The Rural Voice, 1980-08, Page 18FARMING IN THE PAST
Hard work,
low prices -
a farmer's
life in 1880
Guess times haven't changed that much - even
back in the 1800's, farmers had to contend with hard
work, long hours, bad weather and machinery
breakdowns. Not to mention low prices.
William McQuoid, a Huron county farmer in the
late 1800's was one of those farmers.
While a local history book was being researched,
diaries written by William McQuoid of Ashfield
township were brought to light.
These diaries were written in small notebooks or
scribblers. Entries were often one line, but many
were longer. The weather was usually noted,plus the
activities for that day. Many of the entries bring to
our attention different methods used at that time.
The diaries span forty years; the last entry was
written two days before his death in 1913.
But the diaries speak for themselves. Here is an
excerpt from one of those notebooks, in his own
words and spelling, relating some of the work he was
engaged in at this time of year.
JULY 6, 1880. Fine day. Started to mow to day and down
betwen 3 and 4 acers.
JULY 7. Finished cut(t)ing the back six acers and fit(t)ed up
the rakes redy for a start in the morning.
JULY 8. Was raking hay to tea time.
JULY 9. -had a thunder shower. We were drawing hay and got
six loads in when the rain came.
JULY 10. Was drawing lumber to day and the other teem was
mowing.
JULY 12. -got one load of hay in this morning. Took the spot
heifer to Reeds Bull this evening.
JULY 13. Was mowing in the forenoon and drawing this
afternoon and got in five load.
JULY 15. Started to cut wheat but the reaper would not work.
JULY 18. Fine day. Went to church.
PG. 18 THE RURAL VOICE/AUGUST 1980
JULY 20. Wet again this morning. Could do nothing at wheat.
Clears off at noon. We cut some after tea.
JULY 21. -finished the midel wheat field and started the back
one.
JULY 22. -had the reaper men along this evening.
JULY 23. -was cutin¢ some wheat and got finished all the
cuting and got it all round up at sundown and stooked.
JULY 24. Was drawing wheat to day and got 14 loads.
JULY 29. Was drawing wheat to about 3 o'clock, got finished,
had 27 loads and then drew 4 loads of hay.
AUGUST 6 -was at the threshing.
AUGUST 7. -was cuting peas and had Thomas Hobbs and D.
McCloud helping me, got quite a bit done.
AUGUST 17. Drawing in oats till the rain came on at tea time,
got in 4 Toads.
AUGUST 18. Fine day. Was cuting wheat to tea time, very
badly broken down.
AUGUST 20. Was repairing some fence.
AUGUST 21. Some rain last night. We put in three loads of
oats this evening.
AUGUST 26. Was loading oats this forenoon. It was wet in the
afternoon.
AUGUST 29. Was working in the summerfallow this forenoon
and was cleaning a load of wheat in the afternoon and binding
some oats.
AUGUST 31. Dark day. Went to the mill with a load of wheat,
had 50 bus. and got S1 per bus. for it.
William McQuoid