Carolyn Gay Taft Farm Letter - November 28, 1920

Old Mission Mich Nov. 28th 1920

My Dear Miss Taft:-

I have not much news to write.

Bates has not been attended to. It is hard to find some one here to operate. But will try to get Mr. Cooper. I hope the hog won't die afterward. We have had to lock him up in the basement of tho barn. We could not keep in any place any more. since cold weather came on he is very ambitious. He called on the Breeden's at 9 o'clock one night & again the other day. Mr. B. says he would shoot him if he came again. For he might harm some ones little children. So we feel safe where he is now & there will be no farther trouble about him.

I called Mr. Z. about those hogs Wed. the 24th as he told me to. And he says pork is so cheap he don't care to buy for a while. I told him that he has put us off several times but could not do any thing about it all they could pay was [$].08 a lb. and would not buy at that price. They say hogs will be still cheaper. We sold 2 at [$].08 a lb. one to Mr. Ayers 172 lbs and 1 to Jim Lannin 142 lbs They were weighed on Mr. Ayers scales. Will we sell the rest of them. We want one a little later on when it is cold enough to keep the meat. It is so warm now that it would spoil & I do not want it all salted. We will weigh it on Mr. A. scales when we do get it. Of course meat is cheap now & I think it will keep on getting cheaper and if you do keep them all winter that they would not be enough more to pay for keeping. I don't know if any one that wants any more hogs at present. But please let me know as soon as you can if you care to sell any more Ledger butchered a nice large hog [this] a few days ago & got very little for it. When I called Mr. Z. I also mentioned Bates. You know he said the other pigs were pretty light & I told him we had one that would weigh about 600 lbs. he asked me if he was a stag I did not know how to answer him for a minute but happened to think what he meant. Is that the proper name for that kind of a hog? I thought i[?] sounded rather rude over the phone. He says they don't pay much for such animals. I have tried to tell you everything as plain as I could so you would understand me.

How is Mr. Stutsman? I have not heard for some time. I surely hope he is improving.

I will mail your money to you tomorrow in Traverse City so you will get it O.K. It will cost a few cents but I think you would rather have me send it than put it in the bank for you.

170 lbs at .08 is $13.60 142 lbs at .08 is $11.36 I will tell you what the crate weighs for you might like to know. It weighs 70 lbs

Hazel is so sleepy she can hardly eat her supper. We don't know what to do for her eyes that they are crossed so badly. I know that her hard arrival is what caused it for her eyes were left weak.

With love Your's Essie Kitchen