Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1922-12-30

On eF%Iy f1En N the county instead
Of on about twenty farms. Dairying
cannot be made very profitable with
oat a silo. = silo will increase the
feeding value Of the corn crop from
IS 70 30(e Il viii help US make use
of frosted or immature corn. It will
insure Us against drought and other
failures. 1t provides a juicy feed in
winter, which win keep the cows
healthy and productive. II furnishes
the cheapest winter feed. Three
tons OF sllage are worth as much as
one ton Of hay. It enables the farm
er to feed his stock from fewer acres
and this IS a mighty important prob
lem in a new country. If conditions
are not right to buy ready made silo
make one. A siio built out Of or
binary tx by-fours for slaves or
wood tire silo built out Of flooring
can be built for $4,000 or less.
One double wall silo was built in Iron
county last season for $500 and it's
a dainty, too.
Our next problem is our swine and
poultry crop We must increase the
number of inc and poultry on the
farms. We haze very fine swine in
Iron county, in fact too few. We
must increase our hog supply, and
by SO doing we will increase our
cash income. We can grow wonder
full barley here and barley makes A
No. hog feed. The hog has long
been called the mortgage litter, and
if the hog is mortgage litter he
must be profit maker. Our asses
sors report shows less than one hog
per farm-we must raise that aver
age. Hogs mean money, and more
money means profit.
Our poultry problem is a large
one, and a problem that we must
consider. We have in Iron county
only about 1900 fowls of all kinds.
When we consider the number owned
in the towns and villages this leaves
an average of only 10 fowls per
farm. Perhaps 8 laying hens.
This is a serious situation. We have
an abundance of poultry feed, a
good climate and soil and we have
one of the best markets for eggs and
poultry in Wisconsin. Little capital
is needed in starting to raise poul-
try. Wherever farming has been
successful, poultry raising has been
valuable part of the operations.
Let's start this year and increase our
flocks. We should have at least 100
laying hens on every farm. They'll
pay the grocery bill and you'll have
some money left to buy gas for the
flivver.
We must cooperate with our
neighbor more than we have in the
past, in work and in play In con
nection with our soils, crops, live
stock and seed work, the commun-
! ity fair is one Of the best projects
through which to obtain real results.
The community fair shows just what
a community can do, It creates en-
thusiasm, it creates an interest in
better things, 1t creates a desire t.
grow better crops, better live stock
and helps keep the boys and girls in
terested in farm problems. It awak-
ems the community pride, spirit and
! life. 1t includes every person in the
neighborhood and every organization
and business there. 1t is one time
in the year when we pack our troub-
/ les in the old kit bag and play. 1t
4 is Che day on which the whole coun-
tryside plays and renews acquaintan-
ceship
We should like to see every COM
munity in Iron county hold local
or community fair next fall. Talk
the community fair over with your
teacher, your school board and with
your neighbors. Decide to hold a
fair and we will be there to help you.
Come on, let's get started now.
The last problem is, are you using
your hired man efficiently? Your
county agent is your hired man. He
is devoting his entire time to the
agricultural interests Of the county.
Experience has shown that it is inn
( possible to reach individual farmers
and stop long enough to learn the
special problems. The season is too
short to even stop and get acquainted
with all the folks 1t has been found
advisable to work with groups and
organizations rs much as possible to
help out with the farm visits. The
county agent was able last season to
make little over 500 farm visits and
was on something like 800 separate
farms. The work and special prob
LENS naturally made two and three
visits to the same farm absolutely
necessary. We are ready to help
you within the scope and limitations
| of our work.