New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-09-01
George Elmer LiH1efield
Who is Heed and Front Of tire
Fellowship Farm Movement

plate our work and hope, that one ex.
claims, All this-and heaven, too
THE plan places on the ground an ex-
pert instructor I'm gardening and poultry
the first season to assure the Fellowship
farmers OF that farm success from the
start. Each colony is urged to place the
expert instructor. as manager over eight
/ to ten acres OF the groups common hold
\ ing, TO operate a collective garden and
/ poultry plant with cows and hogs, also.
If deemed besO, the profits Of this plant
| to pay, as much as possible. for the whole
farm. and thus ultimately give the in
! divi1ual holdings free 10 the members.
Good business and wide awake directors
/ should accomplish this end. after the
mortgage on the land is cleared, continue
to pay dividends to each member pro
rata This will provide horse-tool ser
vice on call for individual members, anu
give the women a chance 10 have heavy
labor exchanged for their lighter work or
their share OF dividend or truck from the
cooperative garden.
Tho triple purpose OF the Fellowship
Farm Plan IS TO establish workers IN
.
their own jobs. eliminating the real
estate speculator: to provide for leisure
and fellowship TO realize ones ideals,
and at the same time 10 start the group
toward such voluntary cooperative works
, as each group may find most productive
OF wealth and progress. There can be no
| individual failures in making a livelihood
from the start, provided the members
follow the teaching and guidance o. the
expert instructor. who has been trained
along the successful lines OF Fellowship
Farm No. I. al Westwood. Mass. Usually
the organization, financial. purchasing
and instructive powers for the first year
of a coIony's life arc in trust for ths
colony in the hands Of the Fellowship
Farm Founders Association. This asso
citation puts prospective members in touch
! with each other, Sits out the unfit b.
! temperament or otherwise, aids In the
! location OF a farm site. to be approved
/ by membership OF the group. collects
and banks fees. dues and loans for the
/ first year. and pays the first sum and the
next three quarterly payments OF prn-
cipal and interest taxes. etc, on the
|
other legal documents.
After the purchase OF the land many
details Of allotment, building, fowls for
/ breeding, coop construction, incubators
/ brooders and yards. garden plans, tools
trees plants, seeds, ploughing. narrowing
and so on are attended to. chiefly by the
expert instructor gardener. Much Of ths
J buying Of materials and OF household
/ supplies is done comparatively and Will
great saving. AS many as possible Of
: the members OF pew group are urged e
! go on to their holdings the first spring
+ but some OF the members do not imne
I diately occupy and work their acres.
! few may join merely TO help the coloni
and have a camping spot amid congenial
, associates. with "a thought tina. in case
of':usfortune and need they, too can
! come 20 their acre as u haven OF life ana
security. The natural product OF alb
sentee acres goes 20 the collective benefit
Five sources Of work and income are
/ open 10 Fellowship Farmers: Gardens and
! poultry, the dividends from co-opers-
, tive gardening. home industries. summer
guests and occasional jobs in town or
|
wish, always have employment at days
pay working for other members. When
a sufficient number OF Fellowship Farms
are organized they will be offered CO.
operative union In the Federated Farm'
Association, and, with their varied arts
and crafts industries besides farm PROV
ucts, local stores and central co-opera'
tive exchange, be able almost wholly !"
supply each others necessities on time
and labor basis For the first few years
the question OF market solves itseif-Vs
cation friends camping on the ground J'S'
when harvest begins In summer, the ION
passing by in carriages and AUTONOMOUS
as we'll as nearness to the CITY, mar
' ready sales at first prices at our '@'
doors.