Thursday 1st It was a hot day. We finished digging the Oat ground for pumpkins. John was searifying the sorrel in the orchard and Henry thinned out the Turnips.
Friday 2nd It was a hot day. We dug up the Parsnips ground the top side of the house as they have not come up and we planted 5 rows of Negro Beans in drills 2 ft 6 in apart, we did not put any manure to them as the Parsnips were well manured. We also dug out trenches for 6 double rows of tall beans and put manure in the trenches and we sowed 2 rows with White Dutch Beans. We killed a Sheep in the pm. I went to the Library.
Saturday 3rd It was a very hot day. We sowed 1 row of White Dutch Beans. We bundled up some Oats and took them into the stock yard to dry.
The boys went up the hill in the afternoon to play cricket. I bundled up the remainder of the Oats and put it in stooks on the dug ground. I also carried most of the hay in and put it into the Calves place. Willie returned with the boys from Cricket in the evening.
Sunday 4th It was very bright early in the morning, but the wind changed round to the NE it looked very dull & threatened for rain, but it kept off till evening when it commenced to rain.
We took all our Oats into the shed in the morning on account of the threatening state of the weather.
I read service in the Hall in the afternoon, there were only about 12 present. Mr R. O. Boyd came here in the afternoon and had a look round our orchards, he and Walter Wyatt were here for tea.
Monday 5th It blew very strong and rained last night, but it was very calm and fine this morning. Willie went away early this morning.
We sowed 3 more double rows of White Dutch Beans next to the others making 6 double rows in all. We beat & prepared the hills for Pumpkins etc. We planted as follows.
3 hills of Kumakuma’s
21 hills Pumpkins (Mr Sainsbury)
22 hills Crown Pumpkin
Total 46 Hills
We also weeded the Onion beds.
Miss Wann came here to call in the afternoon and Minnie and I went up there in the evening.
Tuesday 6th We got up early in the morning and got the Sheep up to brand them. We remarked all the old ewes for selling, also the Wethers. We branded 42 Lambs but as we did not get them all up we may not have lost any.
We tailed, & earmarked 2 young Lambs ( 1 Ewe & 1 Wether).
They now stand as follows
Wethers 26
Ewes 21
Total 47
We cut firewood on the road next to the School Reserve in the afternoon.
Wednesday 7th It was a hot day. The boys cut the large Kauri tree down in the School Reserve. I was mending up the fence next Matheson’s paddock. The Steamer came in early and went out immediately after she had landed and taken in her cargo.
Mr Trotter came and bought the boys bullocks (Snowey and Spot).
There was a meeting of the Show Committee in the Hall in the evening.
Thursday 8th It was a hot day. The boys helped Mr Trotter on the road with the cattle he has bought in this district and John did not get home till late in the evening. They had a great trouble with the bullocks and only got them as far as Matakana. I went up to Mr Neeleys in the morning and Henry and I mended the wattled fence near Mathesons in the afternoon. Mrs Haskell was here for dinner and Mrs Handby & Mrs Jos Greenwood called in the evening.
Friday 9th I was mending the fence next to Mathesons paddock in the morning. The boys were cross cutting some post lengths in the E.R. Mr G. Cruickshank came here to see if I had any sheep for sale, he staid and had some refreshment.
We killed a Sheep early in the afternoon. Henry & I went to Pakiri to a soiree, got up to raise funds to paint their new Hall, there were nearly 100 present. Mr A. Campbell was chairman at the concert and gave a very good comic reading. We staid until daylight and then started for home, it came on to rain and we got very wet and it made the road very slippery.
Saturday 10th After arriving at home we milked the cows and cut down the sheep and Henry took it round on his horse. We sold 49 lbs of mutton and it realise 12/3.
I lay down an hour or two to get a little sleep before dinner. In the afternoon I went down to the Hall to clean the lamps and sweep out. There was a scratch cricket match up on the hill between the Omaha & Dacres Claim clubs, the latter won.
Mr Nathaniel Wilson came here for tea and in the evening there was a meeting of the Farmers Association in the Hall. Mr Wilson gave a very interesting and instructive address on the Aims and Objects of Agricultural Associations, the subject of establishing a Telephone and a Money Order Office was discussed and a committee was appointed consisting of Messrs Harvey, A Matheson and myself to draw out a petition to send to the proper authorities. There was not such a good attendance, principally caused by several being up last night at the soiree at Pakiri and the cricket match being kept up to such a late hour. Mr Wilson staid all night with us.
Sunday 11th It was a showery day. Revd R. Mckinney was to have preached in the Hall in the morning, but on account of old Mrs Darroch’s death in Auckland and was to have been buried today at Mahurangi Heads, he did not come. Mr Wilson, after looking round our orchard, went with me to old Mr Wyatts & Tom & Joes to look at their orchards, he returned here for dinner and left for his home.
I had no service in the afternoon.
Monday 12th It was a fine day. John went to Warkworth in the morning to get some wedges pointed. I finished mending up the fence right up to our straining post at the top of the hill. Henry was cutting firewood in the E.R. in the morning and I was also working there in the afternoon.
