1937

The 1930s, also known as the depression, were some tough years on the farms. Or so I've always been told. 1937 was exceptionally dry. Some of the cereal crops were too short to even make a decent sheaf with the binder so there was a lot of spare bin space that year. I don't know if grain prices went up in response but it wouldn't help much if you had none to sell.
Things apparently were not any better on the cattle side if this receipt from my grandfather's records are any indicator. No, that is not $1.75 a pound for a cow, it is 1.75 cents. Thats right, less than 2 cents a pound for beef on the hoof. And that is before deductions. of $10.27 (freight to Manitoba?) are considered.
They were not big cows, in the 7 to 800 pound range but Grandpa received a net value of $14.95 for two cows.