edit: although I'm specifically asking about Rural New England, any information you can give me is fine. Also, what kinds of portable light sources would a rural farmer use? Were flashlights widely available? Gas lanterns?
The Rural Electrification Administration was created during the New Deal, and continued its work even through the 1950s. In 1935, 12% of farms had electricity; by 1957 95% did. Given the shorter distances, smaller farms, and overall density, I think New England numbers would have run well ahead of the national ones.
Before electricity, rural residents most commonly used kerosene lanterns for reading, cooking, sewing, and chores such as milking or gathering eggs. Though modern battery-powered flashlights were widely sold by the 1920s, they were probably not commonplace until after World War II.