Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-09-18

mat year, Miss Nettie C. Rur,a,sh =.
vassalooro. Miss Burleish is sfii, ~
member and thus has the do,,h,a
nonor OF being the first woman IN
Maine TO become Farm Ruream
member, and also of continuinr
man. osAeT wo-
Farm Bureau membership reach
ed the high water mark in 1901
When q total of 1910 members were
enrolled. That year, KennAbec cbaIo
lenged any other two counties in Tho
state to membership contest
Since then membership has fluctuat-
ed somewhat but has remained con-
sistently large. Ever since it was
formed, kennebec has had the larg-
est membership of any county Farm
Bureau in Maine.
The first officers of the Kennebec
county Farm Bureau were e. T.
Ghnord Of Winthrop. President; d.
+. Foster of Augusta. Vice Presi-
Gent; and A. w. Abbott of Augusta,
secretary Treasurer. Mr.. Clifford
was succeeded by Mr.. Foster as
President. Mr.. Foster served in that
capacity for four years and was
succeeded by Harry A. Plummer of
Benton in 1928. Mr.. Plummer still
holds that office. NJ. /. knight of
Oakland is now Vice President,
The Farm Bureau has had three
county Secretary-treasurer A. w.
Abbott served from the beginning
until 1923 when he was succeeded by
=. B. Stackpole also of Augusta.
Since the death of Mr.. Stackpole in
1924, n. Merle Grover, another Au-
gusta man, has filed this respons-
| ible position.
There have been but two county
agents since Mr.. Deenng was ap-
pointed away back in 1912. He re-
signed in February. 1920. to become
county agent leader. with head
quarters at Orono, and was sue
| ceeded by c. A. Day who is still in
the service Mr.. Day was county
| agent in Washington County before
| coming to Kennebec.
THE women's branch Of the Farm
| Bureau dates back to 1919 when
Miss Helen Lyman was appointed
| home demonstration agent The
| work with women was popular from
| the first and the membership of wo-
men has grown until it has this year
for the first time exceeded that of
| the men.
Miss Lyman resigned in 1920 and
was succeeded by Miss Helen Clark
| who resigned after four years of
| service to go to California. Miss
| Clark is now home demonstration
agent in Connecticut. She was sue
ceeded in July. 1924. by the present
agent, Miss Grace L. >Pennock. Miss
| Pennock Is graduate of Boston
| University and of New Hampshire
| State College. Her work has been
! highly successful and is greatly ap-
| preciated by the women of the
county
Among the outstanding pieces of
Extension work in which the Farm
! Bureau has cooperated have been
| the introduction and promotion of
| the use of the Orono type open
front hen house. In 1917, there was
| hardly an open front hen house in
| kennebec County. Now there is
hardly a large flock which is not
housed in an Orono house.
Another achievement has been
the introduction of mammoth flint
corn as an excellent variety for sill
| age. More than two hundred acres
j of this corn were planted this sea-
! son.
Still a third success has been the
poultry culling campaigns which
were conducted three or four years
ago and as a result of which pro-
gressive poultrymen have adopted
culling as a regular farm practice.
Again the Farm Bureau has been