SEGMENT: FARM EQUIPMENT, CROPS & LAND

George Howe>ISM Interviews A-L>

SEGMENT: FARM EQUIPMENT, CROPS & LAND,

duration 11:13
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FARM EQUIPMENT
The land was very wet. They would use a machine called a blind ditcher to dig ditches. They used an ox pulled ditcher also. When the ox driver got sick, George's dad took over.
FARM FACILITIES
They had fences made from planks to keep the cattle in. They also had hedge fences. Later, they used wire fences but they didn't work so well.
CROPS
They thought 40 bushels of corn and 30-35 bushels of oats was a good yield. If someone told them they had 60 bushels they would call him a liar. In the 1870s crop prices were high.
LAND
George paid $90 an acre in 1899, and it soon went to $100. Jacob Van Meeter had land north of Mansfield. The Van Meeters had a lot of land in the area. They also had a lot of children. At the time of the interview, George owned some of their land. George lists many of the families who owned land in the area.