The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1924-06-12
BLUE.R|BbON STOCK At
SUNRISE FARM
Fine Showing OF an Excellent Herd
Oi IIolsteln Cattle Com.
mented Upon
iBy Roland r. Patten }

by Roland r. Patten)
The Independent-Repor is strong
on farm names. It's so handy when
writing or speaking of farm home
to have a name for 1t. There is the
same reason for the nicknames for
various states. Nutmeg" applying 10
Connecticut; pine Tree" applying to
Maine; etc. A few years since we
had occasion to tell story about Il
farm out near Malbon's Mills II
had recently been purchased by Bin
W. Page, but hadn't been named and
we Just took the liberty. without any
body's consent, to call 1t Sunrise
Farm" We have always been rath
err proud of our share in Mr.. Pages
farm project. OF course the sun
shines on everything outdoors, is sup
posed in fact, to shine alike on the
Just and unjust, but Sunrise is
particularly applicable to this home
stead for 1t faces one of the prettiest
views to be found on all Names ag-
gregation of hills and valleys.
Now scenic surroundings, for a
farm or anything else, are desirable,
but this story isn't going to dwell
too much on that It's the stun that
grows on farm or is produced there
that Is the measure of It's use and
satisfaction TO the owner and of its
influence upon the public, and espe-
cially upon the progress of agricul-
ture in this locality. SO, il Sunrise
Farm did not have anything but an
attractive view, we would not have
occasion to say very much about 1t.
Nor have we any occasion to go into
ecstasies about potatoes, hay, beans
and corn that grow on its rolling
acres. They're good enough but
there's plenty just as good all over
Somerset. What especially distin-
cuisines Sunrise Farm is its beauti-
full herd of black and white stock.
blue-blooded, high grade Holsteins.
How did ii happen that Sunrise
farm had this breed instead of milk
ing Shorthorns, brown Swiss, or
Dutch Belted? You will be inter-
ested to know that little girl mot
so very little now either) made the
decision When Elizabeth Page was
about one year of age it became nee
essary to pay especial attention to
her diet and the doctor said she must
have plenty of milk and 1T was not
TO be lust common, hit-Or-misS milk
either but 1t must be Holstein and
from a source that he knew all about.
So there was an immediate search
for a dignified gentle and, still more
important. a reliable and healthy Hol-
stein COW. Pretty soon the neigh
bors saw an animal Of this deserip-
ton grazing In fhe area back of the
Page home on High street. There
was not any thought then of Sunrise
Farm. but by the time that Mr. Page
came to invest in farm property he
had developed an enthusiasm FOR
black and whites as dairy animal.
and so 1t happened that little Eliza
beth, without knowing 1t, decided
what kind of stock was going to be
kent at Sunrise Farm. This first
cow was named Maggie Maplecroft
She had a lot more to her name but
it's bother to include ii in this story
and we're not going to. Maggie was
transferred to Sunrise Farm ana Is
still there, growing gracefully old
and proud OF her years ana useful
ness.
The next purchase was from Il
widely known breeder in BrattleDoro,
VT. a COW named IMella. Additions
were made from time to time from
the best herds of the country until
now there are forty-nine purebred
registered Holsteins in the herd. We
are not able to state positively, but
it is quite probable that this nerd
is the largest collection of purebfed
Holsteins in Somerset County.
OF course this does not represent
all of the animals that have had a
connection with the Page farm. sew
eral have been bought and SOLD III
the six years that this operation mas
been going on. Perhaps the most
important thing about the whole mat
ter is that the bull calves have large
w been disposed of locally ana nave
had n wonderful influence in impfoV-
ing the dairy industry in this local.
ty. r.,
Everybody has heard of the Hoi-
stems at Togus Soldiers Home
Every breeder has had an ambltloh
sometime to own stock that could be
traced to that famous Holstein source.
Very few indeed have had the honor
and pleasure of selling an animal to
be added to that strain. SO far as
we know Sunrise Farm, alone, en-
lows that distinction so far as Som
erset County is concerned. Previous
oggregations for the Togus herd have
almost without exception come from
Washington, d. c. Last August the
herdsman from Togus, Mr. cooper
came to Sunrise Farm. This was
the beginning of negotiations when
finally led to the shipment of a year
ling bull calf, Sir Diona Pontiac, 10
Togus. He has gone there to be-
come the head of that herd, among
the best or perhaps the very best IN
Maine. n
Other purchasers have been j. I,
Murray of Carmel, Albert Yeaton Oh
Mercer. and Giles Bros. OF Benton
ali well-known breeders.
A recent notable addition to the
Sunrise Farm herd is Dutchiand
Fayne Colantha Tidy, at present
two wear old. He comes from the
Fred F, Field Farm in Brockton
Mass. This is undoubtedly the bes'
individual Holstein that ever came
into this part of Maine. He Is des-
lcended from thirty-two pound Dam
and his granddam has the world