The Belding banner-news. (Belding, Mich.) 1918-1973, 1919-09-10
M|SSAUKEE COUNTY
FARMS ARE OF THE
BEST IN THE STATE
SAYS IDEA THAT SECTION OF
STATE is PRACTICALLY
WASTE, is ALL WRONG.


recently for visit at the home of his
son, A. Z. Dorr, in this city. Mr..
Dorr brought with him a clipping
from the Lake City Plaindealer which
tells of one of the big farms up at
that place. Mr.. Dorr says that
great number of people here have an
opinion that Missaukee county
farms are practically waste land and
because of the fact that there have
been a number of Bedding people who
have gone up there to engage in
farming-and they are still there
making good, we publish the item in
full as follows:
Nest people in Missaukee county
have heard of the Porter Ranch, and
some have seen it, but probably very
few realize the size and scope of the
farming operations carried on there.
1t is not the aim of this story to
tel in deatil much of the work that
has gone n.to the making of this
largest farming pr, position in this
county, but merely to give few facts
and figures that VIII throw little
light on what has leen accomplished
IN four Years on land that wa, gener
wortheless for farming purpe SEES.
ally supposed To be practically
Washington Porter of Chicago pur-
chased this land few years back,
and about four years ago seriously
undertook the task of developing it.
Not long after real work began on it,
Oscar Moberg was placed in charge
at first of part of the operations, and
later of the whole, and which posi-
items he still holds. That he has made
a greater success than most people
deemed at all possible is freely con-
ceeded now.
The Porter Ranch contains eleven
thousand acres, all enclosed by good
fences. OF this eleven thousand acres
seven hundred have been broken up,
and are under cultivation, now, freed
CT stumps, and in excellent condi-
ton.
The land lays along the upper
stretches of the Muskegon river which
cuts across a portion of the farm.
In this county, most of sections, enc
two, eleven, twelve, twenty-three and
twenty-four, in Brtterfield townsip
are included. and it also includes a
county.
Of this land, quite a large portion
in marsh, as is shcwn by the fact that
Mr.. Moberg's men cut and cured over
400 tons of marsh hay this season,
besides what was pastured. On the
pasture lands are now about 400 head
of cattle, of which one-half are thor
oughbred Herefords. This herd alone
is worth gcing far to see.
To break up this land and get it
ready for use was stupendous UNI
dertaking. Over forty miles Of ditch
has been dredged through the low
lands. The ditching machine used was
the dredge type, such as is seen ire
ouently in the Saginaw country, but
rarly in Western Michigan. The
ditch is dug with steam shovel, and
the dredge itself travels along either
afioat in the ditch it digs In some
cases, but more generally on a kind
of railroad track built for the pur-
pose.
Next comes the beralaing, sup
posing the stumps to have been re-
moved at the same time the dredging
is done. For this purpose, tractor
pulling a 24-inch pillow, is used. ms
breaking plow cuts furrow "a inch.
es deep and the same width, and
turns it over too. Next comes a tract
or pulling two 16-inch discs. The
tractors are in use on the ranch, one
size 24x4O and the other l5x3O.
Of this 700 acres above mentioned
as being in crops this year 225 acres
are in corn and 100 acres had rye.
His corn fields are sight worth see
ing. this year. Rarly is it given to
Michigan man to see over 200 acres
of corn in one block, but it may be
found here. Crops on the ranch are
in excellent condition now. Wise peo-
ple predicted this land would be frosty
and that corn and similar crops
could not be produced there, but there
is no sign of it this year. Although
there were a couple frosts in June
and July that nipped corn in spots in
this country, the Porter ranch was UNI
touched, and the corn premises big
yield.
One crop that is not often found in
this section is being grown on this
ranch. that other farmers might do
well to notice. Sunflowers are rails
ed in quantities and are used to mix
in with other feeds in the silos. At
least one ten acre field was noted on
a recent visit to this ranch, and the
quantity of forage it will produce Is
surprising.
Z The ranch Is well equipped with
modern buildings adapted to the pur-
poses for which they were built.
There are two modern farm houses,
two sets Of barns and silos with each,
modern bungalow cottage, where Mr..
besides a small tenant house and .
and Mrs Fred Porter, lson Of the
owner) are spending the summer.
This cottage Il strictly modern in'<on-
struction and equipment with electric
lights and hot and cold water thr
os1t