SEGMENT: FARM WORK, FAMILY, & FARM EQUIPMENT
Bert Aikman>UIS Collection A's>UIS Collection, Segment 14
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- FAMILY
- Recalls father's health & conditions surrounding family moving to Honey Bend in March. Father was sick with rheumatic fever. Mentions help provided by neighbors. Tells of Bert & brothers going into timber to saw wood for wood stove for his mother. Could go into the timber (whoever owned it) & collect wood without a problem. Because father was sick, Bert was responsible for taking care of farm & getting crops in with neighbors.
- FARM EQUIPMENT
- Bert describes making harrow out of a crab-tree top limbs. Bert stood on sack of straw while horses pulled harrow.
- FARM WORK
- Bert discusses his early work as a hired hand & walking behind two-horse plow, planting oats, & describes how tired he was after 2 weeks work. "Walked for everything." Mentions being paid $0.50/day. Mentions that many neighbors cooperated in plowing & planting oats. Bert plowed constantly & became "sick." Father told him to drink hot tea & eat supper & this made him feel better. Then he began working for many neighbors because he was good with horses & plow. Plowed corn the next spring for the first time for Mr. Morrell. Describes walking corn-cultivator, learning how to work the corn cultivator & "balling eyes out" because it was so difficult. Describes how cultivator worked. Bert then worked through harvest shocking wheat. Mentions an older fellow who was paid $16/month, a little more than Bert's pay. This fellow was helpful. Plowed 100 acres that fall. Mentions hitting bumblebee nest. Then moved onto 3-horse plow. Mr. Morrell used switch to keep bees off of Bert while working. Bert worked another 3 years for Mr. George Morrell who later moved to CA.