Tuesday 13th It was a dull day. The boys split some posts in the E.R. also cut down the other Kauri Tree. I mended up the fence at the creek at Frearsons side, and cut firewood in the E.R. in the pm.
Wednesday 14th It was a very hot day. The boys were cross cutting in the E.R. and I was clearing and cutting firewood.
The Steamer came in early in the afternoon and left again soon as she had taken in her cargo. She had three bales of Wool, about 50 Cases of lemons, 30 Sacks of Gum and a Sack of Fungus that Jane & Minnie sent up to Cuthbertsons for sale.
Thursday 15th It was a hot day. I was fixing up the Show Schedule in the morning and posted it in the evening.
The boys were cross cutting in the E.R. and I was clearing and cutting firewood.
Friday 16th There were a few slight sowers during the day, but not sufficient to wet the ground. The boys took some nikau down to deckorate the Hall, they also helped to cut up the sandwiches.
I mended the bridge and did other odd jobs about. We killed a Sheep in the pm. Willie returned home in the pm and they all went to the soiree in the Hall in the evening.
Saturday 17th Henry took the mutton out in the morning. John & I were cutting hay on the hill where the Rye grass is. Willie and the boys went up on the hill in the afternoon to play cricket. I mulched the Onions for seed and put up a frame to prevent them blowing down.
Sunday 18thMonday 19th The boys were cross cutting in the E.R. and I was clearing ti tree and cutting firewood. Mr Lane came in the afternoon for his dipping powder and staid for tea.
The boys went down to Mr Wyatts to get a swarm of bees that they took last night.
Tuesday 20th It threatened for rain in the morning, but it turned out a hot day. The boys were splitting posts in the E.R. and I was cutting firewood. I commenced to Hellebore the Pear trees in the evening.
Wednesday 21st It was a fine day. The boys were splitting posts in the E.R. I was cutting firewood. The Steamer came in early, she gave a cheap trip this week return fare 5/- Henry went up by her to Auckland to get himself and John some new clothes, also to order some wheels to haul out the timber with. There was a dance in the Hall in the evening to eat up the provisions remaining from the last soiree, Willie came home to get to it.
Title of Books recommended by Mr N. Wilson to get for our Library.
“The Increase in the Production of the Soil through the rational use of Nitrogenous Manures” by Professor Paul Wagner PhD.
“Nitrate of Soda its importance and use as Manure”. A prize essay, Rewritten and Edited by Professor Paul Wagner PhD, President of Experimental Agricultural Station Darmistadt.
Prices 2/- to 3/-
Thursday 22nd I was planting the White Dutch Beans that had missed, also digging sorrel in the orchard. We were cutting ti tree in the E.R. in the afternoon.
Friday 23rd We were cutting hay up on the hill in the pm. Killed a sheep in the evening. I went to the Library.
Saturday 24th Cut up the Mutton in the morning and John took it out to the customers. We hoed round the Kumeras in the morning. Willie went to Matakana and brought us home a piece of beef, John went up to cricket in the pm. I went to Mr Harveys in the evening to attend a Committee Meeting consisting of Mr Harvey, Mr A. Matheson & myself to draw up petitions asking for Govt to establish a Money Order Office & Telephone in the Village of Leigh, also to appoint a Registrar of Births Marriages & Deaths. I had not been in the Harvey’s house before since he has lived in it, it is improved very much since it came into his possession and they seem very nice people.
Sunday 25th Christmas Day. It was very dull and threatening for rain, also very windy and uncomfortable.
I went to Dacres Claim in the morning, there was a pretty fair congregation, Mr Ashton’s three sons had just returned from Whanganui and were at the service. I returned home for dinner, there was only our own family party, Henry was absent in Auckland. Read service in the Hall in the evening, there was a very fair congregation. Miss Ashton presided at the harmonium in the absence of Miss Sarah Greenwood who is spending her Christmas in Auckland.
Monday 26th It was dull in the morning but it turned out a hot day. We all went to a picnic on the beach opposite the Goat Island, there were between 60 & 70 present, the young people engaged in all sorts of games, we had dinner & tea there and we spent a very pleasant day. The young people went to the Hall in the evening & had a dance.
Tuesday 27th John & I were cutting ti tree in the E.R. Willie went to Matakana in the afternoon.
Wednesday 28th Willie came to work with us today helping John split Post in the E.R. I was cutting ti tree there also.
The Steamer came early in the afternoon, Henry came up in her, there were 17 passengers all together. I sent away a small Case Dayenne Dete Pears.
Thursday 29th We took down Daisy to Charlies bull.
John & Willie were splitting Posts in the E.R. Henry & I were cutting ti tree.
Friday 30th John & Willie were splitting Posts in the E.R. Henry went to cut grass seed for John Greenwood at the Pa hill. I was cutting ti tree. Blossom was bulling so I took her down to Charlies bull and afterwards I brought the Bull up and put him in our place. Chloe seems to be coming on bulling. We killed a Sheep in the evening.
Saturday 31st Henry went to cut grass seed for John Greenwood at Pa hill. John & Willie were splitting Posts in the morning and they went up the hill in the pm to play cricket.
