John Joe and Emmett MacDonald , . Horse Drawn Binder. FARMING FAMILY FARM The largest income from any source during the latter part of the nineteenth century and the early twentieth century came by means of the family farm. If one could have had an aerial view of the north side of the River in 1900, they probably would have seen narrow ribbon-like fields surrounded by hedgerows. Dotted with small buildings spread around the barnyards like little blocks and centered with a rambling two-storey farmhouse. The small farms had an average acreage of about 100 acres, or less. Mixed farming was definitely the most popular form of farming in our Grandfather's era. Most farms had sheep, cows, horses, pigs, and chickens. Wool and lambs were sold, wool to the carding mills and lambs shipped on the vessels. Milk was sold to cheese factories. Hens were expected to produce enough eggs to keep the housewives in small groceries. Hogs were slaughtered for home use as well as being shipped away. Hogs were usually "salted" down in a barrel to preserve the pork. Beef animals were used for meat and the beef would also be "corned" or "pickled". Soil fertilization was done by use of mussel mud, seaweed, and lime. Farm machinery was often shared by two or three farms. The principal cash crop was always potatoes, most of which were exported on the ships docked at Annandale and Bridgetown wharves. Some of the first varieties of potatoes grown included "Early Roses", "Calicoes" and "Green Mountains". 8