IMH 74:4 329

"Chronicles of Upper Burnet" (1)

Monday October 11th.

Nothing very noteworthy was done to-day. Alvin and I took the red and white cow "White-face" avisiting down to Wat's. We took old Peg
with her and did not have more trouble than was to be expected. Alvin got back soon I was till eleven o'clock. Alvin helped Mother wash
and I got the last hickory nuts I knew of that were on the place. I went down to where old Mr. Bain(25) and his nephew John B. from Parke
County were trying to burn the weeds off their wheatfield; with poor success. Father spent most of the day in Ballingertown and finished his job.
The day was hot and cloudy. It sprinkled several times. Cal Curtis gathered some of his corn to-day

Teaching Notes:  Ask the students if they know why "Alvin and I took the red and white cow "White-face" avisiting.?" The answer
is -- if you dare get into farm sex education..that there are two reasons. First, is to have the animals bred by Wat's bull in order to get a calf
to help "pay for the farm" and secondly, to get the cows to "freshen" so that they can continue to milk the animals for the family's source
of fresh milk. An ordinary cow will provide a gallon or two of fresh milk per day. A super cow can provide as much as 10-12 gallons
a day. Of course, the  cows' milk also provided cream which could be made into butter. If you are indeed brave, you can make butter
by putting heavy whipping cream in a hard plastic TIGHT jar with marble or two and shake the bejeebers out of it. Once done, the students
gain a great deal of appreciation for the next bit of butter that goes on their toast. speaking of appreciation, a cow drinks around 5-10
gallons of water a day. In 1880, unless you had a windmil...and some did although there is no reference to it in the journal and no
evidence at the location or their farm..then you had to either have a creek or spring or in the winter when most creeks are frozen, you had
to simply pump the water by hand. When William Gregory speaks of "choring," one of those chores was likely pumping water for the stock.