On 3rd Frank & I harrowed. Pa sowed oats. John sowed blue grass seed. Mrs. and Miss DeLapp stayed all night.
In 1900, sowing oats and blue grass consisted of walking along and throwing seeds from a sack onto a previously plowed field. Horses pulled a harrower along the previously plowed dirt, covering the seeds. The harrower makes clumps of dirt finer, covers the broadcast seed, and pulls weeds. There are different types of harrowers depending on the need, but Jesse and Frank were likely using a disk harrower.
Thanks to Retired Iowa State University Extension Agronomist Dr. Stephen K. Barnhart, Ph.D.
