The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1917-01-25
AN UNCOMMON MAN IN A COMMON
COMMUNITY
Continued from Page ~

/ They refuse TO try a new method,
and they taboo scientific agriculture.
But the great hopeful sign connec-
ted with the moss-backs is that they
are disappearing also, though not
as rapidly as they should.
i The hope of the future of this
country lies with the modern farm
er, who has inherited the virility and
the resourcefulness of his pioneer
ancestors and applies them to mod
ern needs under modern conditions.
He is learning that brain is
essential as Drawn in the farming
business-and farming is a business
just as manufacturing gunpowder
or selling automobiles is a business.
He owns fifty acres of tilleable land
while his grand father owned five
hundred acres of virgin soil - more
productive than his. Can he meet
q the demands of modern life and
keep his family in comfort on fifty
acres of land? He can, most emphat-
ically he can! But he must do it by
methods entirely different from
those used by the old time farmer.
We saw in last weeks article
what the uncommon citizen did in
the way of organization in his COM
munity-that is community patriot
ism and protection. While his pub
lie spirit was magnanimous he new
er lost sight of his private interest.
Furthermore, he saw that his COM
munity work would be supported
and endorsed by his neighbors in
proportion to the success he made
on his own farm.
How is he to manage his fifty-acre
farm to support his family OF five
children. educate them, and pay off
a 81 900 mortgage?
He is the uncommon man, there
fore he starts in with a light heart
and cheerful. He adopts the follow
ing motto-"The Best or None"-as
his creed and promises his wife-his
greatest friend and helper-that he
will follow il in everything he I'M
dertakes. Along with the neighbor-
hood folks he adopts the small farm
er's great trio Of the animal kingdom
-thorobred hogs, cattle and chick
ems. His greatest efforts at first are
spent on the thorObred hog - "the
farmers friend" his mortgage litter
for he produces quick market.
This modern farmer has made 4
careful study of the hog and dairy
industry through his farm journals
and observation. He has taken a
short course in stock-raising and
now he is rejoicing over the oppor-
tunity to use his knowledge for the
good Of his community.
The initial capital for his industry
are three well-chosen brood sows Of
large build and one thorobred cow.
In three years his farm is well stock
ed with hogs, his meat plentiful, a
splendid young dairy herd started,
and $500 paid on the mortgage. He
has learned that he should grow
something else besides corn and
sugar-cane, so he starts system OF
crop rotation on small fields. He
does not cultivate more than ten
acres in corn as he wants an abun-
dance of hay, grass, fruit, potatoes,
and vegetables.
At this point, he, along with some
of his neighbors. feels the need of
some money for improvements and
business equipment. They must
build silo on each farm. remodel
the barns, build community grain
cry and install cooperative cream
cry.
The Federal Farm Loan AssOcia-
ton will be the means of their sal
walton if the modern farmer can
persuade his neighbors to organize |
an association for a Federal Loan.
After much convincing argument,
they are persuaded to borrow from
$500 to $1,000 according TO each farm
er's needs and the money used for
removing mortgages and adding
equipment. Our modern farmer Dor
rowed $1,000, with which he paid of
the balance Of his mortgage, built a
silo, and made other immediate inn
provements.
The great ambition Of his life is TO
make his farm demonstration plant
for the community. He introduces
new crops, new methods OF feeding
hogs for profit. and the scientific
plan OF caring for milk. He makes
simple litmus paper soil tests to ap-
- al