Emma #80: May 1934
Settling in at the farm—gardening, cultivating, gasoline washer, and cannibal chickens
This is Emma and Tell’s first month living at the farmhouse, where their son Gerald and his family have been living for about 2 years, after losing their house in town. They’ve been cleaning upstairs rooms for their apartment, and are starting to settle in.
Tue 1. Dave brought some calves. We sent some up yesterday so we have 17 I believe. There has been no rain and the pastures are poor. We are to get some more sows. There were 12 lived from first sow.
Wed 2. We thought we would hear from the farm loan but we didn’t. Got a letter from Katharine with $5 in, which we greatly appreciated. Another bad dust storm today. Libbie will do my washing today. I pay her in butter.
Thu 3. Dad fenced off a place for garden & I put in some strawberry plants & planted some garden.
This story explains that in many ways farmers were better off than city dwellers during the Depression, because they could produce much of their own food. Soup kitchens were the only option many people had. Here’s a guide to laying out a garden for best results.
Fri 4. Miriam & I went to town this morning. We had a lot of shopping to do. After dinner Mrs. Johnson & Erma came down for me to go after bluebells. We had a nice time. I lost my glasses. Thought I’d left them at home. We started planting corn at noon today.
She just got those glasses in March. With money so tight, I’m sure this was quite upsetting.
Sat 5. Dad & I got up & went to hunt my glasses. We found them under a tree 15 miles from home. I was so happy. We stopped in Hubbard on the way & while Dad got shaved I called on Mrs. Robertson & Mrs. Mohler. At night I went to Iowa Falls with Gerald & his family.
Sun 6. We took the children & went to church & SS—Bob and Ruth came down for dinner. After dinner Gerald and his family went to Clyde’s. When they got back we drove over to John’s awhile. It has been one hot day. I lost several chickens. “Cannibalism.”
Yikes! I didn’t know that chickens engaged in cannibalism, but they do, especially when they are crowded or stressed. Here are some tips for preventing it.
Mon 7. We spent the morning moving the cupboard & sink, then we cleaned the basement. Such a job! Guess it had not been cleaned since Gerald lived here. Miriam went to town. She also went after eggs but did not get them.
The farm did not have indoor plumbing, so the sink would have been easily movable. Here’s a 1930s-era kitchen cupboard.
Tue 8. Another hot day. We planted the late potatoes this AM but it got too hot & windy to work out this PM. We have the corn planted on the south. Changed work with John Strauser. We have not had any rain since we moved out here.
Wed 9. Another hot windy day. I have been cleaning the attic. It is some job to sort over the books and papers we brought out. Betty has helped me. I had John Strauser for supper. He is helping plant the corn.
Thu 10. Another hot windy dusty day. The sky was black with dust. We could see the sun through a haze. I finished the attic, baked bread—had John Strauser for supper. Daddy went to town but I stayed home to clean up. I got a lovely letter from Katharine with $5 in it for a Mother’s day present. Also after we were in bed Don Grooters & his father came bringing a letter from Ruth.
Fri 11. Planted corn all day. Baked bread. Have plenty to do to keep the house in order.
Sat 12. We—Jerry & I—went to Iowa Falls after Ruth. I bought some new shoes with the money Katharine sent me. Ruth got me some gloves and I also got a new piece of goods for a dress from Katharine.
Sun 13. Mother’s day. Miriam invited us down for a chicken dinner today. We went to church & SS this AM. Ruth has gone to Waterloo & Dad & I expect to go to Owasa for a Gospel team meeting. Miriam gave me a setting of goose eggs which I set today.
Owasa is a tiny town (population 34 in the 2020 census) near Iowa Falls, and about 15 miles from Hubbard. Here’s a picture of the Methodist church there.
Mon 14. Did my first washing with a gasoline motor. It sure makes a lot of noise & dirt. It is a lovely day- Am so glad to get the washing done.
Here’s a video of a 1930s gasoline washer.
Tue 15. Gerald & Miriam went after soy beans today. I had the children for dinner. I went to town to a farewell party for Mrs. Spiller. Called at Swallums, Robertsons, Knowles & Mohlers.
Wed 16. Have kept busy today. Baked bread and ironed some. Sent the rest of the money for my chickens with the Jewell Tea man. Cal called with him. Dad & Gerald are planting soy beans.
