Watauga Democrat. [volume] (Boone, Watauga County, N.C.) 1888-current, 1926-01-14
MORE COOPERATION NEEDED
IN LOCAL CHEESE INDUSTRY
Written for the Democrat.

Written for the Democrat
In 1914 the first cheese factory in
the south was organized and built at
Sugar Grove, North Carolina and call
ed the Cove Creek Cooperative cheese
Factory. The promoter, Mr. F. r. Far
mum had hard time convincing the
sufficient number of citizens that it
would be a paying proposition. But
finally he succeeded in raising suffi-
clent funds to start on a very small
scale but we had not gone very far
until those interested began to re-
ceive monthly check for their sur
plus milk, product they had hither-
to given away or thrown away. All
this time the project was being closely
watched by the entire community and
this monthly check business began to
be attractive and finally almost ev-
cry farmer within a radius of two
miles was selling milk and getting a
monthly check and was happy.
The factory continued to grow
until the annual output was from So
to 10000 lb. annually which brought
tn the farmers in this territory $780,
600 to $4,000, a sum that bought
sugar and coffee and paid taxes. But
this was before this foolhardy pro-
gress got hold of our leaders who
were SO anxious to climb the ladder
of fame, that they were willing, if
need be, to crush the farmer into OBJ
livion under oppressive taxes to at
tain to their goal. Well, they have "a
bout crushed him, but just how far
they have gotten up the ladder of
fame remains to be SEEN
But back to the cheese factory 1--WE
may pay our respects to taxation at
some future time). Then the war
came, and with it high prices---milk
was bringing % to 80 cents per gal
Ion. Everyone was prosperous and
happy and felt like we were literally
getting rich. Then the war closed and
with the close came deflation, milk
went back to 10 to Is cents the gall
Ion. 1t has been extremely hard for
the producers to adjust themselves to
the low'.r prices. Hence this fine spir-
it of cooperation, heretofore existing,
was temporarily crippled. But with
all these difficulties and obstacles we
are firmly convinced that cheese max
ing offers to the farmers of Watauga
a source of income that possibly can
not be equalled by any other one in
dustry.
We believe that if the farmers of
Watauga would turn part of their
time and energies to the manufacture
of fine quality cheese, which we have
every facility for doing that the sher-
iff could collect the taxes more easily
and very soon an eight months school
term would be possible Therefore we
invite the farmers to think the thing
over seriously and if you decide to
go into it, do it comparatively.
We especially appeal to the pa
irons of the Cove Creek Cheese Fac
tory that we do our dead level best
in producing quantity and quality of
milk; for upon the quality of milk de-
pends largely the quality of cheese
we shall turn out, and remember a
fire quality of cheese is always in
demand at fair prices. Let us pull
together once again and fight the
fight courageouslyc, keep the spirit of
cooperation joyously and let US get
the spirit of Kipling:
at aint the guns or armament
Nor the tune the band can play
But it's close cooperation
That makes us win the day;
1t amt the individual
Nor the. army as whole
But the everlasting teamwork
Of every bloomin' soul"