The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1921-11-03
Corn Husking mt Mercer

An old-fashioned corn husking and
n sweet-corn growers meeting was
held recently at the home of Albert
Yeaton in Mercer and with 125 people
present, 1t was surely like the "old
times" One thousand bushels of as
fine flint corn as can be grown any,
where were husked and then the peo-
pie turned to and carried every bit OF
It to and stored 1t away in the cribs.
Red. ears we're frequently found and
all the formalities of husking were
carried out The evening was merry
one. The sweet corn growers were
unanimous in their decision to stand
by the association and only plant corn
when the right price can be secured.
Mr.. Yeaton was formerly large
producer Of sweet corn but like many
others of the large growers failed to
find satisfactorily return, SO is now
making use Of his lands, machinery,
ETC., in producing one of the conn-
try's most staple crops.
Many former sweet corn growers
were present and the opinion was
freely expressed that although in a
favorable year the sweet corn gave
them more immediate returns, In the
end production of flint corn. which
was estimated by buying a small per-
centage of feeds, carrying a high per-
centage of protein, would enable Mr..
Yeaton to maintain his high produce
ing dairy herd the coming winter
Mt very low cost. Mr.. Yeaton got
this production of 1000 bushels or
flint corr from between four and five
acres.
The things were all talked over
while the piles of handsome corn were
growing higher in one part of the big
barn and the husks in another. This
work finished, Mr.. Yeaton announced
that he had secured the attendance OF
Charles II. Crawford. secretary of the
Maine Sweet Corn Growers Associa-
ton. who would discuss the situation
with them.
Mr.. Crawford analysed the difficult
tyr between the sweet corn growers
and the packers and pointed out to the
small percentage of growers who fall
ed to recognize their duty to the ASSOC
citation, the vast amount of harm they
had done to both themselves and the
association. He stated that had 1t not
been for few of, the larger growers
who asigned up" thus making 1t pos
sibleaEi 44E the packers TO use their
namdl I'M Il, encing the smaller grow
ers taNasree to plant, 1t would not
have been possible for some OF the
packers who did. to get sufficient acre..
age To operate their plants there.
Several of the large growers, who
had grown this year. had not taken
into Consideration the effect their ac-
ton swould have on the rank and Ale
and freely stated that they regretted
having grown any sweet corn TINS
year and .would certainly stand by the
association in the future.
Tie informal meeting was followed
by adjournment to the Grange hall, 9
mile distant, where Mr.. Yeatpn had
hatls all arrangements made for an
old fashioned huskfng supper, which
II proved to be. There was baked
beans and brownbread, pickles, dough
nuts, cheese, coffee, and the "punkinS
pie that was, pie, with all the other
"fxins" that make such an occasion 50
satisfactory.
And then the entire party adjourned
again, this time to the hall above the
banquet ROOM where aspice orchestra
awaited and where tho Hight fantastic
toes were tripped until 3 O'Clock OF the
next morning genuine, good, old
fashioned style. 1t was the unanimous
vote Of the crowd that II was one OF
the most enjoyable occasions In that
vicinity for long time. Mr.. and Mrs.
Yeaton were highly appreciative of the
fine work done by neighbors ana
friends in husling that great heap OF
corn and they were equally as appre-
ciatiye of the royal entertainment CIV
en- the guests. s8x