Footnotes to Long Island History
Country Life in 1880
by
Thomas R. Bayles
By Thomas R. Bayles
The
following items are take from a dairy of an old Miller Place family in
1880. There were no dull moments on a farm in those days, and money was
not plentiful, but they ate well and didn't count calories.
“Jan 3. 1880 – Clear and lovely. Baked pumpkin pies and
hard sugar cake. Aunt Fanny called this afternoon and we had bread,
biscuit, cold chine, celery, pickles, crullers, jelly cake, hard sugar
cake, and citron preserves for tea.”
“Jan 5. - Father went to Port Jefferson and had the farm
wagon mended. Carried our dried lima beans, 24 quarts, to go down on
the packet. I sold seven of my ducks at 8 cents a pound. Came to
$2.50.”
“Jan 13 – Joseph and father went to the harbor and got a
load of seaweed. Baked bread, biscuit, mince and pumpkin pies. In the
afternoon they went into the woods for a load of firewood.”
“Jan 31 – Cold and commenced to snow. Aunt Fanny spent the
day and took dinner. We had roast chine, fried ham, potatoes, turnips,
pickles, celery, pumpkin and mince pies.”
“Feb 18 – Joseph went to Port Jefferson with a load of feed
to be ground at the steam mill. I backed hard and soft sugar cake and
mince pies.
“March 3 – Joseph split some pine wood and took it down to
the landing, and then cut firewood for next Winter. I was invited to
Nancy Davis' for tea. We had bread, biscuit, cheese, smoked beef,
succotash, stewed prune, creamcake, fruitcake, hard sugar cake, jelly,
tea, and coffee.
“April 16 – Joseph went with 13 bushels of potatoes to the
steamboat at Port Jefferson to send them to Bridgeport. He carted
manure in the afternoon and spread it back of the barn.
“April 19 – Joseph plowed for beets and carrots in the
morning. Hen came off with 11 ducks. Sold our two calves, one 179
pounds and one 165 pounds at 6 cents a pound. I baked bread, biscuit,
soft sugar cake, custard pie and boiled some porridge.
“May 6 – Cleaned the parlor and prepared the sitting room
for cleaning. Frank planted watermelons and white beans. Set a hen on
12 duck eggs. We had dock greens for dinner first time.
“May 30 – Joseph and I went to see Terry and Lydia and
stayed for dinner. We had chickens, fried ham, potatoes, string beans,
asparagues, plum pie, rice pudding, oranges and bananas. Had a hen come
off with nine ducks.
(No date) - “Joseph, Wille and I went fishing. Got five
black fish, one 3 ½ pounds. William cradled rye in the afternoon.
Joseph went to the south lot and got bugs off potatoes.
(No date) - “Joseph commenced to cradle oats today.
Ploughed for buckwheat in the afternoon.
“July 28; Joseph went to Port Jefferson and took a pot of
butter. Had the horse shod. Josephdug potatoes and then took Horace to
the cars for home, and also went to mill. Had the first watermelon
today. Weighed 26 pounds.
“Aug 23; Joseph took 11 ducks to go by the packet. He went
to the meadows this afternoon and carted two loads of salt hay then went
up to the south lot for some watermelons.
“Thrashing machine came about ten o'clock and finished
thrashing about six o'clock. Had 50 bushels of oats and 41 bushels of
whea