The Tomahawk. [volume] (White Earth, Becker County, Minn.) 1903-192?, 1918-09-05
DISTRICT ENRICHED
!. BYcHEESE FACTORY
Prosperity Brought to Isolated
Community IN Southeast. |
prepared by the United States Depazf
ment Of. Agriculture.)

<SSepaIeO Oy Cne On1CeQ states OoQ4So
ment Of. Agriculture) # b
Cheese making Is Transforming many
isolated mountainous districts of the
southeastern states into prosperous
farming communities. For many years
the remoteness Of these districts and
the lack of ready communication with
the outside world has retarded agri.,
cultural development. An interesting
story Of the rapid development Of
small cooperative cheese factories
which. with the improvement of cows,
appears to point the way to financial
and industrial independence, is told in
Yearbook Separate 1877 of the United
States department Of agriculture.
The first cooperative factory in this
section was put into operation in the
spring of 1915 in a mountainous Sec
ton Of North Carolina. On June q
small building only IA by 16 feet was
built and equipped at cost of only
$500 and opened for business. Before
the end of the year this modest factory
returned to its patrons almost 81 ,5OO, 4
net gain of more than $1,000, because
the total income for the sale of butter
in the community previous to the es'
Enlistment of the cheese factory
averaged less than $500. About SIX
weeks after 1t was established another
factory, built and equipped at a cost
of 1915, was started In q neighbOring
community end was conducted with
equally good results.
The first factories were established
with difficulty because of lack Of in
terest among the farmers, but utter
the profits began to roll in It was i'm
possible to meet the demand for as
sistance and no solicitation was need
ed to induce the people to put up new
factories. The first year the factories
were opened, about $500 worth Of
cheese was made and sold. In 1915. 20
factories were established in North
Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee and West
Virginia. During last year $4,000
worth of cheese was made in North
Carolina alone, and the "a factories
then in operation In the states men,
toned produced cheese which sold for
more than $125,OOO. The cost of oper-
alton, says the publication, added to
what the farmers would probably have
received from the milk If there had
been no cheese factories, would amount
to about one-fOurth of the gross re-
ceipts. Therefore, three-fourths Of
this amount, or little more than $780,
600. was newly created wealth.
The effect Of the Increased income
from the mountainous farms has
brought about higher standard Of
living. Farm houses have been re-
modelled; roads improved; better farm
equipment introduced, and more in
terest has been taken In educational
work Of all kinds. Though some high
grade cows have been purchased and
brought into the section, the greatest
progress In dairy improvement 10
shown by the better care and moro
skillful feeding of the cows already
at hand. The Introduction Of cheese
factories, the publication says, is only
the first step forward, but they fur
nish the financial support for tho
movement which Is slowly but certain
ly bringing prosperity to these south
ern mountain districts.