Thu 17. Miriam has gone to town after the motor for gasoline engine. I am going to plant some more garden. It is windy but not so bad as yesterday.
Fri 18. We looked for Ruth home but she did not come. Miriam & I went in to the WFMS at Tabors.
Sat 19. Ruth came down with Geralds this evening.
Sun 20. We took the children & went in to church & SS. Robert came down for dinner. They went back in the PM. Ora visited us in the evening.
Mon 21. Dad & I drove to Iowa Falls this AM to get some creet(?) shovels. Saw Ruth. It looks like rain.
Tue 22. I did my ironing today and got ready for our Mystery Daughter & Mother picnic—22 there. We lost our basket top and had to go back after it.
Wed 23. Gerald & his family went to Harold Hough’s to see about getting Bonnie back. She is poor. Have kept pretty busy all day. Dad is cultivating.
Cultivating is the process of turning the soil over to break it up and make it ready for planting; it sometimes also involves mixing in fertilizer, manure, or compost. After crops are planted, cultivation between the rows to break up weeds and apply fertilizer.
Thu 24. It has turned so cool. Dad got started before 5. It is fine to work. I have planted squash and raked in the yard. There is so much to do. We went to go to Iowa Falls tonite.
Fri 25. Dad has cultivated corn all day. He likes it.
Sat 26. The day has been spent baking and cleaning. It has been so quiet the wind mill would not pump so the men borrowed a pump jack. Dad has cultivated corn all day. The corn-hog checks will arrive Monday. John & Alice came by & took me to Hubbard with them.
Sun 27. It has been a lovely cool Sunday. The children and we went to SS & church. Then we had dinner & afterward the Nymeyers called. Before they were gone Mr. & Mrs. Jan Daggitt called. They stayed for lunch. Dad is writing the family letter.
Mon 28. I went to Hubbard, Whitten, Union & Iowa Falls today. We got the corn hog money. Gerald got $106.30. I got $42.60. It all went on the tractor but about $24.
Tues 29. The work is so hard that it takes me a long while to do it. I baked bread—then as Miriam, Gerald, Betty went away I had a little picnic supper out doors for the kiddies.
“The kiddies” were the two youngest grandkids, Peggy (9) and Jerry (6).
Wed 30. Decoration Day. Tell cultivated corn and I stayed at home all day. I washed in the AM. Gerald went to Hubbard.
Thu 31. We went to Eldora this evening for a supper at the church and to hear Mr. Sherlock speak. He edits a paper in Marshalltown and is quite against the administration. Ans was there and could not go so Alice stayed with him.
Tell’s brother John was married to Alice (Hurley)—her unmarried brother John Ansley Hurley, was about 65 and apparently not in good health.
Special Feature: Elaine’s Mother’s Day Poem
In one of Uncle Chris’s Poetry Posts (written in small print on a penny postcard) to Ruth, he included this Mother’s Day poem from his daughter Elaine (Emma’s niece & Ruth’s cousin) to her mother, who was an avid gardener and flower-lover.
Friendship Garden
Friendship Garden, on an alley,
Have you seen it growing there,
Early spring and latest fall,
Tended by a lady fair?
Queenly as a rose this lady,
Stately as a fleur de lis,
Tender as the buds she nurtures
Gently and so tirelessly.
Down her garden path you wander;
Flowers of every kind abound:
Bleeding-heart and wild, sweet William—
Blue flax petals on the ground.
Everywhere the radiant poppies,
Pansy faces, looking up,
Wild verbenas, red-stemmed dogwood,
And the golden buttercup.
Over there a flowering crabtree
Like her German father grew;
Daisies, dahlias, snowballs, statice,
Flowers of every kind and hue;
Sweet-peas reaching up a lattice,
Fragrant honey-suckle vine,
Tamarix and dwarf day-lillies,
And the fairy columbine.
Gay petunias, sweet briar roses,
Orange wall-flowers, wet with dew,
Rose acacia standing by,
Sage, scarlet and blue.
Come and stroll in Friendship Garden,
Tended by a lady fair.
Gracious lady of the flowers
You will find a welcome there.
—Elaine Boylan
I hope you’ve enjoyed this installment of Emma’s journals. See you next week for June 1934.