Thu 1. Today was washday. We did a fair sized one. In the afternoon I went to help quilt awhile on Edith Robertson’s quilt at Rashes. Mrs. Robertson, Rash, Mohler, Wardle, Lenner and Mrs. Rash from Union were there. I read a couple chapters in “Christ and Human Suffering” at night. It is Stanley Jones last book.
Fri 2. The little calf came last night. I have named it “Wimpie.” I want to raise it as a heifer calf. It is warmer today. Calf is a bull-calf. Rats!
Wimpy was the name of Popeye’s sidekick, introduced in 1931, who was famous for liking to eat hamburgers. Kind of an ironic name for a calf! I also learned a little about raising heifers.
Sat 3. Ruth writes that she will be home a little while tomorrow. Sent her clothes and a letter with Geo Moon. He went up to stay all night with Bob. We had a bad dust storm towards evening. Gerald did not get in with the chickens. Rev. MacDonald & Rev. Wardle called this PM. Dad wrenched his other shoulder and does not feel very well.
Sun 4. Rev. MacDonald preached both Sunday AM & evening—also taught Dad’s class. Gerald & family were in awhile. Ruth & Robert came down in the evening. Ruth played for church & Bob sang. They went home after church. Ruth was homesick.
Mon 5. Have been sewing some. Dad & Jerry went to a sale and bought a cow for $56. She is supposed to be a good one. They sold four out at the farm. Got less than $16 apiece—two were young & two old. This one will give more butterfat.
This is a big investment—over $1000 in today’s dollars. It sounds like they were very focused on the quality of their livestock.
Tue 6. Gerald is making out his corn-hog papers. We can have three cows and three sows next year. He can have six sows and some young pigs (feeders). Dad & Jerry have gone up to Buckeye for the cow. Dad gave Gerald $5to pay a check yesterday. He was to have the money there by four or the… [this area is rubbed out as if by an eraser and very difficult to decipher]. I’ll believe it when he is converted.
With the government providing subsidies for voluntarily limiting production, the move to sell several lower-quality cows and buy one good one makes sense. Emma kept a record in her diary of the money they lent to Gerald over the course of the year.
Wed 7. Guess I was wise to stay at home as I have done up my mending. Dad & Jerry bought some machinery today. Will go after it tomorrow. Mrs. Ward was buried today.
Thu 8. Dad & Gerald went to a sale in Steamboat today. I & Miriam went along. Miriam visited Margaret Sater & I stopped in Eldora. Did not see much of Alice as she went to a funeral. They went after the things today & took me to Alden. I got in on a dinner party at Reece’s.
Fri 9. I went to Alden & stopped to see Ruth yesterday. Stayed last night in Alden. Got up this AM & drove to Manson for WFMS com meeting. Shopped awhile in Ft. Dodge. Got two lampshades. Came home on bus from Iowa Falls.
Sat 10. After doing up the work I went with Mrs. Robertson to call on Mrs. Eskie, Mrs. Manning and Mrs. Long. Mrs. Eskie is young and lovely, Mrs. Manning is old, and Mrs. Long is unlovely—a very much forsaken home. Ona called in the evening. They will move in two rooms at Dillon’s. Jerry was in—said he’d had one of our heifers butchered.
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Sun 11. A beautiful sunny day. We went to church & SS this AM. Mrs. Taber called. Dad has gone for a walk with the pastor Wardle.
Mon 12. Gerald brought in some meat so I am canning it today. In the PM he & Miriam and I went to Nevada and bought 50 Buff. Orp pullets. They are nice.
Buff Orpington chickens are bred as a source of meat and eggs. Pullets are young hens that will soon be ready for laying eggs.
Tue 13. We still are canning meat—soup etc. Got it all done today. Have been making cheese to sell. It is a beautiful day.
Emma has been making and selling cheese all along, but with money so tight it’s more important than ever. She kept a small ledger of her dairy-product sales in the back of the journal.
Wed 14. I went to the farm awhile today. Went out with Howard Robertson. Gerald brought me home after school. I helped Miriam can meat and she helped me clean upstairs. It will be some job to get settled. We were too tired to go to prayer meeting.
Earlier we learned that their house is being foreclosed, so it looks like Emma and Tell will be moving to the farm, where their son Gerald, his wife Miriam, and their three kids have been living for the past year.
