How The Farm Worked

The farm was very, very, very self suffient! The only outside purchases required for food were tea, sugar and flour (the first two were considered luxury items). The method followed was known as "mixed farming". This meant a mixture of animals were raised and ALL of their food was grown on the farm. From the start of the farm in the 1920s until the mid 40s, horsepower meant just that. We kept two or sometimes three work horses. These animals provided all the power required to cultivate the land etc. (no gasoline to buy). Twelve milk cows, twelve calves, twelve 1-2 year old beef steers and heifers. Two sows, each producing 10-12 piglets twice a year. 100 chickens. made up the livestock.The manure produced by the animals was plowed back into the fields(no fertilizer to buy). The crops grown were hay, ie. alfalfa, timothy, and clover; oats, corn, and turnips all of which were used for animal feed. The only cash crop was potatoes. In addition to the farm crops a huge garden containing every conceivable vegetable that would grow in our climate zone. Additionally, there was a large apple orchard and a good variety of wild berries were free for the taking. Money to "run the house" was obtained from the sale of cream which was picked up at our door by the creamery for the manufacture of butter. Some of the money from the sale of potatoes was also used for the" house" in the winter time when sales of cream were low. The milk from the cows also provided milk and butter for the"house" as well the remaining skim milk fed the baby calves until they could eat grass or hay. There was no water bill (own well), no gas or coal bill (had our own woodlot) no sewage disposal cost(outhouse), No garbage collection(kitchen waste fed to pigs, any paper used to light stove) , Meat was supplied by killing a pig with some pork bartered for beef with other farmer. We also had chicken to eat as well as eggs. Fresh vegetables and fruit were plentiful in summer and preserved vegetables and fruit were available all winter. Fish was available in season,smelt and suckers in spring, rainbow and speckled trout all summer, all caught by us in a steam that was about a mile away . Fishing was considered "sport" and only done on our only day off(sunday). The ONLY other household bills was a small amount for the telephone and the new, highly suspect electricity. All other income from sale of pigs, beef cattle and potatoes was used to" operate the farm" and and save for a rainy day (like the house burning down). From the above, you can see that we always had plenty to eat and relied entirely on our own endeavours. I would venture to say we were better off than 90% of the people who lived in town during the depression. Father also had some off farm income, but that is another story for later. NEXT-Chores For The Boy.