Thomas Jefferson’s Farm Book, page 54

Diary 1796.

Jan. 1.

Petit has ploughed the Knob field abt 30. as Franklin’s 26. as

Page has ploughed the Chapel ridge. 40 as Mountn field 40. as
Mar. 24.

[. . .] of cattle to all the provender for cattle is out at Monticello this day.
Apr. 26. there has been a most extraordinary drought through the whole spring to this time. the seeds sown for a long time past have not sprouted. copious rains now fall for 36. hours, gentle at first, heavy at last.
30.

the weather is become very cold. a great frost in the neighborhood.
May. 1.

the first blossom I see of red clover.
5.

began to cut clover to feed.
6.

Iris lays in with a boy Joyce.
10.

began to sow peas.
June. 1.

Lucy lies in with a boy. Zachary.
6.

began to cut clover for hay.
14.

finished cutting clover.

Ned’s Jenny lies in with a boy. James.
23.

the white pea beginning to blossom.
Diary of harvest.

one oxcart of 4. or 6. oxen which did little.

2. carts of 3. mules each.

1. cart with 4. horses.

a waggon aided 4. days.

July 2. we stopped our ploughs; the pickers up not keeping up with cutters.

tho 18. mowers had been fixed on & furnished with 27. scythes, yet the wheat was so heavy for the most part that we had not had more than 13. or 14. mowers cutting on an everage.

13. cutters × 12 days + 156. which gives near 2. as a day for each cutter, supposing 300. acres.
acres stacks
June 23. Eastfield 35 100. 3.b.
25. Riverfield. 40 65
28 Poggio new grd 8 40.b.
29. { Triangle 30 63.
Pantops 9 95.
30. Culpeper 7 27. 4.b.
July 1. Springfield 16 48
2. Smith’s 48 74.
4. Highfield 32 72
5. Slatefield } 55 70
Longfield
7. Middlefield abt 20   27         
300 546 + 135.b
9.

sowed Buckwheat at Monticello.
Aug. 18.

Scilla has a child born.
22.

our Threshing machine begins to work at the Riverfield.
Nov. 23.

on this day a very severe spell of weather set in. on the 23d it was at the freezing point. 24th at 23° 25th at 21° 26th at 12° other indispensible work had prevented the digging our potatoes, & tho’ the earth was remarkeably dry (for it had not rained since the middle of Octob.) the whole were lost by freezing.
17.

we finished sowing our 3d field of wheat over the river (Dryfield). May wheat. the 4th which should have been in wheat, we thought better to put into rye.
Dec. 10.

we finish sowing our 3d field of wheat on this side of the river (Ridgefield). May wheat our 4th (Brockenfeild) which should have been in wheat, is to be in rye.

concluded with George that we will keep 12. breeding sows here.

children born at Bedford this year. Hanah (Dinah’s) Aug.—a girl (Suck’s) a girl (Abby’s) Nace (Maria’s) Aug.

ploughing days have been this year as follows. Jan. 6. Feb. 15. Mar. [20.] Apr. 25. May. 17. June 19. July 23. Aug. 24. Sep. 20. Nov. 24. Dec. 10. = [212.]

List of tools at Monticello & Tufton. Supplied clothing by Hugh Petit Nov. 96.
18. hoes. 5. axes. 10. reaphooks. 6. large ploughs. 8.small ploughs.
8. pr chain traces. 3. oxchains. 1.toothed harrow.

Manuscript (Massachusetts Historical Society, Thomas Jefferson’s Farm Book, page 54). Scan available online here.

Source Information

Author Thomas Jefferson
Date 1796
Place of Origin Monticello
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