WE ARE IN THIS TOGETHER
People gathered at the Sampson Farm for a wood chopping bee, circa 1910
Farming has, traditionally, required the work of many hands. Farm families were often large and children who grew up on farms were given responsibilities at an early age. Chores like feeding the animals, gathering eggs, picking berries, filling the wood box, or weeding the garden were regular activities for many farm children. Samuel Beverage recalled his responsibilities as a child growing up on the farm belonging to his parents, Hiram and Ruby Beverage:
I helped lug water to the horse and cow, fed the chickens, and helped pick the pin feathers off a great many chickens which were mostly destined for Haven’s Inn or Hopkins’ and Waterman’s Stores. Also helped with getting lamb and veal ready to ship to Boston market and some of the local places mentioned. One of my jobs was to build new chicken yards and string overhead with twine so the hawks could not dive in and grab lunch. Also it was my job to shoot rats and squirrels that would get into the chicken feed. Then there was plenty of weeding the many gardens of all kinds of vegetables.
Benson Brown, the second oldest of Dalon and Mary Brown’s five children, took part from a young age in chores on his family’s farm. Ben recalled:
Back then, kids growing up on a farm, they had to do just about any kind of chore….you did it and you didn’t even think about it! You didn’t know any different!
Farmers also commonly relied on friends, neighbors, and extended family to complete large jobs on a farm and often held “working bees.” On such occasions, islanders helped one another with essential tasks like cutting wood, putting up hay, threshing grain, shearing sheep, or building a barn. Without the labor-saving advances of modern machinery, work was long and hard but could at least be more enjoyable when many hands pitched in to help. The end of the day’s work was often topped off with a huge meal that filled hungry bellies and eased the ache of tired muscles. Alton “Tonny” Calderwood who had a farm on Indian Point, made record in his diary of attending a working bee:
March 7, 1936, Saturday. Clear and cold, N.E. breeze. Attended chopping bee at Jesse Brown’s. There were 18 of us and we cut about 9 cords at the Hooper place. What a dinner Mrs. Brown had for us -- baked chicken, smothered meat, mashed potatoes, mashed turnip, string beans, cranberry sauce, two kinds of pie, and many kinds of cake….we had a grand time.
Following the meal, people often stayed for games, music, and dancing, usually with a lively fiddle or two keeping time. In this way, farming created a culture where labor, entertainment, and community became closely intertwined. Nora Davis Waterman fondly remembered the entertainment that followed working bees at the Waterman Farm:
They used to have big parties t’ the farm and dancing parties -- oh yes -- in the kitchen. Uncle Henry always used to play the violin when they did that….Uncle Charlie always had big wood choppins and then the women would get a big supper and after supper….they took the stove and set it back in the fireplace and they had the whole kitchen to dance in, up and down….No, ‘twasn’t an invitation affair; they’d just say there was going to be a wood choppin’ and then the men, whoever would come, why they just come and then their girlfriends would come and join them and so we’d have a good time.
To break up the long days of farm work, people on North Haven looked forward to occasions like working bees when they could socialize with family, friends, and neighbors. In addition, attending church or belonging to organizations like the Grange provided opportunities to visit with other islanders. It was said by some that young people went to church not so much for what the minister was saying but because they could socialize with their peers.
The Grange, a national organization founded in support of agriculture and promoting the needs of farmers, was established on North Haven in 1909 with 44 charter members. By 1913 it boasted 144 members. The North Haven Grange held annual agricultural fairs where farmers competed for the biggest pumpkin and women sought prizes for the best preserves and pies. There was a greased pig race and booths sold ice cream and candy. Alton “Tonny” Calderwood made record in his diary about attending the annual Grange Fair:
October 25, 1938. We went to the Grange supper and entertainment. It was all very good. George Brown won a pig on tickets. Norman Morrison caught the greased pig. Will Sampson guessed the weight of the big pumpkin -- 60 lbs. One of my guesses was 59 ½.
I helped lug water to the horse and cow, fed the chickens, and helped pick the pin feathers off a great many chickens which were mostly destined for Haven’s Inn or Hopkins’ and Waterman’s Stores. Also helped with getting lamb and veal ready to ship to Boston market and some of the local places mentioned. One of my jobs was to build new chicken yards and string overhead with twine so the hawks could not dive in and grab lunch. Also it was my job to shoot rats and squirrels that would get into the chicken feed. Then there was plenty of weeding the many gardens of all kinds of vegetables.
Benson Brown, the second oldest of Dalon and Mary Brown’s five children, took part from a young age in chores on his family’s farm. Ben recalled:
Back then, kids growing up on a farm, they had to do just about any kind of chore….you did it and you didn’t even think about it! You didn’t know any different!
Farmers also commonly relied on friends, neighbors, and extended family to complete large jobs on a farm and often held “working bees.” On such occasions, islanders helped one another with essential tasks like cutting wood, putting up hay, threshing grain, shearing sheep, or building a barn. Without the labor-saving advances of modern machinery, work was long and hard but could at least be more enjoyable when many hands pitched in to help. The end of the day’s work was often topped off with a huge meal that filled hungry bellies and eased the ache of tired muscles. Alton “Tonny” Calderwood who had a farm on Indian Point, made record in his diary of attending a working bee:
March 7, 1936, Saturday. Clear and cold, N.E. breeze. Attended chopping bee at Jesse Brown’s. There were 18 of us and we cut about 9 cords at the Hooper place. What a dinner Mrs. Brown had for us -- baked chicken, smothered meat, mashed potatoes, mashed turnip, string beans, cranberry sauce, two kinds of pie, and many kinds of cake….we had a grand time.
Following the meal, people often stayed for games, music, and dancing, usually with a lively fiddle or two keeping time. In this way, farming created a culture where labor, entertainment, and community became closely intertwined. Nora Davis Waterman fondly remembered the entertainment that followed working bees at the Waterman Farm:
They used to have big parties t’ the farm and dancing parties -- oh yes -- in the kitchen. Uncle Henry always used to play the violin when they did that….Uncle Charlie always had big wood choppins and then the women would get a big supper and after supper….they took the stove and set it back in the fireplace and they had the whole kitchen to dance in, up and down….No, ‘twasn’t an invitation affair; they’d just say there was going to be a wood choppin’ and then the men, whoever would come, why they just come and then their girlfriends would come and join them and so we’d have a good time.
To break up the long days of farm work, people on North Haven looked forward to occasions like working bees when they could socialize with family, friends, and neighbors. In addition, attending church or belonging to organizations like the Grange provided opportunities to visit with other islanders. It was said by some that young people went to church not so much for what the minister was saying but because they could socialize with their peers.
The Grange, a national organization founded in support of agriculture and promoting the needs of farmers, was established on North Haven in 1909 with 44 charter members. By 1913 it boasted 144 members. The North Haven Grange held annual agricultural fairs where farmers competed for the biggest pumpkin and women sought prizes for the best preserves and pies. There was a greased pig race and booths sold ice cream and candy. Alton “Tonny” Calderwood made record in his diary about attending the annual Grange Fair:
October 25, 1938. We went to the Grange supper and entertainment. It was all very good. George Brown won a pig on tickets. Norman Morrison caught the greased pig. Will Sampson guessed the weight of the big pumpkin -- 60 lbs. One of my guesses was 59 ½.
North Haven Grange Hall
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Thirteen of the 44 charter members of the North Haven Grange, 1949
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