Carolyn Gay Taft Farm Letter - June 7, 1927

2020.1.125 06071927.pdf

Dublin Core

Title

Carolyn Gay Taft Farm Letter - June 7, 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

1927-06-07

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 June 7th 1927

My Dear Miss Taft: - I mailed you a letter to Jacksonville Ill. yesterday A.M. Roger met the postman so as to be sure it would reach you before leaving there.

I try & tell as near as I can about the cherries some cherries are nearly as large as a small pea & others just began to form while others are in blossom the crop at present look light. Caused from our cold North East wind while blossoming & also heavy frosts of the past few weeks. I haven't see our own cherries for a week now so don't know how they are looking.

The corn is coming up I noticed it today & the weather is much warmer more like Summer than it was.

I must have Joseph take the beding & some small things over home tomorrow for fear you come before things are settled. I planned on doing that work last week & took sick so I couldn't do it. There is some picking up I have to do too.

Your letter made me feel bad as I thot' you was angry at me. But I have tried so hard to please you & make every thing as comforable as I can & yet be safe. Am sure you are welcome to any thing I have that you need. Nearly all the farmers wives here use Kerosene stoves for heat & cooking in Spring & Summer. With all kinds of fresh air I have never seen any bad results. Of course you can do as you think best. Joseph & I borrowed a stove & burned coal last winter when working up there. Mr. Hamilton left us 500# in the basement or celler so of course we made good use of it. It is a nice warm house not like the log house wind blowing in all over.

Joseph & Roger are cleaning grass & clover away from cherry trees now. Joseph left it as long as he could so as the ground would get the benefit from it.

Everything on the farm is coming fine with this nice sunshine.

The Dutchess apples look good but Wealthies & winter ones have light crop. I think apples are going to be a good price this fall.

I was talking with a gentleman that travels a great deal & he says that people like the new neighbors we have & the wealthy people that bought the Ridge Wood farm are going to boost the penn. And he told Joseph & I that all of these fruit farms are a drawing card to the rich man that wants a change from city life. I hope one of them will buy your farm altho' you will miss it when it is gone.

Will you please let us have some idea of when you will arrive here. As ever E.K.

P.S. I don't like to put too much in the house as these days with strangers around they might take some of your things. I will return your check as Mr. Lardie brought things from town.

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  1. 2020.1.125 06071927.pdf