Life on a farm before the advent of tractors relied on horse-drawn equipment and the skills and labor of many people?? as the detailed drawings in this fascinating book reveal. Accurately rendered by A. G. Smith?? 43 ready-to-color illustrations depict a wide variety of farm activities in mid-nineteenth-century America.
Based on scenes re-created on the Firestone Farm at historic Greenfield Village in Dearborn?? Michigan?? the drawings include authentically detailed views of kitchen chores (churning butter?? preparing foods); seasonal occupations (shearing sheep?? mowing hay?? gathering pumpkins?? "ng" and "sugaring off" maple syrup)?? as well as plowing?? planting?? caring for livestock?? splitting firewood?? raising a barn?? and many other activities.
Peter H. Cousins?? Curator of Agriculture at Henry Ford Museum & Greenfield Village?? has written an informative introduction and provided fact-filled captions for this entertaining and educational view of life in bygone rural America.