Hastings did not have a farm wagon or horses, he had sold these in an attempt to come up with the purchase price when the land came up for sale. The rent Samuel paid for equipment and horses and living on the land was one half the crop or its equivalent. Hastings had already built a cabin, barn, sheep pen, fenced some of the property and cleared 30 tillable acres when Pratt took over ownership. Pratt as owner did have a major influence on what crops were to be cultivated, though this was an issue that was negotiated between both men. Pratt wanted Hastings to plant flax as a cash crop.
Flax fiber is used to make linen and the seed is pressed for oil.
The linseed oil produced was used in oil paints, varnishes, printing and lithographic inks and the mash left from pressing out the oil is fed by some farmers to cattle and hogs. Hastings agreed to put part of the cleared tillable land in flax, but planned to put the rest in corn. Hastings used Pratt's oxen when needed. Living close to his landlord, the livestock of both men ran together. By tending to Pratt's hogs and butchering 8-10 each year for his landlord, Hastings was allowed to keep 6 hogs for his family's use.