August 3 thru August 6, 1886

As always, click on the picture to enlarge for easier reading of original. Feel free to contact me with corrections, additional information, or comments. Click on the map link to the right of this entry to see more about where places are. Other information can be checked out with the links to the right. My most recent added information is a link to the financial ledger entries in the back of the diary - links to the right of this. Some of the information just confirms diary entries, but sometimes additional information can be gleaned.

Tuesday ---- They draw 7 loads of barley. Sarah goes to Naples, and brings home Aunt Dence home to visit for a few days. I'm not sure who this is? Note --- Henry's sister is Prudence, so maybe it is her? Henry's sister Prudence is married to Arnold Fowler. Weld Waite calls to see Jen. (a date?) Henry puts the cows into the wheat field to browse on the stubble.

Wednesday --- Henry finishes drawing the barley. He records that this makes a total of 19 loads. Bart is back home briefly. He evidently came home last night, and is going to Niagara Falls tomorrow.

Thursday --- Omar cradles some grain in the morning.
The cradle was the most efficient means of cutting grain before McCormick's invention of the reaper. The cradle consisted of a broad scythe with a light frame of four wood fingers attached to it. The advantage of the cradle was that by a turn to the left the operator could throw the grain into a swath, ready to be raked and bound into sheaves. This improvement was introduced in America about 1776, according to Professor Brewer of Yale, and was the common instrument of grain harvesting as late as 1840. For cradling grain, two acres was considered a day's work.

Note -- later in life Bart was evidently some sort of champion at cradling... somewhere we have 8mm film of him cradling?

Henry cuts brush growing in the berry patch, and also trims out extra berry canes. Bart and Mills have gone to Niagara Falls for the day... definitely on the train.... they return the same day. Omar picks them up in the evening in Bloods at the train station. The train station in Bloods (modern day Atlanta, NY) has been mentioned before, but below is a picture of the station as it looked yesterday when I was in the area.......Omar spent the afternoon shelling corn. Henry and Sarah go to prayer meeting in the evening.

Friday ---- Not sure what the process is, but they breed one of the cows today. Something about taking the cow to the neighbors for the day (Blodgetts), shutting the bull up all day, and then getting them together at night? Omar cuts oats all day. Henry, Mills and Cad spend another day gathering potato bugs! Aunt Dence is still visiting them, and "seems to enjoy herself".