Richmond daily register. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1917-1978, 1922-06-16
RHODE ISLAND REDS
IN MADISON COUNTY

castle, headquarters at Berea. At
this time and previous to this
there was very little attention
given to poultry especially pure
bred poultry. For two years |
promoted the idea OF pure bred
poultry, especially Red poultry,
(Rhode Island Reds).
At a farmers meeting in 1915
at Conway, the farmers agreed
and voted to raise Red hogs and
Red cattle in that community.
The work started. A pure bred
Polled Durham bull and some
pure bred Durocs were purchas-
ed. A little later the women
had meeting and invited the
county agent to attend. The
question of poultry was discuss
ed. One lady remarked: IF the
men are going to raise Red cat
tie and Red hogs, why not the
women raise Red chickens" This
work started.
After thinking over this sec
ton, Rockcastle and Southern
Madison, | could not find a thing
it was noted for except Berca Col
lege as the biggest and best in
stitution Of the sOutll-RoCkcas-
tie county was noted in meas
IRE for its limestone being used
by the L. & N. railroad for build
ing roads. then concluded that
we had better start something. !
selected our slogan, paint The
County Red''-Red cattle, Red
hogs and Red chickens. Red
Shorthorns and POlled Durham
cattle, Duroc hogs, and Rhode
/ Island Red chickens. / then be
gan talking Standardization.
went to the Berea Bank & Trust
Company in the spring Of 1910,
and got the bank interested in f.
nancing the distribution of pure
bred Rhode Island Red eggs for
Matching purposes. Selling them
at $l.OO per setting OH II months
time without interest to all who
wanted to raise Reds. | had per
sonal notes printed in Red for the
people to sign for eggs. The bank
put out something like 5000 eggs
on this plan.
My next question after getting
the bank to finance the egg pro-
position was to get the eggs. We
only had few people who had
the pure bred Reds, therefore, we
had to order eggs from other sec
tons Of the state. We used all
we could of our home products 5.
Mrs. Caudill was Swapping
eggs for Matching or selling them
for 20 cents per dozen. | per-
suaded her to bring the eggs to
Berea Bank & Trust Company
and receive % cents per setting
or u cents per dozen. She hes
itated because she said it would
hurt the feelings of her neigh
bors." She finally agreed and
| a number of her neighbors fell in
line and did as she did.
In December, 1916, we decided
that we had enough Red chickens
III this community to put on 4
Red poultry show, and to my sur
prise we had % Red birds on ex-
mbit at Berea December Is,
| (snowed all day..
The show caused us to organ
ize the Berea Rhode Island Red
Poultry Association for the pur-
pose of helping to standardize
poultry in Kentucky and get a
gbetter breed on the farm. This
association had nine members to
begin with and put on the market
about 1000 eggs the first year.
The association now has 40 or
more members and last year put
on the market more than $4,000
eggs from So per hundred to
$3.50 per setting (15 eggs.
The association has its consti-
tuition and bylaws under which
lit operates. 1t holds two business
meetings per year and put on at
least two shows per year, one To-
cal and one state. State and Blue
Grass Poultry Shows, holding sec
ond place at the State Fair and
first place at the Blue Grass Poul-
try Show, at Lexington. Birds
owned and exhibited by Mrs. R
c. Coomer, of Speedwell, one OF
the association breeders.
The association is not only To-
cally known, but nationally
known. Eggs have been shipped
TO more than IS states and stock
TO more than 8 states in the I'm
ion.
There has always been d great
demand for the eggs and stock Of
the association.
i The association has big flu
ture and should grow rapidly By