A STUDY OF FAEM ORGANIZATION IN CENTRAL KANSAS 
59 
Table 32. — Classification of farm tasks from the standpoint of effect of rain and 
wet soil upon their performance 
Work that can be done while it is 
raining 
Work that can be done when the 
ground is wet but not while rain is 
falling 
Work that can be done 
only when the ground 
is dry enough to work 
Repairing machinery and equipment. 
Cleaning out barns and other build- 
ings. 
Cleaning grain bins. 
Treating seeds. 
Cleaning grain. 
Inside repairs on buildings. 
Hauling manure or straw. 
Cutting weeds. 
Trimming hedges. 
Hauling feeds and supplies. 
Marketing crops and livestock. 
Special livestock work. 
Repair and maintenance of machinery, 
buildings, and fences. 
Cleaning up about barn and house. 
All field labor on crops. 
An example of the adjustment of the labor program as actually 
worked out on a 403-acre farm in this area is shown in Figure 27. 
Attention is called to the fact that no labor of a character that could 
be shifted to other periods of the year was allowed to interfere with 
the work of wheat harvest from June 21 to August 10. Heavy 
rains on July 10 and 12 made it necessary to do other work on these 
days. One hired man was employed from May 29 to August 9. 
During the remainder of the time, all of the labor shown in the chart 
EXCHANGE LABOR ON A 290-ACRE FARM 
HOURS 
110 
100 
90 
80 
70 
60 
50 
40 
30 
20 
I 
\ 
| Exchange Received 
| Exchange Rendered 
I 
» 
1 
il. 
! j 
1 1 
1 
|, 
, , 
10 20 10 20 10 20 10 20 10 20 10 20 10 20 10 20 10 20 10 20 10 20 10 20 
JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY JUNE JULY AUG. SEPT. OCT. NOV. DEC. 
Fig. 28.— Many farmers get their wheat threshed, silos filled, and hay put up by exchanging with their 
neighbors and thereby avoid the heavy expense involved in hiring large crews 
was done by three men, with the exception of a part of the chore 
labor on poultry. With the completion of wheat seeding and thrash- 
ing in October, there is a significant decline in the number of hours 
worked per day. The type of farming followed makes it necessary 
to put in as long days in the field as possible during certain seasons 
and there is a corresponding decline during other periods. 
Some of the crop operations common to this area require large 
crews of men and horses during the few days of their performance. 
This is particularly true of shock threshing and silo filling. Many 
of the farmers of this area find it more profitable to get these peaks 
