58 
BULLETIN 1296, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
A second classification based upon the interference of rain or wet 
soil with various tasks is given in Table 32. Farmers are continually 
confronted with the problem of adjusting their labor program as a 
result of unfavorable weather conditions. The numerous tasks 
common to the farms of this area require a variety of conditions for 
their performance. Consequently some work can ordinarily be 
found when weather or soil conditions interfere with field work. 
Farmers of this region will find it helpful to keep a memorandum of 
tasks on their farms that may be performed on rainy days, or when 
the land is too wet to work. 
DAY-TO-DAY ADJUSTMENT OF THE LABOR PROGRAM ON A McPHERSON COUNTY 
FARM 
JO 
SEPT. OCT. NOV. 
Fig. 27. — Farmers put in long days in the field during wheat harvest and while preparing the land for 
wheat. Corn cultivation, alfalfa cutting, and silo filling are other busy seasons. By doing the odd 
jobs when there is no rush work to do the farmer can spend more time on the rush work when it comes 
Table 31. — Classification of farm tasks from the standpoint of fixity as to time 
Work that must be done within rela- 
tively short periods of time 
Work that may be done within 
a period of several months 
Work with no definite 
period during which it 
must be done 
Plowing, listing, seed-bed preparation, 
seeding of wheat. 
Binding, heading, shocking, stacking, 
and stack threshing small grain. 
Seed-bed preparation and seeding of oats. 
Listing or planting corn. 
Harrowing, sledding, cultivating. 
Cutting and shocking corn. 
Filling silo. 
Mowing, raking, and stacking, or haul- 
ing alfalfa to barn. 
Seed-bed preparation, seeding and har- 
vesting of miscellaneous feed crops. 
Returning exchange labor. 
Marketing livestock and live-stock 
products. 
Emergency repairs offences, equipment, 
and buildings. 
Maintenance and upkeep of equipment 
that can not be postponed, such as 
sharpening plowshares and tightening 
bearings on tractors. 
Hauling coal for threshing. 
Husking corn. 
Fall and winter plowing for spring 
crops. 
Hauling manure and straw. 
Harvesting prairie hay. 
Stack threshing of small grain. 
Hauling feeds and supplies. 
Marketing wheat. 
Grinding feed. 
Special livestock labor, such as 
culling poultry and trimming 
horses' hoofs. 
Mowing weeds. 
Trimming hedges. 
Repair and maintenance of 
buildings, fences, and 
equipment. 
Cleaning up the farmstead 
and farm. 
Cutting wood. 
