St. Michael’s Farm Report – 1914 – Hopewell Valley History Project

St. Michael’s -Farmstead and fields (1981, Klevze)

What would a large farm operation be like in Hopewell in the early 1900s? What kinds of animals did they raise – livestock and poultry? What variety of produce did they grow – vegetables and fruit? How much product did they generate – hay and grain, dairy products, eggs? And how did the finances work out for all these different options?

Amazingly, we have one answer in the form of an annual report for the farm at St. Michael’s Orphanage from December 1914. This five-page document summarizes the quantities and value of the stock on the farm and the products produced.

The farm was a large area south of Hopewell Borough – The current St. Michael’s Farm Preserve property consists of some 416 acres, extending south from the Hopewell Borough border to the outskirts of Mount Rose, mostly between Hopewell-Princeton Road and Aunt Molly Road.

The report lists different numbers of animals between the full-year accounting and the end of year census. And it uses different measurements for different produce, including tons, bushels, bunches, baskets, and individual plants. So the numbers summarized here (and on the title page added on the front) are approximate.

Thanks again to the Sisters of St. Francis (the order that operated and staffed St. Michael’s) for finding and sharing this report from their archives.

== View the 1914 St. Michael’s Farm Report (PDF) ==

Summary of Stock and Value

The farm livestock included horses, cattle, sheep, and hogs. The poultry included chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys, and pigeons.

Of the some 600 animals, the largest number were some 400 chickens, 70 hogs, and 50 cattle. The largest investment was in the cattle and horses (some $6900 of the $8700 total). These also are broken down by type and associated values (e.g., steer, bulls, cows, heifers, and calves).

Of the produce and dairy, the largest value was the hay and grain ($8000 of the $13,500 total), and the dairy products ($3400).

The total value reported for the stock and produce then was $22,200.

Stock and Poultry Raised and Used

The report also lists the amount of stock raised during the year, and the number that were killed for “home use.” Of the 411 animals raised, 117 were killed for home use. The majority of these were sheep (45) and chickens (52). Another 41 pigs and hogs were listed as on hand for later use.

Dairy Products and Eggs

The report breaks down the quantities and unit prices of the dairy products produced. The largest value was in the milk – some 50,000 quarts priced at 5 cents a quart, or $2500. Butter made from the milk fat was 30 cents a pound, and eggs were 20 cents a dozen.

To put this in perspective, today a cow might produce around six gallons of milk per day (24 quarts), or more than 2,000 gallons per year (8,000 quarts). So the reported 50,000 quarts generated for the year might represent the output of some 6 to 7 actively lactating cows – all milked by hand, twice a day.

Produce and Gain

The reports lists an amazing variety of vegetables grown, including onions, radishes, peas, string beans, lettuce, spinach, carrots, parsnips, beets, turnips, corn, cabbage, parsley, cucumbers, limas, tomato, celery, egg plants, peppers, cauliflower, asparagus, and potatoes. These are tracked in different units, bunches, bushels, baskets, and plants, adding up to some 37,000 units produced.

The farm also produced some 760 baskets of fruit, including pears, apples, cherries, quinces, plumbs, peaches, and grapes.

The report also lists the grain raised, including wheat, rye, oats, and corn. (Corn that is harvested when mature and dry is considered a grain.) These were tracked as 5300 bushels, plus 415 tons, plus 10,000 bundles of corn stalks.

This report provides an intriguing view into the St. Michael’s farm operation in 1914.

== View the 1914 St. Michael’s Farm Report (PDF) ==

We welcome additional comments and feedback – especially from farmers – as well as any other similar historical information on local farms that we can share.