Existing comment:
The Working Farm:
White Haven was typical of large farms in the area during the mid-1800s. As times changed, so did its operation in terms of labor, equipment, and methods. Its two owners, Colonel Dent and Ulysses Grant, also had different interests and therefore developed the farm according to their own preferences.
Products of the Farm: Dent's interest was cash crops such as wheat, oats, corn, potatoes, and hay sold at city markets. Grant's interests focused on producing grasses and clover for his horses. Both owners grew nectarines, peaches, apples, apricots and grapes as well as sweet potatoes, carrots, melons, and squash for personal consumption.
Farm Labor: Slaves worked the farm prior to the Civil War. Charles, Bob, Willis, William, and Jim did the daily tasks while additional free and enslaved men from neighboring farms were hired during peak times of planting and harvesting. With the end of slavery, all laborers at White Haven received wages for their work.
Farm Equipment and Methods: The introduction of mechanized farm equipment in the late 1830s reduced labor expenses. White Haven was the first farm in the area to have a reaper and thresher. Using the choicest seeds and employing the latest philosophy about crop rotation enhanced production on the farm. |