Life on a
typical farm at the end of the nineteenth century is graphically
depicted in these passages from the diary of a North Shore
farmers wife, which were entered in 1879. In addition to her
housekeeping chores she was also postmistress of her village.
"Wednesday June 11, 1879. Clear and warm. Thundered and
lightened last night. Joseph carted wood al day.
"Thursday June 12. Joseph commenced to put paris green
on potatoes. Father and Joseph got a load of wood in the
Afternoon. Frank planted white beans.
"June
23, Joseph worked in his beets in the morning. Father and he
went after a load of wood in the afternoon and worked in the
lima beans. Had cherry pie for the first today.
"June
28. Joseph, father and Frank finished raking hay this afternoon.
Got the clover hay all in.
"July 3.
Joseph commenced to cradle wheat. In the afternoon he and father
went to Port Jefferson. Joseph bound and carted in 9 shocks of
wheat.
"July 11.
Joseph and father stacked the rye.
"July
14. A lovely day. Father went to mill (Yaphank). Joseph and
Frank threshed rye. Had pork, potatoes, beets and blackberry pie
for dinner. For tea had bread, biscuit, soft sugar cake, ginger
nuts, prunes, dried apples and smoked beef. Had 33 letters today
( received in post office).
"July
23. Joseph cradled oats in morning and bound up oats in the
afternoon. Mother went in to see Hannah. Bennie went to harbor a
gunning with Arthur in the afternoon.
"Sunday
July 27. Joseph, mother and Frank went to church and at the
Academy. Mrs. Noah Jones sat awhile with us this afternoon.
"July
28. Joseph finished cradling oats. Bound some and carted some
in. Had 43 shock of oats. Joseph dug potatoes in the south lot.
"August
1. Joseph and Frank dug potatoes in south lot and carted three
loads manure in morning. In the afternoon threshed timothy seed.
(threshing was done with old fashioned hand flail.)
"August
2. Joseph and Frank carted 13 loads of manure from landing.
(came by sloop from New York to Sound Beach.)
"August
9. Had a ripe water melon for first today, also ripe tomatoes
for first.
"August
15. We had chicken, boiled corn. potatoes, corn starch and
watermelon for dinner. We all rode down to the beach and lower
lot in afternoon. Then Joseph took Frank and Lydia Ann to
Nancy's. I went to Mr. Helme's and made a call this evening.
Aunt Fanny and Stephen came down for a while. (people had more
time to make neighborly visits in those days.)
"August 29. Father went to mill at Yaphank. Clear and
quite warm. In the afternoon I went to Mrs. Marshall's and Lydia
fixed my bonnet. In the evening Mattie Millard came to the
office (post office) and sat awhile with us.
"September 6. Joseph commenced to plow for wheat in
morning. We had chicken, roast, beef, beets, stewed tomatoes and
pumpkin pie for dinner. Joseph and father spread manure in the
afternoon.
"September 9. Joseph and Frank went on the meadows and
father picked dry beans. Frank helped John thresh. Had 26
letters to mail.
"September 23. Joseph sowed the wheat this morning and
commenced to plow for rye. In the afternoon carried potatoes
from under the granary and put them down the cellar. It is cold
and raw. I did grape preserves and went in to see Hannah this
afternoon.
"October 1, Made green tomato pickles and pickled pairs. Joseph
and Father went into the woods and got a load of firewood and in
the afternoon carted salt hay.
"October 8. Clear and warm. Father and mother started
at 12 o'clock to take the cars to Brooklyn. Joseph got back from
station 2:30 o'clock . I baked churned and cooked rabbit for
dinner.
"October 22. Our folks husked corn, and Joseph took
up my flowers from the garden and put them in pots. Father an
Frank went clamming and got a bushel.
"October 25. Clear and cold. Froze last night. our
folks finished husking corn. Pulled beets in the afternoon. Had
68 bushels. Sold Morse six hens. They weighed 25 pounds at seven
cents a pound. I baked bread, Biscuits, pumpkin pie and soft
sugar cake. We had bread, biscuit, crullers, soft sugar cakes,
citron preserves, apple sauce and cold roast beef for tea.
"Sunday November 1. Froze last night and is cold
today. Joseph, Mother, Frank and I went to church and Joseph
went to meeting in the evening.
"November 3. Had a snow squall today. Father went
to Port Jefferson and had the farm wagon mended. Carried our
dried lima beans to go down in the packet to market. Had 24
quarts. Sold seven of my ducks. They weighed 30 pounds and came
to $2.50 at eight and a half cents a pound. Benjamin Tuthill
called and paid father for his wood.
"November 7. Rained last night but has been warm
and pleasant today. Our folks went and got a load of wood this
morning, and in the afternoon to the harbor for a load of drift
and some clams. I finished my brown dress. Sold two roosters at
8 cents a pound. They came to 60 cents.
"November 12. Father an Joseph and Frank went to
the harbor and Joseph and Frank went in the woods for a load of
firewood. in the afternoon mother went to the sewing at academy
and I went to Port Jefferson and selected a bonnet at Mrs.
Dayton's.
"November 24. We killed our hogs. Sam butchered.
Had three letters to register in post office. I went in to
Hannah's to see Maria in Afternoon.
"November 26. Made sausages and boiled the
plucks. Made 65 pounds sausage.
"Thursday November 27. Thanksgiving; father, Mother and Joseph
went to church. We were invited to Mr. Helmes' for dinner.
Joseph staid and kept post office. We had roast ducks and
chickens, turnips and potatoes, boiled onions, cranberries,
tomatoes, pickles, huckleberry and apple pie, tea and coffee.
"December 4. Joseph went to the harbor and got a load of litter
and trimmed the grape vines. Got the returns of my lima beans 24
quarts at eight and a half cents a quart.