CATTLE AND THE DAIRY 



fodder rather than for the comfortable housing of the 

 cattle, and yet these heavy-timbered barns lasted for 

 years. Though I do not know the oldest in the county 

 by any means, yet I know of one standing, sound and 

 good, which sheltered a part of a company of Hessians 

 when they marched down through Litchfield County 

 after the defeat at Saratoga in 1777. The main struc- 

 ture was flanked, oftentimes, by open sheds where the 

 cattle and sheep could take shelter and be foddered. 



As we have noted, the early plan of settlement ar- 

 ranged for the commons around which were the home- 

 stead plots, with an outlying farm to be later improved 

 and reclaimed. After the danger from Indians and 

 wild beasts became lessened it is probable that the out- 

 lying area was often utilized as summer pasturage for 

 young stock— a custom still continued. 



The town of Woodbury early set aside a common 

 pasture. "At a lawful town meeting the 8th of March, 

 1705, it was voted and agreed that all the bare hill and 

 ragland from the highway to the westside through pop- 

 lar meadow, down to the highway from Whiteoak 

 through Sawteeth, we say all that is now common land 

 unlaid out, is and shall be sequestered land for common, 

 for the feed of sheep and other cattle forever, for the 

 use of the inhabitants in gen'l." A pretty extensive 

 pasture, and yet, if it is still "forever kept," it must be 

 all too small for the flocks and herds of Woodbury. 



[65] 



