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 ..... especially with input on Bert's coded entries?Tuesday, June 5, 1894 --- Another rainy day, but Bert and Russell did more plowing and dragging on Milo Dye's place preparing fields for planting potatoes. Bert had earlier borrowed the marking tool for laying out the ground for proper spacing of the seed potato pieces. Bert did some marking in the afternoon, and spent some time cutting up the seed potatoes. Chores in the evening of course.
Wednesday, June 6, 1894 --- With help from the two Bardeen boys, Bert and Russell dropped and covered potato pieces on the land they had prepared at Milo Dye's place - Russell's father. Bert left in the afternoon to begin preparing ground on S. G. Avery's place for planting more potatoes.
Potatoes were a big crop in New York State around this time. It does seem a bit late to be planting the potatoes, but when you consider the wide variety of things that needed planting in the spring, and the fact that it all had to be done by hand or with horse drawn equipment, scheduling the various crops must have been quite a task... especially when you factor in all the rain that has been falling the past couple of weeks! Also, the hills around Naples, NY are at a pretty good altitude, with a surprisingly short growing season - late frost in the spring, and early frost in the fall!
Wednesday, June 6, 1894 --- With help from the two Bardeen boys, Bert and Russell dropped and covered potato pieces on the land they had prepared at Milo Dye's place - Russell's father. Bert left in the afternoon to begin preparing ground on S. G. Avery's place for planting more potatoes.
Potatoes were a big crop in New York State around this time. It does seem a bit late to be planting the potatoes, but when you consider the wide variety of things that needed planting in the spring, and the fact that it all had to be done by hand or with horse drawn equipment, scheduling the various crops must have been quite a task... especially when you factor in all the rain that has been falling the past couple of weeks! Also, the hills around Naples, NY are at a pretty good altitude, with a surprisingly short growing season - late frost in the spring, and early frost in the fall!
