day John J. here at night to see abouet Tiling 27 Sunday rained most all day went to Templeton to measure Tile ditch came by Remones two of our Turkeys are at John J's hauled load of Hay in yard for Cattle 28 Went to Templetons after Turkeys sold him load of Hay for 5.00 didnt pay me for it helped Ralph drive some cows to John to dehorn but he didnt dehorn cool day Lydia and Ella to Rockys Burr to town with Alford 29 Went to Fathers to see the Colts Jack fixed fence cool day 30 Went to Kewanee John J. went too Ella went over to stay a few days I saw Dr. Cole and he said he would give me 25 cts per rod to lay his tile nice day squared up with Culleys ordered 5 bu potatoes 31 Took load Oats to town sold for 25 didnt settle, got load of Wold didnt pay for them sowed and harrowed after noon nice day Jond Garagan here after buggy
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