"Richard, did you save a copy of that Agricultural Census

 from 1850 in Wapello county, back in Iowa?"

"Yes, I wanted my own copy of the questions, and my answers, also my son David's next door. Did you want to see it, James?"

"Yes, I've wondered if our farms will do as well here as in Iowa."

"You can be sure that, outside of the weather, it is the farmer, and not the farm, that makes the difference. My first farm was in Lawrence County, Indiana. The weather in the winter was harsh but the farm produced our necessities and more."

"I met you and your family in Iowa, and I know it was tough for many people there, but your farm was prospering."

"Yes, because I had experience in farming, and because I showed up there early on, in 1846, and claimed 160 acres under the ScripWarrent Act of 1847. The Scrip we got from the government for soldering basically paid for our farm. Here, I'll show you how we did by 1850, when they took the farming census." **

US Federal Census 1850, Wapello County, Iowa, Farm Schedule, a snippet from Ancestry.com
CLICK ONCE TO ENLARGE IMAGE

"It says you had eleven working oxen, and your son David had none. I guess he borrowed your oxen teams." "Yes, it was easier that way, to have one person training them. Here is a small booklet I've been saving for you on how to train oxen. You know I can't read, but I picked it up at the fair when I thought you could use it. We all traveled together and used my trained teams, but you will want to have your own oxen that you trained yourself." "You are right about that, and thank you. I'll read this *booklet."

"You had 200 acres there, but only half in production." "Yes, every acre we farmed had to be reclaimed from raw land, and as you've seen here, it is just plain hard work." "Richard, if I can learn as much as you already know about farming, and apply it like you have done, my family will prosper."

** Here is a summary of Richard's farm production in 1850:
100 acres under production; 100 acres unimproved; 2 horses; 2 milk cows; 11 working oxen; 13 other cattle; 22 sheep; 100 swine; 220 bushels of wheat; 3,000 bushels of Indian Corn; 200 bushels of oats; 

  *If you want to see what Richard learned from the booklet, click here for a pdf on training oxen. It is more fascinating than you might think.