The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1914-02-17
Charles F. Stuart, Of Minneapolis
Tribune, Tells Of Accomplishments
Of Bemidji Man on Cut-over Land
MAKES $500 PER ACRE RECORD
Growers Association Is Another Re-
suit Of His Farming With Lead
Pencil-Sentenced to Outdoor Life

the Minneapolis Tribune, and we'll
known in this city, became interested
in the onion growing accomplish
ments of AL Jester, and on his re-
turn to the Mill City the following ar
ticle written by him, appeared in the
Tribune.
The article is one of the best ad-
vertisements this part of the country
has ever had, and already Mr.. Jester
and many of the Bemidji real
estate men have received letters ask
ing for information relative to land
in Northern Minnesota. The arti-
Gle follows:
Remember Gal" Jester, speciality
drummer, who travelled Minnesota
for 20 years? He is now the &C
credited "onion king" of northern
Minnesota. Incidentally he is presi-
dent Of the Bemidji Onion Growers
association. He is given credit for
making an acre of Beltrami cut-over
land yield better than 5000 net pro-
fit on the year, and some who have
seen say that the former, drummer
has solved the northern Minnesota
cut-over land problem.
Like many another travelling man
MIR. Jester dreamed of the eventual
farm. But he had to be jolted into
forsaking the road for the land The
doctors told him that Mrs. Jester
must live in Northern Minnesota and
that she must be in the open.
Becomes Specialist In Onions
With small bank account, a lead
pencil and at natural leaning toward
the soil, A. H. Jester took up his
new life problem. He purchased for
a small amount per acre 100 acres
on the shore of Lake Plantagenet, six
miles from Bemidji. 1t was cut-over
land and but two acres cleared.
AS drummer Mr. Jester was a
speciality man. When ne sold tobac-
co he sold only tobacco. Later it
was baking powder, but only baking
powder. He ended up his road ca
reer as soap specialist. He opened
his farm career as an onion special
list.
In the pring of 1904 he raised his
first onions, quarter acre bed of
them. He cared for that bed as
mother would for her child. The
onions he produced were prize pack
ags, every one of them. He took
Them to the Bemidji groceries and
asked 3 cents pound. His onion
is a Spanish variety. The grocer
could not see why he should pay 8
cents for the Jester onion when he
could buy Spanish onions from 9TH
ers for less,
Onions Is Not Onions"
Because these are the superlative
In Spanish onions" declared Mr.. Jes-
ter. each one is perfect. There could
DO none DeCer.
"Onions are onions" replied the
grocer.
Mr.. Jester turned to the grocer's
shelves. He priced canned tomatoes
They started at $1.25 a dozen and
ran up to $3.50.
"Why the price difference?" he in
quired.
'tOh, those $3.50 tomatoes are sell
ected, monogram stock" answered
the grocer.
$50 are my onions," replied the
drummer, who ended up by putting
q bushel of his best in the window of
every Bemidji grocery. 1t was suf-
fcient. His yield for the year was
sold. He extended his little onion bed
to an acre. He planted, weeded and
cared for it himself.
"For three years that acre yielded
me at net average profit of 1919
yearly" says Mr.. Jester. "F'our years
straight my onions took first honors
at the Beltrami county fair. be-
came ashamed to take the prizes and
stopped exhibiting. I grew and still
grow onions Weighing as heavy as 20
ounces
Homesteaders in the vicinity OF
Bemidji had been planting their few
cleared acres in potatoes and even in
grains. Some had failed in their bat
tie with the cut-over lands. They saw
what money Mr.. Jester was getting
out of onions and called for informa-
ton. The exdrummer gave it to them
freely. Bemidji began to become an
onion center. Like Mr.. Jester, how.
ever, the farmers made onions 8
speciality, but also put in cabbages
carrots and other small vegetables
Soon there was on local market fol
the big yields.
Growers Form Association
The advice Mr.. Jester had impaired
had taken away the market. Here thu
Bemidji Onion Growers association
had It's birth. Mr.. Jester, as travel
ing man, knew something about get
ting markets. Each member guaran
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