American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1908-12-12
THE SMALL FA RIM
OF THE UPPER SNAKE RIVER
VALLEY THE OPEN SESAME TO
COMPETENCE

Sixty miles up the river from Amer
lean Falls, with practically the same
general conditions-a little higher and
little colder-is Shelley, Idaho. The
greatest difference between the two
places is that Shelley is an older COM
munity, with more restricted opportun-
tiles. The advantages, if any, favor
American Falls. F. T. Glow, in last
weeks Shelley Pioneer, tells of his sue
cess on forty-acre farm as follows:
There is common saying in the West,
81 did not come out here for my health, "
bearing with it the inference that the
user of the expression came to put
money in his purse.
Well, l confess that both health and
money were the incentives that brought
me to Idaho, and have not been dis
appointed in the results.
The health-giving and the health
nourishing Idaho climate has not given
me a giants strength, it is true, but it
has restored me to good, sound health
and given me strength sufficient to en-
able me to do my own work.
Neither have the multitude of oppor-
tunities the Upper Snake River Valley
offers made me a bloated millionaire,
but have made more money in the six
years I have been here than | could
have made in twenty on the same sized
farm in the East.
Ny farm is located one and half
miles from Shelley and consists of forty
acres.
At first | tried truck farming, was
very successful $50 far as raising truck
was concerned) and made it pay fairly
we'll: though at that time the markets
were not close enough nor good enough
to justify trucking on very extended
scale, so | abandoned it.
Cabbage averaged twelve pounds to
the head yielded abundantly.
Onions proved immensely successful
and profitable.
Other truck (adapted to this climatel
was equally productive.
Now that the markets are almost at
our very door, believe truck farming
could be made to pay immense profits,
if properly and judiciously handled.
We have the soil, the climate, the
moisture, the markets. What more is
needed? Only the farmers to take
hold of it.
l have not tried diversified farming
and have only tried to raise enough hay
and grain for my own use. Diversified
farming pays on the small farms in this
valley.
Last year | put in three acres Of
wheat that yielded forty one bushels te
the acre.
| harvested the crop from clever
acres of potatoes, from which cleaned
up one thousand and five dollars.
Five acres are in new orchard that Ii
just beginning to bear, from which
will get forty or fifty bushels of apples
this year. The promise for the future
is exceedingly bright. Older orchards
than mine have demonstrated that this
is an ideal section for the orchardist
Horticulture is yet in its infancy, bu
the orchard acreage is increasing every
year and the markets are gradually get
ting better.
The balance of my farm is in hay
principally in alfalfa and some timothy
Bees are source of great profit II
those who handle them. In fact, thi!
valley seems to be the natural home o.
the little honey-maker.
Small fruits yield abundantly ant
form another possibility for the small
farmer.
! With intensified farming, the Uppel
Snake River Valley can be made t.