Club Minutes: Enterprise Farmers Club, 1873-1878

1st Mo 31st 1874

The Enterprise Club met at B. H. Millers; Charles H. Brooke was appointed foreman, and R. B. Farquhar acted as Sec. for the evening. Several members were absent when the minutes were read, but all were present before the close of the evening. Henry C. Hallowell Gerard Hopkins, Dr and John Thomas were the guests. After the minutes of the last meeting held there were read, we proceeded to an inspection of our hosts premises: we found the corn house with much more rooom than occupied space in it, though there was some corn and a lot of good mill feed there: the pig pen contained four good specimens. A long ridge of earth flattened in the middle excited our curiosity considerably until we were told that it contained potatoes, or as most thought had contained them, upon examination with a shovel it was found that it was a decayed mass of that vegetable, except at the ends which were of a different variety.

We did not go into the farm, but passed through the barn yard, where we saw several cows; some grade Alderneys were fine looking cows and were said to be good one: the colts in good condition were shown us, also a lot of fine looking sheep.

We passed through the permanent pasture field which continues to look well, saw a new ice pond, and then went through a field where a three horse plough was at work breaking

the sod to an average depth of 6 inches which some thought too deep, and others too shallow, though it was admitted the work was being well done. A fair set of grass was found where wheat had been cut, the wheat having been sown on corn land; the present wheat field was so far off we did not visit it. Upon returning to the house the minutes of the last meeting were read, and the foreman asked for essays &c, and two articles from the Agriculturist were read and warmly criticised one was upon burning oyster shell and the other upon "what crops leave in the soil"

The following questions were asked and answered. 1st How long shall I smoke meat? From 2 days to 6 weeks.

2nd Would it hurt a threshing machine to put corn shucks through it? Yes.

3rd Our host asked if he should plow the field we had seen deeper? 12 say yes & 7 no.

4th How many would subsoil said field? 11 thought it would do good and 8 thought not.

5th When is it sage to consider the winter half over in regard to feeding stock? 9 say the middle of Feb., 4 the 10th, & 3 the last.

6th Would you weather-board a barn with yellow pine? No.

7th Is it best to put much dirt on a turnpike? 16 say no & 2 were in favor of it.

8th What is it worth to cut ditch 2 1/2 feet deep and blind it with poles 50 cts a perch

Wm S. Brooke consented to act as Secretary for the present year.

Adjourned to Jos. T. Moore's Feb. 28th Roger B. Farquhar Sec Pro Tem

2nd Mo 28th 1874

The Enterprise Club met at the house of Joseph T. Moore. The absentees were Saml Hopkins, P. T. Stabler and Charles H. Brooke. We had Robert R. Moore as guest. After some time spent in pleasant conversation, we organized by appointing Roger B. Farquhar foreman. The minutes of the last meeting here were then read, and we started out for an inspection of the premises; but owing to the ground being covered with snow we did not proceed further than an examination of the stock and outbuildings. We furst came to the hog pen where we saw 7 fine shoats, a cross between the Berkshire and Chester, and judging from their strong healthy constitution, and neat compact build, we should say the cross was a very desirable one, giving the many good qualities of the Berkshire, with the increased size of the Chester. Our attention was called to a very large, fine sow which had just lost six out of nine pigs, which elicited considerable discussion as to the cause, and while there were several opinions expressed, it seemed to be pretty generally believed

if she had been turned out for a few weeks before, where she could have had plenty of exercise, with some suitable shelter where she could have prepared her own bed in accordance with the teachings of her swinish instinct the pigs would probably have been saved. The thouroughbred berkshire boar was one of the finest we have seen.

The backyard of our host seemed to be full of light Brama chickens, showing evidence of attention to a subject that under such care cannot fail to be both pleasant and profitable. We next saw a flock of sheep which we were informed were not doing as well as desirable, owing perhaps to their having been purchased late in the season, it being pretty well established, that under such circumstances they are not likely to do well the first year. Just here we would remark that some of us were much pleased with the interest and efficiency with which our hosts little boys were attending to the stock, and we could but conclude that under such training they were likely to grow into energetic and successful farmers, pursuing their calling with an appreciation of and love for its ennobling influences.

We next went to the barn-yard where we found quite a number of cows in fair condition but not up to the ideas of some of our advocates for high feeding

whose theories we all admit and endorse, but owing to a combination of circumnstances, some of us fail to practice. We saw a very large grade Durham calf judged to weigh 200 lbs. at four weeks old, showing the great increase in the value of calves having an infusion of short horn blood. After passing through the barn and corn house, where we found a sufficient supply of corn, we returned to the house by way of the meat house which was voted a model building for its purpose.

The minutes of our last meeting were then read, upon a call for Essays, B. H. Miller read at the request of Chas. H. Brooke a letter from a practical farmer of New Jersey treating upon the rearing and management of farm stock, in a very able and instructive manner. We were especially interested in an account of what he had done with a flock of sheep, and while we may not hope to rival his magnificent results, we may by proper care and attention, make sheep husbandry the most profitable branch of our business.

The following questions were asked and answered.

1st What time shall I cut chestnut for the suckers to do the best? The latter part of Winter or early Spring.

2nd Shall I let my cattle run on my stubble land? 11 say no and 2 yes.