Progress!

This week was really great in regards to capstone progress. I came up with 5 research threads for the research project including:

-division of labor on farms, experience of women on farms, etc. hopefully with the use of personal diaries of women living on farms and such!
-the rise and establishment of organizations (agriculture) in Chautauqua county and how were women involved? i.e. 4-H, WSA, etc.
-who owned the land? in what circumstances did women old their own land? how did this affect their role on farms? There are many Atlases that show who owned the specific land in all of the towns in Chaut. county and a good amount of them have women's names. I want to further explore this.
-the advancement in technology, machinery and chemicals on farms and how this affected farms and women. I have already found a ton of articles and info about farms in Chaut. county who make the transition to new technologies. How does this change farming in Chaut county?
-migrant laborers, their experience in Chaut county and the experience and role of migrant women on farms

My research is going well. I spend a lot of time in the archives looking at diaries, documents, manuscripts, letters, term papers, books, articles, etc..

I also came up with an idea that is a bit different. I am going to begin researching Seneca Indians in Western NY and see what I come up with. Over spring break I am planning on going to the Seneca Museum about an hour away from here. This will give me more of a feel for the subject and see if I can/want to explore it for my capstone (not sure yet). I already got a few books telling the stories on white Quaker women being captured by Seneca and then never returning by choice. Senecas have a matrilineal descent and I think this will be interesting to further explore.

What next?
Well, over the next few weeks, I plan to create a timeline of major events within a specific time span (thinking mid 19th century-present). This timeline will have national events/issues relating to agriculture and also major events like war and such. Then with this timeline, I will see how Chaut county was affected within this timeline. This will be the gateway into really developing some content and work on my project.

Things are looking up and I have a clearer mindset in what I want to do!