A FARMER'S DIARY

 by CHARLES HENRY CUSHMAN

 Submitted by Max B Cushman

MAY 1899

01 Took Cattle to Pasture put 44 Calves in South pasture and 7 Cows 4 little Calves and 3 Colts in pasture at House Wearman spoke for pasture and a Swede man from Kewanee engaged pasture for two Colts at 1.25 per head Ollie Olson commenced work by day 1.00 per day Lydia went to Irves at night nice warm day I brought Fathers Horse home with me to work awhile C. Quart commenced plowing on 80 for Corn Mapes Girls were at Fathers Burr helped drive Cattle over to Pasture

02 Took some feed over to pasture Irve took some Calves and Colts to Pasture Ollie Plowed some Lightning struck Barn big rain and Wind Bull got out and went to C. Eyers Frank Carlson put 2 Colts in Pasture at 1.25 a head

03 Bucked Hedge John and Pete helped and we tipped some seed corn Burned Hedge nice sunny day Lydia went to town some agents here selling carpet sweepers and riveter

04 Fixed fence at Fathers Colors came and got 7 bu seed Corn didn't pay Platt here for seed saw Directors nice day

05 Went to Annawan got 7 bu Potatoes of Fitzkee paid 75 and 80 cts Olie plowed Dan Snyder came and got 6 1/2 bu seed Corn it came to 4.85 he paid me nice day wind South Bowen here I finished planting potatoes Hugh Martin here to get pasture for Cattle Mat Morton spoke to me about cleaning the School House

06 Al Steel came and got 1 1/2 bu seed Corn paid for Lydia went town nice day Olie went town at night Plowed some hauled manure picked seed corn saw tramp in DeWitts House

07 Sunday Rained most all day Jack here Lydia went to Irves he has Measels

08 Shelled Corn trimmed Hedge, Ollie Plowed John Dwire here got two bu Seed Corn 1.50 didnt pay for it nice day Cloudy wind in North Mrs Rocky here Ella came Home from Hay's Ollie went to Remores at night Alfred Moyer here at night

09 Lydia and Ella went dto Kewanee Lydia took Ella to Hay's J. Douglas here and got 3 bu seed Corn didn't pay, Irve here and got about 4 bu didnt pay wind south threatened rain cleard at night gave Ella $10.00

10 Went to Fathers to feed Calves, Cultivated some Ollie plowed Edwin Morey got 6 bu Seed Corn didn't pay for it J. T. planted some on North 40 rained some R. White here and assessed me brought Nells pony Home

11 Planted some Corn Rob White here and altered Colt paid him 1.00 Ollie harrowed some he went to Remores at night Lydia went town nice day Dewitts House burned Tuesday night

12 Planted Ollie Plowed and Harrowed Clemmins here got 2 bu Seed Corn didn't pay for it Ella came Home got Nell and went and got her trunk out at Hay's nice warm day wind in southwest and North cool at night

13 My Birthday finished planting field west of Barn. Lydia and Ella went to town nice day Ella went to Mineral

14 Sunday Took Nells pony Home rained Ella came Home

15 Went to town with Templeton Sam Corwin came and got 6 bu seed Corn paid for it J. Batten paid 6.30 for Hay, Clemens paid me 1.50 for Corn Had rain and lightning last night nice day, Colors here for more Corn

16 Shelled Seed Corn harrowed and planted piece by wind Mill nice day wind in south threatened rain all day Remore borrowed 14 inch plow

17 J. McChesney got 5 bu seed Corn it makes 15 bu he has got Edwin Morey got 4 bu it makes 10 bu for him I cultivated south of road rained some fore noon Lydia and Ella went to Cemetary Cool wind from North West at night

18 Cultivated south of road Pete Decker helped 1/2 day for J.T. Lydia and Ella went to Kewanee Ella stayed C. Clemins here got a bu Corn paid for it nice day Dell Williams here left Carpet brush

19 Planted Corn south of road nice day Lydia went to town Ben Henry came and told us Father was sick I went over and he was feeling better I got Home at 12 at night

20 Finished Planting Went to Fathers took Colt over and got a little Coal Bowen here to fix Barn I gave him a list of my stuff to insure in the Farmers Company Cold and Cloudy wind East

21 Rained some fore noon went to Irves after noon wind East

22 Harrowed Corn nice day J. Rocky got some 5 inch Tile here he is to return as many when we want them wind East

23 Worked on road got a receipt of Wells for 1.35 Edwin Morey paid me 7.35 for Seed Corn Will and Nell here Lydia and Nell went to town nice day

24 Harrowed Corn all day nice day Wind in South looks rainy at night

25 Went to Kewanee got 300 lbs Rock Salt paid 1.95 for it paid paid O.R. Warner 5.00 for insurance he is to send me Policy nice warm day got Coal paid for it wind South

26 Rained during night and most of today J. T. here to see his corn if it is growing wind in South scattered some corn soaked in Paris Green for Gophers

27 Went to town rained some fore noon scattered some Corn for Gophers hot afternoon hard storm at night in North West, Cyclone passed over during day but was high brushed us a little and broke some tree tops in yard wind in all directions

28 Sunday shower J.T. here looking at Corn rained at night

29 Went to Fathers and piled Hedge J.T. went and Ollie went too I plowed their garden nice warm day Lydia and Mrs Rocky went to Grave Yard wind in West and Clear at night

30 Decoration Day Lydia went to Kewanee her Mother and Herold came Home nice day wind West and South J.T. planted on South 20 he used my team I replanted corn by mill, Lou Spurlock came today

31 Plowed Potatoes and Corn by Mill Hoed Pop Corn and Sweet Corn Planted some Squash seeds John T. got some chick wire, the finished planting on south 20 he is replanting on north 40 nice warm day wind in S.W.