A FARMER'S DIARY by CHARLES HENRY CUSHMAN Submitted by Max B Cushman OCTOBER 1896 01 Howard commenced work. lost half day He works one year for $22.00 per month gets one Hog to kill one Cow to milk a garden patch a team to haul his Coal, Eggs to use and will give him 20 bu potatoes when his year is up Jack and Steve lost 1/2 day we went to Kewanee to hear Joe Fiper speak 02 Jack and Steve took two loads oats to Atkinson got 11 cts Howard hauled cobs Fathers and Aunt Ann came over and took Burr home with them, paid Howard $8.00 finished paying for Cow hauled two load oats to Annawan nice day 03 Hauled six loads of Oats to Annawan nice day 04 Went to Kewanee folks all at Jims nice day took my Cow to Bull 05 Took load of potatoes to Barker settled up with him and gave note took load of Oats in afternoon and settled with O.P. Rose Howard hauled cobs for J. McChesney Jack and Steve hauled manure nice day 06 Mowed hay in barn hauled manure nice day 07 Hauled manure fixed fence hauled one load of corn for McChesney nice day Myrt here Lydia went to Kewanee 08 Hauled twelve loads of corn for Modest nice day Settled up with Jack paid him $13.00 makes us square 09 Howard and I got a load of Coal apiece Howard got 27 bu and I got 29 bu I paid for Howards and paid for my load and 40 bu I got to thrash with Settled with Steve paid him $15.00 for work and what Johnny owed him gave Howard $20.00 at night as he went to Annawan Mrs Griffin here for us to help thrash buckwheat tomorrow nice day 10 Howard and I helped N. Griffin thrash Buckwheat Sprinkled several times J. Rocky came home 11 Sunday nice day 12 Jack commenced picking corn for 1.50 per day Howard picked too I went to Kewanee and bought wagon for 17.00 gave note till December 1st J. Rocky came and got Stub to work nice day 13 Husked corn fore noon helped Nick with Buckwheat after noon Boys husked after noon Steve commenced husking nice day Lydia and Lill went to Kewanee 14 Jack lost 1/2 day went to rally Otto came nice day 15 Jack lost all day Otto worked all day his first day nice day 16 All husked corn nice day 17 All husked nice day Howard went to Mineral stayed all night 18 Sunday nice day Irve and Vesta here 19 All husked nice day 20 All husked nice day C. Eyre changed wagons 21 Otto went home paid him 6.25 borrowed 1.25 of Jack nice day All husked 22 All husked corn nice day Lydia paid Jack 1.25 that I borrowed 23 Jack lost 1/2 day rest all husked nice day Lydia went to Fathers 24 All husked nice day 25 Sunday nice day Steve went to Fathers 26, 27 & 28 All husked nice day 29 Jack lost 1/2 day rained 30 Jack lost 1/2 day rained fore noon Billy here at night 31 All husked all day nice day Jack and Steve went to town at night Jack has husked just 15 days at one fifty per day makes $22.00
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