Carolyn Gay Taft Farm Letter - April 14, 1927

2020.1.118 04141927.pdf

Dublin Core

Title

Carolyn Gay Taft Farm Letter - April 14, 1927

Subject

Old Mission Peninsula (Mich.)
Agriculture
Farmers
Crops and climate

Description

Carolyn Gay Taft (1873-1952), was the owner of a small cherry farm on Old Mission Peninsula in the early 1900’s. While she spent her summers on the Peninsula, her primary job as a teacher at the Illinois State School for the Deaf required hired hands to run the farm in her absence. These farmers, and their families, lived on the farm and sent frequent written reports to Ms. Taft. Most letters are written by the farmer’s wives, and provide a record of both agricultural and social history.

Creator

Ralph Kitchen, Joseph Kitchen, Essie Kitchen, Max Gilmore, Hazel Gilmore

Source

Collection donated to Peninsula Community Library by the surviving members of the Taft family.

Publisher

Peninsula Community Library

Date

1927-04-14

Contributor

Mary T Morgan

Rights

This document is protected by copyright law. Contact the Peninsula Community Library for permission to reproduce, display, or transmit this document.

Relation

None

Format

PDF

Language

English

Type

Document

Identifier

LHC 010

Coverage

Traverse City, Peninsula Township, Grand Traverse County, Michigan

Scripto

Transcription

Old Mission Mich April 14th 1927

My Dear Miss Taft: - Received your good letter tonight & was very glad to hear from you. The weather is nice but the cold winds holds the fruit back. I am going to send you some fruit buds a little later on. The spraying was done over a week ago so that is off our minds for a while. I know our cherries are all OK so far. It freezes out nearly every night so Jos hasn't put in clover seed. He intends to lime the ground next week. We have the cherry trees all set & they look nice. Jos hired Charlie for 1 1/2 days at $2.50 per day and I won't charge you for his meals. I want to treat you the same as you do me and there is so little I can do for any one. I won't forget the many nice car rides you gave to me.

We have thot' things over and as you are so kind as to let Joseph do his own work in the orchard we will let you live over there free of charge & make every thing as comforable for you as we can. Most every tree in our orchard is all barked up from hired help. We would like to save what is left. It is hard to find any one you can trust out of your sight now days. The spraying is one of the main things to attend to. We bought our spray materials from H.M.L. too. He is honest to deal with and very reasonable. Joseph got the repairs for the plow that he broke last fall while plowing alfalfa sod. It was $2.25 the bill is paid. We saw the oil man & will get gas next week.

Mr. Allen is trying to put a well down on the Breeden farm. Are having a hard time of it. Mr. Holmes & Pratt sold a little wood to several people in log lengths for $1.35 a cord right in the woods. We hear they are pretty hard up this Spring. If we have fair weather from now on the cherries will be very fine & lots of them. Joseph says the wire that is up there will be badly broken if taken off. Was your plans to tear old fence down or use new wire. I don't blame you for not adding extra expense if you are going to sell out because you wouldn't get any thing extra for that.

Well must get ready for bed will write soon again. $5.35 to your credit 

2.25 plow repair

$3.10 on hand now

With love Essie over The Kauer Cow was bred the 12th of this month Joseph thot' you would wish to have it done if you were here. It was taken to Holmer Williams. I must buy a roll of cheap batting for small cherry trees as the cut worms are coming already. I am going to plant a few rows of garden over home for you to use to save buying so much. Bye Bye

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  1. 2020.1.118 04141927.pdf