September 1896

Tuesday 1st    It was a fine day, but the weather does not seem to be settled.  I was pulling up tea tree in the barley paddock both morning and afternoon.  I packed up the two sides of Bacon and took them down to the Steamer in the evening to send them to Mr Rew.
I received a parcel from Henry who is in Sydney containing a Choko and some other seeds.

Wednesday 2nd   It was dull and rained a little in the morning, but it turned out a fine day.  I was pulling tea tree outside the barley paddock fence in the morning.  In the afternoon I went down to the Store to get the flowers seeds and seed potatoes that I had ordered from Auckland through Mr Harper.  Mr Kempt who was coming up empty hauled up a bag of Flour for me leaving it at our gate.
There was a meeting in the Hall in the afternoon, of the single ladies of the district to arrange about a Social that they are thinking of giving.  The Miss Hardings came up with Minnie & Jane and had tea here.

Thursday 3rd   It was a fine day,  though dull at times.  Jane went up to Mauds.  I planted three pounds each of the following sorts of Potatoes at the bottom of the orchard.
No  1  Early Puritan
No  2  Richter’s  Imperator
No  3  Port Fairy Pink Eyes
No  4  Her Majesty
No  5  Fiddlers Reading Giant
No  6  Centennial
No  7  White Elephant

Friday 4th   It was showery all day, but there was a particularly heavy one in the afternoon.  Both the Cows,  Chloe & Nelly calved to day and both had Bull calves.
I was pruning in the orchard.  We killed a Sheep in the pm and I went to the Library in the evening.

Saturday 5th   It was a showery day.  I took the mutton to Harpers in the morning then went round by the beach coming back through the Race Course, bringing some sand with me.  Got firewood in the afternoon and skinned a Sheep that had died on the farm.
John returned from Tomarata in the afternoon and he, Jane & Minnie went up to Miss Hardings in the evening.

Sunday 6th   There was a heavy shower of rain after dinner but with this exception it was a fine day.
I read service in the Hall in the afternoon, there were only 12 present.  John returned to Tomarata in the afternoon.
Jane went with Honor Wyatt to John Wyatts after church where she had tea.

Monday 7th   It rained last night, and the ground was very wet this morning, so I pulled up tea tree in the barley paddock in the morning and I was pruning in the orchard in the afternoon.

Tuesday 8th   It was a dull day but it did not rain.  I commenced to clear the rubbish off the ground and to dig up the piece of ground that was in vines near the gate going into the pigs paddock.
Jane returned from John Wyatts and Honor came with her and staid for dinner.  Minnie walked to Ti Point to Mrs Lloyds and brought home a lot of flower cuttings.  The Steamer did not come in this evening on account of the wind.

Wednesday 9th   It was a very fine day.  The Steamer came in early in the morning.  Willie and I got the Steers up, yoked them up and went down to the Wharf and hauled up 1 Sack Maize,  1 Sack Potatoes,  1 Bag Sugar,  1 Box Groceries that came from Rews,  and also 1 Bag Bone Dust & Blood manure that I bought at Harpers store.
I was digging out the grape vines in the afternoon.

Thursday 10th   It was a fine day, the wind is from the W.
I continued digging the piece of ground that was in vines.

Friday 11th   It was a fine day, wind still from the west.  I went down to the P.O. in the morning .  Continued digging up the piece of ground that was in vines.   Mrs D. Knaggs spent the day here.  Killed a Sheep in the evening.

Saturday 12th   It was a fine day.  I continued digging where the grape vines were.  Jane & Willie went down to the harbour and brought home a lot of oysters.  John returned from Tomarata in the evening.

Sunday 13th   It was a fine day.  Revd R. McKinney held service in the Hall in the morning, John and Jane attended.  I held no service today, but Willie and I walked up to Mauds where we staid for dinner, returning home in the afternoon.  Minnie & Jane went to Mr Masefields in the afternoon and staid for tea.

Monday 14th   It was a fine day.  John returned to Tomarata in the morning.  Maud came down to the Store and then came here and staid for dinner.
George Wyatt took his Grey Horse out of the farm, it has been here 5 weeks last Saturday.
I was digging in the garden, Mrs Haskell Senr called here in the afternoon and staid for tea.  Jane walked to Tea Point  in the afternoon to Mr Lloyds to get some eggs for sitting, she got 13, but broke 6 coming home.

