April 31 thru May 1, 1894

If you follow Bert's diary regularly, you can skip this paragraph. I will not be transcribing each entry since most of Bert's diary is pretty clear. You can read the original more easily by clicking on the image above to view a larger version. I will be including this paragraph, or something similar in each entry so that new readers will know they can click the image to enlarge it for easier reading. Also, there will be some links to the right of the page with relevant information that may be of interest. My notes will include the basics of what Bert talks about each day, along with my own personal thoughts, research, information gleaned from past or future entries, etc. If you have information or suggestions that may help my research, please e-mail me.

Monday, April 31, 1894 --- "A warm nice day". Russell and Zette with to Naples to shop and get the grain milled. Bert helped them load up the grain to take to the mill in Naples, and then he hitched up and got "ten loads of 19.8.9.20 manure" from Milo Dye's place.

Bert inserts the first of several "coded" entries here... 19.8.9.20. I have noticed a number of coded entries in the diary, but this is the first one I've run into as I go through the year blogging about his diary entries. I started with a simple number for letter of the alphabet substitution. For ease I started with 1 for A, 2 for B, 3 for C, etc. After a couple of minutes of reciting the alphabet and counting on my fingers I came up with it! (blogger's note - it took me about 5 minutes to stop laughing here) H = 8th letter, I - 9th letter..... S and T come right together also at number 19 and 20!

He then went to Mr. Avery's farm and got the spring drag and the drill. Mr. Avery lived in Ingleside, and was a blacksmith, and had probably done some repairs on these two essential pieces of farm equipment.

The drag would be pulled by horses over the plowed soil to break up the soil into finer pieces.
There were many types of drills that were invented and manufactured. Generally, the grain drill was pulled by horses and allowed a space for a rider. A grain box was used to hold a supply of seeds to be planted. The planting mechanism included tubes through which the grain fell into furrows made by discs or shoes attached to the bottom of the drill.
Tuesday, May 1, 1894 --- They prepared the north field at Milo Dye's place with the drag, and then sowed oats. Bert then notes that Elmer Bardeen arrived at Russell Dye's place on a bicycle. In those days it would have been one of those high wheel "penny farthing" style bicycles. They would have been quite rare at the time, especially in hilly country like the Italy Valley area south of Naples at the base of the Finger Lakes!