Arizona sun., 1948-04-09
VERDE VALLEY SITE OF
THE FIRST REMAKING-
|IN-A-DAY FARM BY S.C.S.
(By ID. III. DICKINSON.)

cottonwood, March 3O.-There
are a lot of communities in the
Southwest lot larger than the
Verde Valley that are wondering
what the farmers here have that
their fellow farmers in larger
places lack. Their question is, how
does it happen that the Verde Val
ley, with only $4,000 population,
will be the site of the first Remak-
ing-in-a-day of an irrigated farm
anywhere?
The answer is-good, old-fash-
ioned neighborlineSs and coopera-
ton
On April 81, the 35 acre farm
owned by partially disabled veter-
ma Bob Hardgrave will be trans
formed between dawn and dusk
from the rundown, unproductive
place it is today into a thoroughly
modern example of the latest soil
conservation practices. To Bob, his
wife, and three kids, it is almost
too good to be true.
But to others it is an example of
what community with ideas and
team work can do, no matter how
small it may be-
The idea of staging this dramatic
soil conservation demonstration or
iginated among the members of the
three Soil Conservation Districts in
the Valley. The supervisors of the
Oak Creek, Bridgeport and Camp
Verde Soil Conservation Districts
read of similar demonstrations on
dry farms in other parts of the
country and decided there was no
reason why they couldn't stage
such a show to give Verde Valley
farmers a chance to see at first
hand how the conservation meas
ureS they read about worked in
actual practice.
Their next step was to look over
every old and unproductive farm
in their district to pick out one for
their demonstration. Bob's outfit
was chosen for a number of sound
reasons.
First, the place needed virtually
every soil conservation measure in
the books.
Second, it was located close
enough to a hard-surfaced road to
enable the heavy equipment neces-
sary to do the job in a day to get
to the farm.
And, third-but far from least
"a DA1N
Hardgrave, despite his partial dis
ability resulting from a severe
wound received in the European
theatre, had what it took to capial-
ize on the wonderful break he
would be getting. He is a graduate
of New Mexico A. & M. and is a
proven good farmer. Once his place
was put in first-claSs shape, Bob
could be counted upon to maintain
it as a continuing example of good
farm practice.
Once the site of the demonstra-
ton was selected, the supervisors
contacted the u. S. Soil Conserva-
ton Service and asked for and re-
ceived the same services the S. c.
S. gives to any farmer in a legally
constituted Soil Conservation Dis
trict. The S. c. S. surveyed the
land, made engineering and other
technical reports on what needed
to be done, and assumed the lead
in the chronological aspects of the
project.
But the supervisors of the Three
Soil Conservation Districts in the
Valley disclaim any credit for max
ing this one of the biggest things
in the history of the Verde Valley.
Heck, they say, no matter how
good an idea you have and no mat
ter how much equipment is brought
in from outside, it will take lot
of manpower, muscle and sweat to
put the program over in a single
day. T.
And, it is Bob's neighbors in the
Valley who are pledging them
selves to supply that vital manpow-
er on which the success of this Soil
Conservation and NeighborlineS
Demonstration depends!