Tuesday 15th   It was a fine day.  I was digging up where the grapes vines were growing.  I went down to the Steamer in the evening, we got a letter from Henry.

Wednesday 16th   It was fine in the morning,  Mrs A. Haskell was here for dinner.  It poured with rain in the afternoon.

Thursday 17th   It was a fine day.  I finished digging the piece of ground that was in grape vines.  Mr R. Monk addressed the electors in the hall in the evening.  There was a good attendance.  Mr G. Knaggs was chairman.

Friday 18th   It was a fine day.   I burned off the big heap of vine branches that came off of the piece of ground I have just dug.
I commenced to dig against the pig paddock fence.  We killed a sheep in the evening.  There was a meeting of the Library Committee in the evening to choose books,  I was present.

Saturday 19th   It was a fine day.   I sowed Oates in the piece of ground I cleared of grape vines and manured it with Potato manure, and chipped it in.  I sowed a row of Stratagem Peas over a manured trench next to the broad beans.
Mr Roose came in the afternoon, but I did not give him an order. John returned from Tomarata in the afternoon.  Jane & Honor Wyatt walked up to Mauds in the afternoon.

Sunday 20th   The wind has changed round to the NE, it was dull and threatens for rain.   We got Dolly in from the farm, she has calved a red Bull Calf.  I walked to Pakiri in the morning, attended service in the Hall conducted by the Revd Worboys,  I went to Mrs Gravatt’s for dinner and called to Mr Wittens where I remained for tea, walking home in the evening.  When I got to Greenwoods hill I met John who was returning to Tomarata.   Soon after I got home it started to rain and rained all night.

Monday 21st   It was showery all day.  We got Rosey in from the farm, she has calved a red Bull Calf   (Heifer)

Tuesday 22nd   It was fine in the morning.  I was pruning trees in the orchard.   Jane returned from Mauds in the morning.
Jane & I went down to the E.R. after dinner,  Jane to thin the Turnips and I to stick the Peas.  We had not been down there long before Minnie blew the horn for us to go home, when I got to the house Mr Roose was there with samples, we gave him an order for drapery, he staid for tea and remained all night.
Revd Worboys held service in the Hall in the evening, none of us went.  It rained heavily in the afternoon.

Wednesday 23rd   It was a fine day, wind blowing from the S.
I went down to the E.R. and finished sticking the peas.  When I came home for dinner Revd Worboys and Mrs J. C. Wyatt  were at the house and they staid for dinner.

Thursday 24th   It was a fine day.   We killed a Sheep in the evening.  We all went down to deckorate the Hall in the evening for the ladies social.

Friday 25th   It was fine in the morning.  John came home in the afternoon from Tomarata.  It came on to rain in the pm and rained all night.
The ladies gave a social in the Hall in the evening, but on account of the rain only about 60 responded to the invitation, but those who went enjoyed themselves very much.  I did not go.

Saturday 26th   It was a showery day.  There was a meeting of the Road Board in the Hall in the evening.

Sunday 27th   It was fine in the morning.  John rode over to Big Omaha in the afternoon.  I read service in the Hall in the afternoon , there was only a small congrefation.  While we were at service  it came on to rain.

Monday 28th   It was a fine day.   John being at home he helped me, we first put tea tree rails in the cow paddock fence, then John split up the remaining half of the kauri paling log & I split some palings.
In the afternoon John cut down a Pine tree in front of the house.
I was pulling up tea tree in the barley paddock.  The Miss Hardings & Honor Wyatt came for tea.

Tuesday 29th   It was a fine day.   John went to Matakana in the morning.  I commenced to paint the Apple trees with Armstrongs Codlin Moth Specific.  In the afternoon we got the Sheep up and tailed the Lambs.  They were as follows.
Ewes             14
Wethers        9
Total             23

I had a young Sow Pig from Mr  W. J. Angove of Warkworth up by the Steamer,  I carried it up in the evening.
There was a social in the Hall in the evening given by the ladies, we all of us went and enjoyed ourselves very much.  It rained very hard in the evening.
The Miss hardings, Honor Wyatt and C. Gravatt slept at our house.

Wednesday 30th   It was a showery day.  The Miss Hardings went to Auckland by the “Rose Casey” for the Michaelmas holidays.
John returned to Tomarata in the morning.  The girls went down to the Hall to clear up.  I was pulling up tea tree in the barley paddock.