Henderson daily dispatch., 1937-09-08
Has Been Means, Too, of
Aiding Finances of Many
Rural Homes in
the County
HOME AGENT WORK
HELPS RURAL LIFE
Touches All Phases of
Home-Making; Boys Find
ing Their Opportunity in
All Club Work Under AS
sistant County Agent M.
Edmund Aycock
BH MIcS. HATTIE F. PLUMBER.
Vance County Home Demonstration
Agent

BH MRS. HATTIE F. PLUMMER,
Vance County Home Demonstration
Agent.
Home Demonstration work was be-
gun in Vance county in 1914 with Mrs
Hattie F. Plummer as agent. The
work has been continued with the
same agent since that time. At first
the work was with the girls who
planted ITO of an acre in tomatoes
and string beans. Tomato clubs were
formed, they met in groups and had
all day canning with picnic lunch
Every can had to be graded and
weighed. They sold their products to
merchants, to private homes, or used
it ut home.
Women Organized.
Then the women were organized in
to clubs studying food and clothing.
The girls began to sew, they started
out with making an apron and cap or
a sewing bag. This work was con-
tinued until they could cut and make
dresses.
Curb Market Begun.
During the war the women were
urged to produce more food, can more
for market, and after the war they
found themselves overloaded. with
everything to eat. Butter, fruits, vege-
tables, eggs and chickens were vast
ed. with no market for the surplus
In desperation a curb market was
begun on February 3, 1923 as an ex-
pertinent to sell the surplus. Money
was badly needed, there were plenty
of products on the farm to sell, but
no market for them. From the be-
ginning the curb market was q sue
cess. The markets first home was in
Cooper's Warehouse Since that time
it has occupied from time to time
Planters Warehouse, the vacant lot
where Charles Store now stands,
building to the rear of the Busy Bee
cafe then owned by the late w. w.
Parker, and through the efforts of
S. H. Allen the Masons allowed the
market the use of their lot at the
rear of the Post Office September,
1896, found the Curb Market with no
home. The Farmers Cooperative Ex-
change let them use a portion of their
building near the Southern depot. In
June of this year they had to move
again, this time to 1875 Horner street,
in a building with the Farmers Co
operative Exchange, and they are
trusting that the market is now per-
manently located.
Peak Sales $17,814.
An effort was made to secure an
agricultural building for Vance coun-
ty which would have taken care of
the curb market, but the efforts were
in vain. In spite of handicaps the
market has sold from $4,000 worth of
products in 1923 to $17,814 worth in
1929, which was the year our sales
were the highest. In 1886 we sold only
$1O,778.7 worth of farm products.
This was deu to the fact that
the market had to move from pillar
to post that year and was very I'M
settled. Since it's organization to De-
cember /, 1886, the total sales for the
curb market have amounted to $780,
66867 There are only five home de-
monstratiOn markets IL the State that
sell more than Vance county. No
other one thing has been of more real
help to the farm homes and the farm
women and girls than the curb mar
ket.
Record Individual Sales.
Mrs. w. c.. Watkins has the record
for having the highest sales in one
day, her sales amounting to SIS.
Virginia Longnire sold more than
any one else in one month, for in
September, 1896, her sales amounted
to $3.50. The curb markets success
is due to the cooperation of both
town and country. Nothing has done
more to bring town and country to-
gether than the curb market.
Touches ALI Phases.
Home Demonstration work has
touched all phases of home making.
Through the eleven Home Demonstra-
ton Clubs, two garden clubs and ten
All Girls Clubs have been formed, in
fact country life has been revolution
lied. Beauty around the home has
been stressed, and as a result, grass
Continued on Page Seven.)