Winter Time, Selling Meat

Tuesday, December 23, 1851: Today Geo P. had Russel Palmer butcher a two year old heifer of mine, weight 528 pounds, hide out 65 pounds.
Wednesday: I this morning took the cutter and fetched Deborah Wylie to cut and fit dresses for my two daughters, and at night John F. carried her home. Today Geo P. went to Pittsfield and carried said beef and sold for 21 dol 67 cts and the hide two dol 60 cts, he gives me twenty dollars for said heifer on the foot.
Thursday, Dec. 25: Tonight my two sons went with two cutters to Hancock village to the picnic and carried their two sisters and Clarissa Withee.
Friday: Today on this forenoon Gardner Green helped us butcher four pigs, we guess they average one hundred pounds each. My two sons helped said Green butcher, I this afternoon cut up the pork and salted it. This evening I agreed to pay said Green two bushel turnips for helping butchering and I gave him a rib. Today a severe cold day.
Saturday: I this morning drove my fat cow to Mr. Russel Palmer’s to be butchered and in the afternoon I took the cutter and went after the beef. Said Palmer cut up said beef and I paid Palmer fifty cts for butchering and thirty cts for cutting up the beef. We reckoned all our deal and found that he owed me twenty five dollars and sixty one cts and he paid me the cash. My fat cow weight nearly six hundred and the hide weight 65 pounds. Today the Runnals fanned up 53 bushels oats which is the last, and it makes 89 bushels that they threshed for one out of eleven and board themselves, John F. tended to measuring up and fetching up said oats. Today Geo P. took his horse and cutter and carried Clarissa Withee home and did not return home tonight. This morning colder than any time last winter.
Sunday: Quite a thaw and rain. Geo P. returned home.
Monday: Today I bargained with the Runnals to cut and split and cord wood and board themselves, and I pay them 44 cts per load. They agreed to cut none but what we pick out for them to chop.
Tuesday: I puttied in the glass that the putty had got off the two front windows to the south room and today Westalo Rodgers fitted in the large window and cased it in the south chamber, and did the same to the six light window in the south end kitchen chamber and garret window, and the north kitchen chamber and north garret window only fitted in. All of these windows, seven of them, I bought to Pittsfield with the glass in and painted.