The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1923-12-03
STATE SHOULD
RAISE ITS0WN.
F00D-C0ULTER
President of Agricultural Col
lege Declares This Is
Least State Can Do

Fargo/N. d., Dec. 3.-"If we lived
in banana country we should at
least produce our own bananas even
if we had to buy all other food; if
we lived where they produce only
oranges, lemons and grapefruit, we
Should at least produce these even if
VIC had to buy all other food.
DR.. John Lee Coulter in an inter-
view recently stated that the farm
crs of North Dakota have an excel
'lent opportunity to raise large per-
centage of everything that they need
for the home table. If the proposals
for an accelerated diversified farm
ing system are accepted by the ma
:tional administration the farmers OF
the state will receive enough aid to
start them off on system that will
permit every farmer to raise from a
third to half Of their food on their
own farms. These proposals were
carefully prepared by the North Da-
kota Agricultural college staff and
laid by DR.. Coulter before President
Coolidge last week.
''The farmer of this section has al
wonderful chance to raise much of
his own food" said President Coul-
ter. Fortunately we live in the
most temperate section of the con-
tinent of North America. West of
us it is too dry; east it is too wet;
north it is too cold; south it is too
hot. Tens of thousands of farmers
in other sections have to struggle
with stumps Of stones or drainage
or irrigation. We are at the very
center of the continent where most
nearly average conditions prevail.
We can and should produce, O-all
Of our own vegetables, including po-
tatoes; t2) our own tree and bush
fruits such as plums and cherries
and berries and grapes; CD our own
poultry and eggs; (4) our own milk
and cream and butter and cheese;
(5) and finally our own meats, pork,
beef and mutton We should also
produce our own honey. In other
words, the safest, most profitable,
ssoundest policy for us to pursue is
not only to make the farm our home
sible of our living from our farms.
1t is safest, because no matter what
state of war or peace or prosperity
or depression exists, we at least have
home and living; it is most pro-
fitable because the consumer in gen.
eral pays about three times what the
farmer gets. In other words, city
family of six would have to pay
$1,000 for the food while the farm
family could produce it for $3.50. The
farm family should produce this and
thus earn $3.50 and at the same time
save $72O otherwise paid out over
cost of production. This item alone
would pay the interest at percent
on a loan Of $l3,5O0.
GAS a rule the farm family car
produce this food at relatively nc
Dor and done at odd times or by
members of the family who are not
engaged in other employment. Otter
the farm garden may be tended b!
children; the land is not costing {
cent of rent for the garden may
utilize any odd corner that could no
we'll be used to produce field crop:
or for other purposes"
Since the proposals have been lait
before President Coolidge many let
>ters of inquiry have been sent b!
farmers and other residents of thi
and neighboring states asking d.
Coulter to explain certain phases o
the plan for accelerated diversified
ton. \
One question asked by sevcra
writers is: Do you want each AM
every farmer to produce each AM
every different article which can b
grown. DR.. Coulter has replied tina
this is not necessary. He believe
that Il pcratiOn among member
Of community should make it. pos
sible for some of the farmers t
raise some kind Of product and 70
their neighbors to raise other kind:
Exchange between and among tn
farmers of any one community woul
make it possible for each one to hav
home market for his produce an
yet for each to secure food at
nominal cost. The money would sta
in the community and everyon
would be able to barter one connie
dity for another.
"For instance" said DR.. Coulte
zone farmer in a community Nigh
keep ten or twenty colonies of bee
and supply the entire neighborhoo'
Some farmers are Interested
sheep while others are interested
cattle. Some prefer dairy cattle an
others the beef type. But farmer
should not ship all of their Sheep an
beef cattle to St. Paul or sell the
all to the local butcher and then Blu
back high priced meats. Thel
should be sufficient community I
interest SO that many exchange
could be made in the neighborhoo
For instance, when a thousand pour
steer is killed it might be divide
4. among several families, but certain
every farm should have the mi
cows, poultry, hogs and garden n
cessary to supply the farm fami
with these stable requirements.
is not only the safe and sound .hil
to do but the profitable thing to d
One enthusiastic North Dakot'
exclaimed, the president continued
Surely in this state where buffal
deer and antelope. abounded fit
years ago, where wild chicken