The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1926-07-29
PEAS and CORN Are
PROFITABLE CROP
BARR PACKING COMPANY OF ST.
CLOUD CAN HUNDREDS OF
THOUSANDS OF CASES
1000 TONS SAUER KRAUT
150,450 CASES OF PEAS, $4,000
OF CORN, $4,000 OF BEANS
PACKED IN 1925

The j. E.. Barr Packing Company
OF st. Cloud have proven that peas
stringless beans, corn, succotash and
cabbage can be successfully grown
in Stearns county for extensive can
ming purposes.
The Barr Company started bust
ness in st. Cloud Is years ago, de-
voting their energies to pickles and
condiments for several years.
The plant was changed to can
ming factory in 1919 and at the pres
ent time the J. E. Barr products arc
known all over the United States and
Canada.
The Herald editor spent the eve
ming in St. Cloud few weeks ago
and was fortunate enough to be per-
solally conducted through the PLAN
by Mr.. Barr. The plant operates
from about June 20 until November.
closing the season with the sauer
kraut pack.
The first corn was canned in 1919;
beans were added in 1922 and peas
in 1924.
In 1925 152,450 cases of No. e
cans of peas were packed; each case
contained "a cans. The peas are IN
five grades. They are the first to
come on the market. Farmers with
il radius of about % miles of st.
Cloud grow them. The Barr COM
pany furnish the seed and see That
the crop is properly seeded. Unfav-
| orable weather conditions randi
capped this seasons crop. The peas
are cut with an ordinary farm now
ec and are hauled to the ~ vinins
stations where they are thresnei by
machines owned and operated by the
pat king company. The hulled peas
are hauled in trucks to the plan. al
s.. Cloud where they are canned I'M
der modern and strictly sanitary con-
tditicns- The seed costs the farmers
ab5us $31 per acre in the ground, but
after all expenses are paid this year
the farmer viii receive $33.T3 per
acre for his peas. This year 213
formers within radius above mention
ed grew 1866 acres of peas for the
Barr Company. Farmers make three
year contracts.
This years pack of peas will not
be ss heavy as year ago because Of
unfavorable weather conditions.
There are nine plants in Minnesota
car ming peas but the Barr company
pack about sc per cent of the en-.
tit-e output Of the state.
Sixty-six thousand cases of corn
were canned by the Barr company in
1926. Golden Bantam and Minneso-
ia Crosby 287 is grown from seed
furiis by the company; 1000
farmers planted 1900 acres to sweet
corn in 1925. The average yield per
acre is about two and one-natf tori.
Fer this the company paid $40. 90 per
ton for Crosby in 1925 ana $13. 90
par ton for Golden Bantam. Last
year one farmer raised IL ton of
Golden Bantam on IN acres Of
ground.
The Barr company has very large
silo adjacent to it's packing plant and
the husks and other refuse from the
corn are packed in this silo. After it
is thoroughly cured it is sold to
farmers for $500 per ton, making a
very excellent feed for dairy cattle at
low cost.
In 1925 1000 tons of sauer kraut
were packed from cabbage grown in
the st. Cloud territory; $500 cases
of stringless beans were canned dur
ing the year.
The company gives employment to
$50 people at the peak of the season
when the plant is operated "a hours
each day; over half of the employ.
ees are women and girls who receive
20 cents per hour and up, according
to their efficiency.
Aside from the steam cookers an
can covering machines separate sets
of machinery are required for each
product handled. During a busy day
three car loads of empty cans will be
used. The cans used last year cost
over $4,000.
"A large storage warehouse with a
capacity of 390,00O,000 cases has
but recently been completed; room
for 100000 cases more can be made
with little trouble and expense. The
present equipment Of the plant will
permit an annual pack of $4,000
cases Of peas, corn and beans.
The output of the Barr plant is
sold all over the United States and
Canada. The company have It's
brokerage connections. At the be-
ginning of the pack this year-90, 900
cases of last years pack was in the
storage warehouse. A few days be-
fore the Herald editor visited the
plant q large Eastern Chain store
company purchased 10000 cases o.
peas and corn.
The company is financed largely by
an Eastern Bonding Warehouse Com
pany, as it takes an immense amount
Of cash to handle the business In
1925 the profits were over 500, 900,
but this sum was put back into the
business for additional equipment.
Many towns in Minnesota with
poorer farming facilities than are TO