- Related Articles
- ON THE ROAD
"Dad said you always wanted to keep two ears in the air while picking," he said. "I still picked by hand into 1944, and 80 bushels per day, picked by one man, was a day's work for most. But everyone was shooting for 100 bushels."
No one got rich husking corn.
"In normal times and years, six cents a bushel was usually the wage paid, five cents if an elevator was used," Chester said. "Few had scales, but a 26-inch standard wagon box held 26 bushels of ear corn. But more was usually carried, as sideboards were often used. On top of that was a bang board on the other side from the husker, so the ears would hit it and fall down onto the load.
Horses needed to be of good temperament. Some went along with the husker almost automatically, while others responded to commands. Either way, a steady animal was the key to the operation.
"Nervous horses were not good," Chester said.
Unlike many early farm chores, husking was done after the summer's heat had passed. Huskers wore heavy coats to the field, Chester said, and perhaps light jackets to start the day. Both would be removed fairly soon as the men warmed up.
"After doing most of the chores before daylight," he said, "I'd hope there was little frost. Otherwise, mittens or gloves got wet, and fingers were apt to crack and get sore."
The husker's tools were simple.
"Manufacturers made different types of hooks to suit the buyers," Chester said. "Some had two hooks side-by-side, but that wasn't really necessary. The hooks would last several years until the leather would wear out and break. My dad used a palm hook, but I preferred a thumb type. A few old-timers used husking pegs (with a small metal rod instead of a metal hook)."