Union Diary - May 1884

May 1, Thursday
Warm & dry. Cutting hedge in the morning. Went down to get a plow point after dinner. Jake finished the sod field & began ploughing the cabbage ground. Went to church in the evening.

May 2, Friday
Very warm. Sowed some cabbage seed in the morning. Planted corn in the garden & some beans. Cut some hedge in the afternoon.

May 3, Saturday
Rather cooler. Father went to the mill, took 4 bsh wheat for flour. I was cutting hedge nearly all day.

May 4, Sunday
Pleasant. Went to church in the morning & took Stewart to S.S. in the afternoon.

May 5, Monday
Warm & dry. Went to the Cross Keys in the morning. Took my big harrow to get it fixed. Began harrowing down my potatoes. Jake finished the cabbage field & began the truck field.

May 6, Tuesday
Hard shower in the morning. I went & got my harrow, then finished my potatoes. Began rolling my cabbage ground. Began raining hard about 4 o’clock.

May 7, Wednesday
Rainy & disagreeable. We went down & got 2 loads of lime in the morning. Jake harrowed corn ground in the afternoon. I went down to the cars after some bran, but did not get it.

May 8, Thursday
Cloudy. I got a load of lime & Jake finished harrowing one way. Jake & I began casting out manure for cabbage after dinner. I went down in the evening and got my bran.

May 9, Friday
We had a good rain last night. Carted out 15 loads of manure today.

May 10, Saturday
Pleasant. Carted out 14 loads of manure today. Sold a load of hay to a man from Hamonton. Jake went away about 4 o’clock.

May 11, Sunday
Cool & clear. Went to church in the morning & took Stewart. Went to S.S. in the afternoon & church at night.

May 12, Monday
Clear. Jake has carted 3 loads of lime. I have been putting in manure fore watermelons, citrons, etc.

May 13, Tuesday
Clear & cool. Jake & I each carted 3 loads of lime today.

May 14, Wednesday
Cloudy. Had a good shower in the night. Jake carted 1 load of lime, then began harrowing. I began to mark out corn ground after dinner.

May 15, Thursday
Clear & cool. Began planting corn about 3 o’clock in the afternoon. Had Lill Gaunt & Charlie to help drop. I covered with the corn coverer.

May 16, Friday
Clear & cold. Planting corn all day. Jake got through marking today.

May 17, Saturday
Clear & warmer. Finished planting corn about 10 o’clock. Jake was rolling & harrowing. Carted some hay down in the afternoon from the other barn.

May 18, Sunday
Pleasant. Went to church & S. School & took Stewart. We all went over to Cousin Jim’s after supper & stayed a little while.

May 19, Monday
Warm. Jake & I went after 2 loads of street dirt. Stopped at Blackwood and got our dinner & got 2 horses shod.

May 20, Tuesday
Warm. We had a very nice rain last night. Jake took 4 horses after street dirt. I planted watermelons, citrons, cucumbers, squash, cabbage seed & tomatoe, etc. Went down to church in the eve.

May 21, Wednesday
Warm. Jake brought another load of street dirt. Father, George & I building fence all day. Put our cows out on pasture this afternoon for the first.

May 22, Thursday
Warm. Jake went after street dirt & took Father Godfrey’s horse home. Sam Firth came & bought our calves. 544 lbs @ 7.25 = $39.50.

May 23, Friday
Warm. Jake went for the last load of street dirt, took the calves down to S. Firth. George & I have been [illegible] greening potatoes all day.

May 24, Saturday
Warm. Jake carterd 2 loads of marl from halfway. I have been hoe harrowing early potatoes.

May 25, Sunday
Warm. Went to church & S. School & took Stewart. John Miller was here in the afternoon & stayed for supper. Charlie Harper was turning manure all day.

May 26, Monday
Pleasant. Jake began plowing cabbage & tomatoe ground over again. I finished harrowing potatoes. Charlie Harper turning manure again.

May 27, Tuesday
Pretty warm. Jake was ploughing. I have been putting in manure for tomatoes & building fence, etc. Charlie Harper finished turning manure.

May 28, Wednesday
Began raining about five o’clock this morning & rained nearly all day. Henry Bateman & Father & I went to Paulsboro to see some carriages at Cox Bros.

May 29, Thursday
Cold. Jake & Charlie Harper have been putting in manure for cabbage all day.

May 30, Friday
Cold. We were putting in manure in the morning. Set out 2,000 cabbages in the afternoon. Jake was ploughing in the pm.

May 31, Saturday
Cold yet. Putting in manure for cabbages. Father & I went to church in the afternoon.