, 1926-12-15
NeWs Notes From the
County Agents Office

There are only a few people who
have any idea what the County
Agent does during the year. De-
cember LIST is the date set when
the annual report is due. This is
finished and sen to the University
on that date. A cop is returned
for public inspection and a copy
sent to Washington. 1t might be
of interest to some if this report
was summarized here. The report
is in two parts a narrative and
statistical. The former gives the
story of the work done, the latter
gives the statistics to support the
former and is from records on file
in the office.
The Agent spent 29S working
days on the job; 1929 of these
were spent in the field and 1861
in the office. 1928 farms were
visited. ITO people called person
ally at the office on business, and
SO phone calls were recorded. 3SS
letters were writer, As meetings
held at which S7S people attended.
This does not include the Farm
Bureau meetings attended. Out of
40 Farm Bureau meetings the
Agent only missed four.
Now m the actual field work.
The program is divided into four
general heads: Live Stock, Poultry.
Field Crops, (grain, potatoes, etc.)
and Miscellaneous. Time was di-
vided as follows: Livestock 80
days; Crops, 60 days: Poultry 60
days; and miscellaneous rs days.
Livestock was divided into Dairy
ing, sheep and hogs. Sheep came
in for the most attention. An
effort has been made to increase
the number of farm flocks in the
county. This piece of work was
undertaken only because of the
comparatively high returns for the
money invested but because it is an
outlet for some of the excess hay
and grain hat occurs on so MANY
farms. Then too, it is necessary
to have enough of this class of
stock so that by cooperative ship
ping, the lambs and fat ewes can
be shipped out in paying numbers
to the large markets. This year
10 cars of lambs were shipped ont
comparatively from the Powell sec
tlon. This means approximately
$500 head which brought a return
of about $4,000. The farm flocks
vary in size from ten head to O
and are fairly well distributed over
the county. This fall there are
probably three times as many old
ewes on the farms, and about FORTY
i've are keeping a few
sheep for the first time.
an effort is also being made to
increase the lamb feeding operation
In the county. The feed is here
and the climate is ideal. A few
lambs have been fed for a humble
Oh years, by several farmers at
Fowell. AS a rule these lambs were
led on contract or on spread for the
rangemen. These operations show
ed that a good gain could be made
with the native feed, hay, barley
and beet tops. This year over
1900 lambs were purchased ont
right by the feeders. Careful re-
cords are kept on amounts of feed
ing methods, gains and shipping
operations. At the close of the
feeding operations recordes will he
available to every one interested
and valuable assistance can be
slven to the new operations.
There are two lots of 1000 lambs
being fed out without beet tons
me information gained from these
ieeders will be applicable to sec
tons where beets are not grown
rive cars of these lambs are on tho
omaha Market this week and re-
turns Will be available in a few
days. There should be at least
$1,000 lambs fattened in park
county every year. The feed is
here and always will be.
To promote this work an Ev+ar
sion school for lamb feeders and
Farm flock owners was held last
March The Live Stock Specialist
spent several days in the county
giving lectures and methods. etc
the farmers, lamb d
during the summer assistance was
gwen in gathering comparatively
shipments of lambs and discarded
ewes. This fall, Dean Hill. wool
specIallst' spent nearly a week GULL
ing farm and range flocks for woo,
production and gave lectures on
feeding. VII
Dalrying is another ENTERPRISE
"hlch has received considerable at
tention, and needs lots more The
steps already taken have been along
the lines of culling low producing
cows better feeding methods and