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Archiver > NJHUNTER > 2003-02 > 1045264069


From: "William Hartman" <>
Subject: Re: [NJHUNTER] Harvest times
Date: Fri, 14 Feb 2003 18:13:00 -0500
References: <20030214202634.29126.qmail@web40101.mail.yahoo.com>


John, I'll take an educated guess based on my '20th Century' agricultural background!

If Winter Wheat, July give or take; same with Rye, Buckwheat, Oats, and Barley. Straw comes from these plants and is taken after the seeds have been harvested - so it follows shortly thereafter.

Today, Hay is usually three times but that is with modern cutting and baling equipment. And also if there is good rainfall throughout the season. Back then, they may have gotten 2 crops: the first in May or June after the Spring rains and perhaps in the fall. I have seen nothing in the Hunterdon Gazette to confirm this.

Peas (for human consumption) are a Spring crop and if planted in March or early April could be harvested in June and July.
Peas for animals are a full season crop and I would guess may be ready (dried on the vine) Aug. or Sept.

Beans require warm weather and are not planted until after frost which is generally late April. Human type: 60-day-beans could be ready late June or early July and then until frost if a succession of plantings are made. Beans for the seed are harvested later when the seeds are mature. Soybeans to my knowledge where not grown back in the 1800s, they came in from the Orient. They require a full season and are not harvested until after the Fall frost.

Turnips and carrots are root crops and again are tolerant of frost so they can be planted in March or April. Depending on how big you want the crop and whether or not they are for human or animal feeding, you can harvest edible sized roots in June and until after the last Fall frost.

Pears grow on trees and in Hunterdon, my pears are ready to eat late August and into September. There may be other varieties with slightly earlier and later maturation dates.

Grapes grow on vines and again can vary as to harvest but I believe late August into September are the general times of harvest.

You didn't mention Apples and peaches which were both grown extensively back in those days in Hunterdon. The apples were generally used for cider and apple jack - an alcoholic drink very popular back then. If you have the Hunterdon Gazette CD, nearly every farm for sale noted an "Apple Orchard of select grafted trees" sometimes numbering around 100 trees with other fruit. Peaches were a very big business later in the 1800s until the diseases ruined the fruit. Both apples and peaches have various maturation times but generally not before July, although today you can get some early peaches to mature in that month. Some apples generally produce until frost.

How's that?

Regards, Bill

----- Original Message -----
From: john newman
To:
Sent: Friday, February 14, 2003 3:26 PM
Subject: [NJHUNTER] Harvest times



Does anyone know when Hunterdon County harvest time is for the following:

Wheat

Rye

Oats

Buckwheat,

Barley,

Hay,

Straw,

Peas and beans,

Turnips and carrots,

pears,

grapes,

These items are some, not all, of the items listed in the 1875 state census. They were listed separate and apart from the normal census info; this was a section just for farming and animals.

- john



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