Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1918-03-22
HOW A COUNTY AGENT WORKS.


HOW A COUNTY AGENT WORKS.
The County Agricultural Agents
business is to be of service to the
farmers-not to advise him. The
first thing he does is to find what
the farmers most serious problems
are, what things are causing him
the most worry and then study
them until he finds right solution.
Perhaps the greatest trouble is to
raise feed enough to winter the
farm stock. What is the remedy?
Is 1t silo or is it heavier yield
ing forage crop? And if it's silo.
what kind, considering the mater
ials, shouldd be built? Can he not
put up a home made affair which
will be just as good or better than
one he'd have to buy, and much
cheaper? And what sort of home
made silo is the cheapest and most
efficient? If building silo is not
the right answer, what crop is there
which in a given locality will yield
more and better feed? And how
must this crop be grown and cared
for?
It's the business of the county
agent to find out the answer for
just such questions. Perhaps he
does not know the answer when he
first goes into a community. Very
likely he does not. But just as
likely the questions have already
been answered by some enterpris-
ing farmer. And usually the farm
err is too modest to advertise his sue
cess. Its the county agents bust
ness to discover this farmers meth
DDS and advertise them, hold them
up where all who desire may see.
Or perhaps disease breaks out
among the stock in given neigh
borhood What causes so many
calves to die before birth? Is it be-
cause the cows eat moss from the
trees? Is it because they are un-
derfed, or is it contagious abortion
There's a reason and a way to find
out the cause OF the trouble, and
there's a way thru organized COM
munity effort tostop it. To study
the problem out and find a method
of control is the business of the
| county agricultural agent. Such
| problems are to be found in every
farming community, from the rich
| est to the poorest. AS to which are
the most serious and should be tack
| led first the county agent must de
pend on the advice of the County
Farm Bureau, or, where there Is
| none, upon the advice of the lead
ing farmers. 1t Is by attacking and
solving one or two problems at a
time that the best results are ac.
complished. This makes necessary q
| definite program of work.
When the answer to any problem
| is discovered, it is usually advertis
| ed by demonstration. The Farm
| Bureau or its community committee
| holds a meeting of those farmers
| who are interested This meeting
| will be held in the field or in the
| pasture or in the barn. so thai
those interested can see the results
and learn methods for themselves.
County Agent work is no longer
an experiment. Farmers who al
first held aloof, have found this
agent a counselor and friend-theil
agent. helping in the solution O
their problems. They find him no
an advisor, but sympathetic help
er.-not knowing it all. but il
touch with all that is known, ant
therefore. able to secure and suppl.
required information on short not
ice. Thru the farm bureau, which
| the agent serves as the secretar,
does a commercial club, an institu
ton is developed by means of which
| the farmers go to school to eacl
other. The demonstrations of tn
1 county agent are important bu
vastly more far-reaching is the de
velopment of community ideals. com
munity spirit, community teamwork