Today in 1936

rusty6 · Nov 14, 2020

Sorry, no tractors in this post. My grandfather hauled a wagon box (or maybe on sleighs) of wheat to town. 62 net bushels of number one wheat for 90 cents a bushel. All loaded by hand with grain scoop for the 12 mile trip to town with horses. I thought this grain ticket was interesting. I've got a bunch of them. Price had improved to $1.10 by late December, 1936.

Sean Feeney · Nov 14, 2020

Thats pretty neat you have that.

Richard G. · Nov 14, 2020

I really enjoy seeing things like that.
Thank you.
Richard

cdmn · Nov 14, 2020

In 1936, my dad was working on a farm for $1 a day, plus room and board. And he bought a '34 Ford
that he drove for the next 12 years. He then took over the family's 240 acres with only 10
Registered Polled Hereford heifers to start his "ranching" life. He did alright and lived 96 years.

sandel · Nov 14, 2020

Excellent sharing. We sometimes believe that present perils are insurmountable but the thirties were the true "hard times."
Be great to hear more stories of those who dealt with that era.

rusty6 · Nov 14, 2020

(quoted from post at 12:50:45 11/14/20) Excellent sharing. We sometimes believe that present perils are insurmountable but the thirties were the true "hard times."
Be great to hear more stories of those who dealt with that era.

Stories like selling two cows in 1937 and getting $14.95 after expenses? My grandfathers are not around to tell their stories anymore but I've got some of the paperwork saved from years ago which tells a little.

Bruce from Can. · Nov 14, 2020

My dad told me he sold cows in the 1950’s during a
out break of foot and mouth at ten cents a pound.
Then told me I’d never have to sell cows that cheap
in my life. During the Mad cow out break a few
years back, I had to take six cents a pound for cull
cows.

rustred · Nov 14, 2020

and 84 years later we are at around the 6.00 mark, humm. someting is wong here.

rusty6 · Nov 14, 2020

(quoted from post at 13:12:34 11/14/20) and 84 years later we are at around the 6.00 mark, humm. someting is wong here.

I guess we have become too efficient producing ever higher yields thus keeping the price of grain down. If we were still growing wheat at 1936 yields there would be a lot less of it on the market and probably higher priced.

John Deere D · Nov 14, 2020

In 1935 my Neighbor shipped two hogs and a cow to Edmonton Alberta Canada.....NAR Railroad.......
and yes, the cost of freight was more than the sale of the livestock!!!!

Bob...

37 chief · Nov 14, 2020

That money probably went a long ways. I looked up what that money is worth in todays money, it's a little over 1,000.00 Stan

casecollectorsc · Nov 14, 2020

I remember the sale barn here in E SD using that same envelope for many years when I started in 1968.

Moonlite37 · Nov 14, 2020

In 1954 I gathered corn and did other farm work for $ 3.00 a day and took my pay in ear corn at $1.40 a bushel. Had an acquaintance who worked in the shoe factory and stole corn at night. He made better money stealing corn from the field than in the show factory and paid no Federal tax.

Bill(Wis) · Nov 14, 2020

In the 1930s my father had two hired men. Paid them $30 per month plus room and board and no work for the hired men on Sunday. My father and grandfather did the chores on Sunday (dairy farm) and no work for the hired men. They usually went home to their parents on Sunday morning after a night out on the town. (;>)) Beer was a nickel a glass. You could buy a pretty decent running Model T Ford for $10. I recall someone telling me that pay for a private in the Army fell to $15 per month at one point.

Philip d · Nov 14, 2020

I remember we just sold a group of Holstein steers a few days before the announcement for 80c/lb live and the next auction they we’re bringing 20c. $800-1000 culls were as low as $70.

rustred · Nov 14, 2020

probably 20 bushel crops then compared to 50 and way over that now. plus lots more people in the world also. and 1/2 a million dollar
tractors working the fields now compared to 2-3 thousand dollar tractors back then. i really cant see how any of these big farmers are
making money today. just working for the fertilizer company's and dealers and banks.

rusty6 · Nov 14, 2020

(quoted from post at 17:21:42 11/14/20) probably 20 bushel crops then compared to 50 and way over that now. plus lots more people in the world also. and 1/2 a million dollar
tractors working the fields now compared to 2-3 thousand dollar tractors back then. i really cant see how any of these big farmers are
making money today. just working for the fertilizer company's and dealers and banks.

I guess they are like Wal mart. Making it up on volume sales. As long as they make a few cents a bushel on enough millions of bushels they are ok.

RedGreenGuy · Nov 14, 2020

My FIL saved every receipt from his dad. When wife and I cleaned FIL last belongings we found receipts from his dad for hogs sold in 1909 for 9 cents a pound. Saved that one.

Veronabob · Nov 14, 2020

Really interesting to look at information like this. My grandfather told me in 1936 the total income on the farm was $1600. He had about 20
cows that he milked and raised a few hogs. In 1941 he was farming with my Dad and they bought a brand new Farmall B for $650. In 1953 when
I was in 8th grade they bought a 1 year old Farmall H for $1500 and a new Allis Chalmers Roto Baler for $1500. A brand new Ford Customline
Ford was priced at $1500.

Are we really better off today?

730virgil · Nov 14, 2020

my Grandpa P, told about man he worked for supplied coal for Grandpa and Grandma house . One day boss told Grandpa when you need coal go to
corn crib and burn corn it is not worth anything and I don't have money to buy coal.

Today in 1936

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