Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-10-08
Agricultural.
A Model Farmer.

A Model Farmer.
Those who are familiar with the road
leading from this city to Winthrop-which
passes through one of the best sections OF
Kennebec county-must have noticed,
just beyond the entrance to Hammond's
Grove, that popular resort of Augusta
people, which IS yearly growing more at
tractive as a summer outing station,) a
snug, well-painted. cosily-located set OF
farm buildings. elevated somewhat from
the road at the right, and commanding a
pleasant outlook upon the placid waters
of Lake Cobbosseecontee. We said just
now that these buildings were costly locat-
ed and that just describes it. The buildings
are placed upon little shelf-like terrace
on the hillside, protected from the cold
winds at the north by the wooded hill be-
yond, andifrom the yard and windows,
there is a sunny, southern exposure. al
WAYS warm and cheerful in winter, and
in summer, receiving the grateful breeze
from the long surface of the lake from the
outlet up past the island, and over the
farm, Well, this farm is the home OF one
of the staunch, solid farmers of Kennebec
county Mr. John E. Brainard. Long before
we knew who lived here, we had, in pass
ing, picked out this place as asort OF ideal
Maine farmers home. The buildings, we
had noticed, were always in good repair
and well painted; there was good or
chard back of the house which must
good deal more than furnish apples for
the family; all crops were generally
growing, in their season, upon the we'll
drained and well-manured fields; there
was well lighted, warm hen house and il
we passed this place in winter, we always
noticed cattle, sheep and colts out in the
yards-the yards being divided off into
two or three misunderstanding that all
Kinds of istock were kept, and all the
usual crops grown. Moreover, the hay
was always piled up high on the NOW,
and the oat-heads were sticking out of the
window in the gable end OF the barn.
This farm has been in possession of the
Brainard family for nearly hundred
years. Mr.. Brainard's grandfather set
tied here, coming from Connecticut. and
here Mr.. Brainard's father was born, lived
and died; and here he was also himself
born, and has always lived. The farm
comprises about one hundred acres of
land, and has always been well titled. 1t
cuts about forty tons of hay; and as for
wheat, corn, and oats Mr. Brainard al
ways has the best in the neighborhood.
This year for the first time in many years
there are no sheep upon the farm. but
Mr.. Brainard assures US he believes in
them and we cannot doubt but to them
is to be attributed good share of the
richness of these fields and pastures.
For many years MIR. Brainard has made
the dairy something of specially, and
even before the establishment of the
creamery in his town-of which he is one
OF the stock holders-had acquired good
reputation for the butter made at his dai
~. But private dairying entails sight
of hard work doors, is not always sat
isiactory in products, and Mr.. Brainard
welcomed the starting of the creamery in
his town. He now has splendid herd of
eight cows, nearly all of them-there be-
ing but single exception, we believe
registered Jerseys; and they are pretty
sight as they stand in their comfortable
te-up, these October nights, where we
saw them few evenings since. This tie
up is in the basement of Mr.. Brainard's
baritone of the best places in the world
for cows quarters-where in the coolest
of winter weather 1t is warm and away
from the reach of piercing winds.
Mr.. Brainard tells us that he relies. now,
manly upon shorts and Indian meal as a
provender ration tor his cows. Formerly
the patrons of the Winthrop creamery
fed considerable quantities of cotton
seed meal, but the opinion prevailed
that it was an injury to the butter
causing ar unpleasant favor-and its use
has been discontinued. There was some
feeling however. that the butter failed to
"stand up as the term is, or in other
words, it broke down too rapidly in quail
ty after being made, the cause of which
was attributed, whether wrongly or not
we cannot say, to the use of cotton seed
meal. Mr.. Brainard now feeds tour quarts
shorts and two quarts Indian meal mixed,
and led dry, to each cow The short pastures
have been cause of light yields of cream
this fall, as he has not yet had his cows in
the fall feed" of fields. For the past
few weeks the eight cows-some of
which are young-have averaged about
an inch of cream each, day. MIR. Brain
ard thinks highly OF the creamery system
for Maine farmers, and says that when
farmers can receive an average of ten
cents an inch for their cream the season