IMH 75:2 160-161

"Chronicles of Upper Burnet" (1)

1881

Monday, January 17th.

To-day was a day of stand-still as regards the weather. It
did'n't freeze and very little thawing was done. Another build­
ing was begun this afternoon. It is to be composed of the logs
hauled from the old church and set a few feet from the south­
west corner of the big crib. It[s] use is not positively known to
me yet. Father was at Robert Foster's most of the forenoon.
Dan Bain came here a moment to see Father but he was
gone Dan turned their cattle in on the Curtis-Warthen stalk-
field or what remained of it in pursuance of an agreement
made two weeks ago. Our cows have been in the field below the
house etc. for about a week. Father and Alvin spent the after­
noon on the new building Except making firewood I did noth­
ing. Those pigs have died one by one till all are now dead.
Mother is suffering in some degree from what appears to be
neuralgio ague.

 

Teaching notes: It is odd that no mention is ever made about milking the cows. That would
make one consider that perhaps the mother of the house did that chore. We so know they
made butter and sold it in town--but for the milking, there is no mention. Having the cattle
on the stalk fields makes good sense. The stalks provide more TDN (Total daily nutrients)
than one would think. That saves on hay. It a short hay year now, one common practice is
to bale up the stalks in big round bales. The cattle eat some and then pull out some and that
perserves more energy than just laying onthe cold cold ground.