Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1916-10-17
MRS. BRADEN PRAISED
SEATTLE STAR" FEATURES
POLK COUNTY EXHIBITOR.
Mythical Cynthia Grey Finds Wo
man Farmer an Interesting Sub
ject for Feature Story.

The mythical Cynthia Grey" of
the Scripps-McRae syndicate of
newspapers, this time writing for the
Seattle Star, has the following to say
of Mrs. Winnie Braden, Polk coun-
ty's prize winning fair secretary:
1t takes a good man to compete
with woman in farming these days.
Mrs. Winnie Braden, winner of
the $40O sweepstakes prize and also
the first prize for best exhibit at the
1916 Northwest Land and Produce
show, now in progress at the Arena,
plucks prizes at fairs just as she
would apples from tree.
During the short period Of seven
years she has won first prize at the
Dallas poultry show for five consecu-
tive years, first prize at Oregon state
fair for prize poultry and best ex-
hibit; first prize at Portland Land
and Produce show, and first prize at
Polk county fair.
When I came upon Mrs. Braden
this morning at the Polk county
booth, in the Arena, I found her tack
ing the purple banner, lettered with
gold, high above the sheaves of grain.
It was the first prize and she informed
me that she was more proud of it than
she was of the $400 sweepstakes prize
money.
AS way of breaking the ice, l
said:
81 suppose you are a real, honest
to-goodness farm lady, aren't you?"
"Oh, no." she laughingly replied,
although 1 get the credit of being
full-hedged farmer wherever go. !"
I got the surprise of my life when
Mrs. Braden informed me that un-
til Seven years ago she resided in
Portland and attended parties, thea
ter clubs, meetings, luncheons, etc.,
and lived, the life afforded the wife OF
prosperous business man.
Then she told me all about it.
"Seven years ago my husband be-
came the owner of the Sleepy Hol,
low poultry farm, at Dallas, Polk
county," she said. "My life in the
city did not afford me the opportuni-
ty to become very friendly with
Mother Nature, although as child |
was deeply interested in outdoor life
and loved every growing thing. My
father once remarked that if l should
plant a cabbage up-side-down it would
grow.
"The year before we moved to Dali
las the coops of the Dallas poultry
show burned and that association
went behind considerably financially.
Because my husband was in the poul-
try business, quite naturally | be
came especially interested in it. With
several other members of the associa-
ton I worked and secured the finan-
cial backing and support of promi-
nent Dallas citizens. The coops were
rebuilt and another poultry show
staged. We made $50 I won my
first prize at that show.
County Fair Secretary.
"Shortly afterward I was elected
secretary of the Polk County Fair
association, and won several prizes
for my exhibits. I was asked to
take charge of the county exhibit at
the state fair and also at the Land
show in Portland, winning the first
prizes at both places. Then l brought
the exhibit here. That's all there is
TO tell" said Mrs. Braden.
But it isn't all, by any means. The
most remarkable part of it is that
Mrs. Braden secured all Of the mater
ial for the exhibit. She spent the
greater part of her time from June
until September collecting and pre-
pairing the exhibit now at the Arena
She made a tour of the county when
the grasses were in blossom and Sc
cured the prize punches. Plucking
and curing them is an arduous task.
Mrs. Braden informed me that 1t took
her an enti1 day to strip and shape
three punches.
Aside from preparing the sheaves,
Mrs. Braden canned all of the fruit
on exhibit. and selected the prize
vegetables and fresh fruits.
There are 21 varieties Of wheat, Id
of oats, eight of barley, seven of corn
30 varieties of grasses and 96 varie-
ties of fruit and vegetables IN the
exhibit.