Landon Carter (1710-1778) would not have been considered a middling sort farmer like Mr. Alderson by any stretch of the imagination. His wealth was almost assured from birth. His father, Robert "King" Carter, left 333,000 acres to his sons upon his death in 1732. Landon Carter's plantation, Sabine Hall, was one of the largest in Virginia. As a prime example of a gentry plantation, it is nearly the opposite of Mr. Alderson's humble farm. At its height, Sabine Hall had about 50,000 acres, 500 slaves working the fields,and produced large quantities of tobacco. On the surface, Carter may have little to do with the small farmers of the region (and he did in fact have few dealings with the middling sort), but farmers of all classes fought the common enemies of poor weather, natural disaster, and insect infestations. In this diary entry from 1770, Landon Carter describes in his own words the ravages of bad weather and the uncertainty that comes along with it.

* * * Please be sure to read both pages of Carter's diary entry.

Landon Carter -- Diary Entry

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