Thu 15. This is another lovely day. I have been busy at cleaning and patching. Mrs. Wardle called in the evening, Mrs. Swallum in the PM. Got the oil check—sent the last $5 for the chickens.
Fri 16. Went to the beauty parlor this AM for a wave. Will pay her in cream and butter. Ruth came home on the evening bus. I went to the Salem church. Was not feeling at all well.
Although the IRS now has formal regulations in place to tax bartering (the exchange of goods and services instead of money), that was not the case during the Great Depression, and it was a very common practice among farmers, craftspeople, doctors, and more.
Sat 17. We made ice cream for dinner. Robert hiked down—went back about 4:30. Ruth had her hair bobbed and curled today. Gerald brought the kids in to stay all night. Geo Moon and Ora called today.
Sun 18. It has turned much colder. I had a bad cold & sore throat so did not go out today. Gerald came for Ruth & the kiddies about 2:30.
Mon 19. Have felt bad all day. Dad had to sing at Joel Bailey’s funeral. I walked down to Robertsons and Mohlers after meeting with Gladys & Mrs. Hoff at the store to plan a class party. It is to be here a week from Friday nite. DeLoss brought me some butter coloring & medicine last night. I asked him to sell this house for me.
The natural color of butter fluctuates throughout the year, and producers began adding color to “winter butter” to make it yellower for consistency.
Photo by Unsplash+
Tue 20. Have staid at home all day—my throat is still very sore. Harry Short called this afternoon.
Wed 21. The big event today is putting in the Radio which Swallums gave us. We are glad to have it. I am feeling very much better tho’ the sty on my eye is bad. Gerald & Miriam went to Iowa Falls today—also went to Mason City to the B-Ball game tonight. Mrs. Mohler & Mrs. Wardle called today. Have heard from alot of stations tonight.
By 1934, 60 percent of the nation’s households had radios. I was interested to see that Emma capitalized “Radio” pretty consistently, and was struck by how much the presence of the radio changes the tone of many of her entries, as she is more connected to what’s going on in the world. Here’s the Feb. 18-24, 1934 issue of Broadcast Weekly, which will give you an idea of the range of shows available.
Thu 22. We have enjoyed the Radio today. Heard a lot about Geo Washington. I made an apron for Mrs. Wardle today also one for myself. Had our WFMS meeting at Baker’s tonight. We had a lovely meeting and social time afterward. Ice cream, coffee and date pudding. Am so thankful to be feeling so much better.
Fri 23. Have had a lovely day—listened to story, music, plays, etc. over radio. Heard Ruth in the Waterloo program. Am now hearing a Rotary program celebrating the Nat. organization—greeting given in different languages. We heard Arthur Faust talk on Africa for about an hour at the school house.
Arthur Huff Fauset was a folklorist, educator, anthropologist and civil rights activist. Among other things he served as VP of the Philadelphia teachers’ union and VP of the National Negro Congress. His wife Crystal Dreda Bird was elected the first female African American State legislator in 1938.
Sat 24. I wrote Katharine today. We have had the Radio going today. Ruth did not get home. We made ice cream Friday—finished it up today. Jerry & his family were in. We had them stay for supper. Heard the Byrd broadcast tonight.
Sun 25. Wrote Ruth & K. a little today. Eddie Cantor is being heard just now over Radio. We have had quite a day with the Radio today. We went to church & Sunday school today. It was cold & the church was cold. Not many there. We are not going out tonight as we have no church.
Mon 26. It is cold today—too cold to do the washing. Ora came for dinner. Stayed all night. He is going to work for Linnie Hornung. He is talking of an operation.
Tue 27. I went to Iowa Falls with Ora. He had his tonsils out. Saw Ruth, ate dinner at Walthals and had a nice visit with Bertha Johnson. Sent in my name to Gold Medal Flour today. Got a 5 lb. sack for Ruth to try. Ora feels punk.
Wed 28. I went with Gerald & Miriam to Des Moines today. Gerald went down to re-finance his car. I was pretty tired when we got home. We were to have prayer meeting here but it was put off. Mr. & Mrs. Witte of Shellrock were killed at the west crossing tonight. Ona & Red were here. They got some milk, butter, jam, and their lamp.
Well, that’s kind of a sad ending to the month! Here’s to brighter days ahead. I looked at Ruth’s journal, which I mentioned in the previous entry, but there was nothing remarkable in February to share—just classes, practice, performances, and lots of visits with Bob.
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