Club Minutes: Enterprise Farmers Club, 1873-1878

6th I have three fields of grass 1, 2, & 3 yrs. old, & a wheat field, & want to know which one to put a crop of fresh made manure on. 6 on wheat, 5 on 1 yr. old grass, 2 on 2 yr. old grass, & 1 on 3 yr. old grass.

7th How shall I get a piece of ground in grass that is harrowed & now sown in Wheat or Rye. Shall I sow the Rye yet 11 mo 29th. Ans. 6 would sow Rye, one oats in spring, 3 Rye & Oats, 2 clover & guano, & 1 clover alone.

A long discussion here arose, on the subject of a grange, or Combination of Farmers to protect their interests, but no conclusion as to which would be best was arrived at, so it was left to a meeting appointed for that purpose.

The chairman of the stock Committee made some remarks in regard to Horses & Cattle & refered to some Harford Co. men, in support of his argument in favor of well bred Kentucky Horses being the best & most servicable stain of Horses, that are sold in the Baltimore market.

8th What is the best rotation of Farm crops. The answer was somewhat scattered, thro. the different systems, some numbers say, Corn, wheat one or two crops, & grass two years, one says, Corn, clover & wheat, & 1 Corn, Rye & wheat with grass

1 say, Corn, wheat & grass, 2 say Corn, Oats or Potatoes, some Rye & wheat & grass, 2 say Corn & corn or Potatoes, wheat & grass, 1 " Corn, wheat & grass, & wheat, 1 " do, do twice & grass, 1 " do, do & do

9th How many Potatoes will you plant next year. Some will plant 8 to 10 acres & several will not plant more than 1 to 3 acres.

10th What shall I do with a Pig that is weak the hind quarters This questions brot out a great deal of discussion as to the propriety of selling Pork that was in any way doubtfull. Six would put it up for home use & five would sell.

11th Shall I plow 2 year old sod field, part not well set in grass. About half the members would plow & put in Corn, & the others would leave it another year

Adjourned to Thos. J Leas 12 mo 27th 1873 P. T. S. Sec.

12 mo 27th 1873

Enterprise Club met at Thos. J Leas with 14 memberspresent at a quarter past 4 O'clk. Wm S Brooke & Saml. Hopkins were absent. We had as guests S. J. Stabler Richd I Lea, Geo. L. Stabler, E C Gilpin Louis Stabler & Edwd Lea.

Roger B Farquhar was appointed Foreman. Min. of the last meet. here were read, & we walked out to see a new & very complete Ice house, walled with stone, & ample provision made for a dumb waiter, & a good sized room over the Ice for a work shop, which is well located in respect to the other buildings. The stock hogs were in fair condition,& a good breed, being mostly berkshire, several fine brood sows, giving promise of a good chance for a large lot of pigs. The Corn house was not very full of Corn. The stock Cattle looked very thrifty, some beef in the lot.

We were shown a fine, well grown mule Colt, 2 1/2 yrs. old, one of the last get, of the Jack formerly owned by our host.

The sheep were driven out. It was a very choice lot, looking well & thrifty, several part Cotswools in the number, they were followed up by a very long eared, short wolled, old looking criter.

There being nothing of interest in the

fields to look at, we returned to the house.

The stock committee being called upon made some remarks in regard to improved berkshire hogs. Wm. W. Moore stated that he had sold a pair of Chickens, (dark Bramas) of his own raising, the pair weighing 21 1/2 lbs, live wt Roosters.

1st Ques. How is the cheapest & best way to feed sheep without hay. Ans. One ear of Corn per day & fodder, some feed mill feed, feed well after the lambs come.

2nd. I have corn to sell, shall I feed a lost of steers for the spring market. 18 say feed, them.

3rd What is the average price per bus. for threshing wheat; about 4 cents.

4th What is the value of a first rate pasture for the past six weeks. 9 say $2.00 per mo, & 7 say $1.50 pr m.

5th How many days Christmas holiday do you give your wagoner without charging. 14 give one or two days without charge.

6th How shall I treat a young Chesnut grove. Most thought it best not to work it.

7th How many hogs did the Enterprise Club butcher the past fall & what did they weigh. The heaviest average was 6 @ 280 lbs, lightest was 6 @130 lbs, the heaviest one was reported from F T Stabler 6,31. Total number of hogs

slaughtered was , total wt., lbs average wt.

8th Will it pay to use a horse power mill to grind feed for Farm stock. Those who have used one think it will pay well; other think not.

The question was asked who shall we have for Secretary for the ensuing year, quite an animated discussion arose as to wheter we should pay our Sec. or not, the question was put to vote, & decided by a majority of votes not to pay a salary; the question was then put to each member whether he would be willing to act as Sec. when his turn came in Alphabetical order, the following named Gentleman answered in the affirmative, P T Stabler, E P Thomas, B H Miller, A M Stabler, G Farquhar, Wm S Bond, Wm. W. Moore, T J Lea, Arthur Stabler, R B Farquhar, & Saml Hopkins.

The Forman succeeded by repeated efforts in keeping very good order, while the business was progressingm which made the meeting much more interesting. Inasmuch as we will all admit the authority of the Foreman to keep order, it is hoped that some others, when called upon to act, will enforce their Authority.

Adjourned to B H Millers on 31st of 1st month 1874

P. T. S. Sec.