Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1921-06-13
Extension Workers at Iowa
State College say Pig
Clubs Make for Bet
ter Pigs.
SHOW MONEY MADE
Many a Farmer Won Over
to Purebreds by Pig
= Club Work.


motled, hundreds of pure bred pigs
belonging to boys who are members Of
pure bred pig clubs in all parts of thf
state, are being prepared for co lnty
and state fairs and the sale ring and
what is more important, the fathers
Of the boys say these pigs are tying the
boys to the farms with stronger bonds
Of interest than they ever had het re.
Extension workers at Iowa State col
leg won't even venture a guess rs 10
what this pig club work is worth ia
the state-they say it can't be meas
ured in dollars-but they smile when
reports come in from county agents
telling Of the progress Of the clubs.
The big thing about pig work, they be-
lieve. isn't that it enables the boys to
make some money. There are two bene-
fits much bigger than that. For one
thing the boys learn, many OF them,
f6r the first time, something about
pure breds, how to judge them, how to
handle them, and as result they be-
come interested in farm work and the
prospect of spending their lives on the
farm. The other thing is that many
d farmer, who has been satisfied all
his life with scrub or grade hogs, is
won over to the pure bred business by
80 Il,
A Case in Point.
Take, for instance, the case OF Amos
Peterson who farms 600 acres in
Crawford county. Mr.. Peterson has
lots of work for the boys, but when
the pig club was being formed there
last year he urged his two sons, Ed
ward and John, to go into it. They de-
ccided on Spotted Poland Chinas and
bought two good gifts at $50 each.
In early March, 1920. each gilt far.
rowed six pigs, but a March blizzard
got the best of two pigs from each
litter. At the age of four months the
boys Spotted Polands were almost
twice as big as the 100 grade pigs on
the Peterson farm.
Helping their father tend 230 acres
of corn, put up three cuttings of AZ
acre alfalfa field. harvest 100 acres Of
small grain, and take care of the other
crops and stock prevented the Peter
son boys from putting great deal OF
time on their hogs. But the boys were
right on deck every time there was
club tour demonstration. Their father
always arranged to let them off when
these tours occurred.
Then came the big state fair at Des
sMoines. Here is the record of the two
brothers at the state fair: First and
second in litters: first and second on
Junior boar; third and fourth on Junior
gifts. At the county fair they won 10
more prizes. The two boys won over
S135 in prize money and Edward won
free trip to the short course at Ames.
He also won $50 with his litter, be-
sides having the gilt and some of the
litter left.
The Peterson boys are well satisfied
with their club experience. They say
they have made money and they feel
that they know more about fitting.
Judging and reading pedigress of pigs
than they thought they could learn
III five years time.
THE Peterson farm is changing from
grade hogs to pure breds. Until last
year Mr.. Peterson kept from 20 to
100 grade brood sows to raise his an
nrial pig crop. Last year there were
two pedigrccd Spotted Poland Chinas
in the brood SOW group. This year
there are IA registered Spotted sOws
and that many less grades in the breed
ing lineup.
Another Case.
i. The story Of another farmer and pig
club work reported by county agent
is typical. extension men say, OF hun
ffeds of similar cases.
"When my boys asked to join the
SOW and litter club" say this farmer,
~ told them that did not think we
could afford the time or money re-
Guired. No wonder the lads were be-
coming dissatisfied with the farm,
hearing only of the mortgage on the
place and the phrase-'we can't afford
tGdo this or that
. IThe boys, however. were persistent
ana finally decided to show them how
the farm business stood from finan-
ciaI standpoint. Together we made an
inventory of the property. ! showed
the boys every note ] owed, when they
came due and the interest to be paid.
Ittold them of the notes and interest
due me. Instead of calling the indebt-
edncss against the land mortgage
called it an Indebtedness against the
land" l told them Of the taxes and