By Frank M. Waterman
John T. McDonald was the most prominent farmer in Meredith until Francis W. Ayer founded Meridale Farms in 1889. He was a progressive farmer who developed his own unique farming philosophy and unique marketing strategy, and he became so successful doing things differently than most farmers, that he caught the attention of the “who’s who” of agriculture, several of whom came to visit his farm. To the press, he was the model of a successful farmer and at least ten articles were written about him and his farm in local and national publications. The U.S, Department of Agriculture even published a bulletin solely about his farming methods. He was a natural mechanic, with lots of ingenuity, and perseverance to work until his ideas cane to fruition. He is probably most remembered for devising a way to generate electricity for his farm in 1899, although that’s just one of the many things he did. Price $20 plus $5 shipping.
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