From the years 1878 until 1888, if not longer, Marshall Fairbanks kept a daily account of life on his farm in Evans (Erie County), New York, including his accounts of the weather, money coming in and out, and any other events of interest. He wrote about driving into Buffalo to sell crops and about laborers that came to the farm to work for a few months at a time. According to the census in 1875, Marshall’s farm had expanded to 126 acres. He harvested wheat, oats, Indian corn, potatoes, peas, beans, apples, and grapes. On the farm, they also raised a small number of cattle, swine, and poultry, made butter, and sold eggs.

MARCH 6.
Mild partly clear with a south wind Webster and I went to Buffalo with the team took 18 chickens live 81 1/4 lbs of butter 9 dozen of eggs and a bushel of apples received of poltry 10cts am to $9.00 received for butter 26 cts am to $21.12 eggs at 20 cts a doz $1.80 and apples $1.25 To cash for groceries $13.80 To cash for timothy seed $8.90 shoes for Jennie $2.50 expenses, 70 cts