The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1924-07-31
ALFALFA ACREAGE
Will BE INCREASED
IMPORTANT MOVEMENT BEING
BACKED BY STEARNS cOUN-
TY FARMERS
10000 ACRES THE MARK
BANKERS ASSOCIATION ARE
ACTIVELY SPONSORING THE
PROPOSITION

PROPOSITION
Stearns County Bankers noticed
that many Minnesota Counties were
rapidly increasing their alfalfa acre
age. Upon investigation, they found
that this rapid increase was brought
about by the organization of COM
munity and county alfalfa clubs with
slogan-"An Acre of Alfalfa for
every Minnesota Cow" which is the
goal of the State Alfalfa growing
Campaign which is being put on by
the Northwest Farmstead. Chris
Schmidt, President of the Stearns
County Bankers Association, ap-
pointed G. D. Brewer of Kimball,
Chairman of the Bankers Alfalfa
Committee to investigate the Alfalfa
growing possibilities and make nee
essary arrangements to put on
campaign. After careful investiga-
ton of the results of the campaign
In other counties, Mr.. Brewer ar
ranged with Charles R. Hutcheson,
Alfalfa Expert. for the Northwest
Farmstead, to help arrange a county
campaign. A letter was sent out
to each banker, briefly explaining
the plan of the campaign, and what
was necessary in order to get it
started, and Tuesday, July 22 Messrs
Brewer and Hucheson visited a good
many alfalfa fields in various parts
OF the county and also called on
many bankers, explained in detail
the need for this campaign, and Just
how it was to be carried on. The
plan is being backed by almost unan-
imous bank support throughout the
county.
After the days trip, Mr.. Brewer,
who also has alfalfa on his own
farm, realized more than ever, the
Importance OF thorough investiga-
tlonal and educational campaign that
will cover every community in the
county and help solve any problems
that alfalfa growers are confronted
with.
The Stearns County Alfalfa CAM
paign that the bankers are putting
over, will last one year. Alfalfa
fields in every community will be
visited and investigated to find out
whether or not they are properly
started and growing as successfully
as they should be.
Mr.. Hutcheson visited about 40
different fields in the county and only
small per centage of them were do
ing as well as he would like to SET
them do. This campaign is one that
will give every farmer a chance to
attend an alfalfa meeting in his
community center. Field inspection
demonstrations will be carried on so
that the farmers can see just exactly
why some fields are doing better than
others and have reviewed to them
just what methods the farmers have
used in caring for these fields.
1t is important to get the campaign
started at once so that farmers can
make careful study of alfalfa fields
In their community and work out
plans for preparing their seed-bed
fields for alfalfa next year in the best
way for their particular type of
soil. This is not campaign to get
farmers to do something that they
have not already thought about doing
it is campaign to get them to
study and find out the proper and
best methods for the caring of alfal-
ia, culivating the fields, curing the
hay, saving the seed, etc. y
The county bankers feel fortunate
in having the opportunity of getting
the services of MIR. Hutchinson, who
has had more to do with the success
fully increasing of alfalfa acreage in
Minnesota than any other individual;
and the fact that he is connected with
the Farmstead who will distribute
alfalfa bulletins and see that the
farmers get proper alfalfa growing
educational information regularly
through the pages of this publication,
will hurry the accomplishing of the
goal of Fan acre of alfalfa for every
Stearns county cow" which, accord
ing to the cow testing association re-
cords of the state, would mean an in
crease in annual profit of S1,320,000
to the Stearns county dairymen, if
they had enough alfalfa to feed the
same cows they are milking today.
While on this trip Tuesday, every
farmer that was visited, said that
this campaign was just what they
needed because they had heard about
how successfully it was working out
in neighboring counties. 1t is true
that every farmer is desirious of
working out more economical meth
DDS today then any time in the past
history of agriculture.
Increasing the acreage of alfalfa in
Stearns county is going to be the
most important factor in bringing
about greater annual profits and
more permanent prosperity. Any
farmers having trouble with their al
falfa would do well to report it to
their bank so that they can direct
Mr.. Hutcheson to the different farms
in the county where help is need at
once.
George Karnstadt>of Swift & Conn