SEGMENT: FARMING METHODS, FARM EQUIPMENT, & FARM WORK
Don (Anonymous)>NIU Collection>NIU Collection, Segment 2
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- FARMING METHODS
- Pesticides and ways of plowing to keep weeds out (cultivated cross-wise using "checkwire"). Pesticides & herbicides not used until 1960's. Hybrid corn use started in 1930's. Continued to use hybrid corn due to increased productivity.
- LAND ACQUISITION
- Rented another farm and then later bought more for himself. Growing the farm, more crops, more feed, more animals. Had some crop surplus to sell. Use of milking machines & hired help, a "Married Man". Quit renting farm in 1950. Father sold farm to him. Didn't own "home farm" until the 50's, owned a different one first.
- SCHOOL CONSOLIDATION
- Discussion of children in 1950's, school building, & school consolidation. School house was 1/3mile down the road. Building is now a residence. Was involved with the consolidating of schools later on. Believed their were advantages to consolidation. Notes uniformity in appearance of country & town girls after consolidation & how it helped children. However, there were educational advantages to one-room schooling.
- FARM WORK
- Typical day in 1950's. Got up early, 4
- FARM EQUIPMENT
- Don was patriotic & bought a War Bond every month. Used war bonds to purchase new machinery. Bigger, modern machinery made farm work easier, as manifested in first vacation in 1948. Helped an ill neighbor with farming, but never had someone take over his farm so he could go on vacation.
- TRAVEL
- Went to the Wisconsin State Fair or Chicago for the day. Having livestock makes it difficult to take vacations.
- NEIGHBORS
