The Sidney herald., 1961-01-04
from your
County Extension Agents


records can be one of the most
valuable tools on your farm or
ranch.
Records are mainly useful in
three ways: First, an an indicator
of business success; second, as
a service tool for such direct APP
plications as filling out an in
come tax return; and third, as a
"diagnoStic" tool for locating the
weak points in a farm business.
1t is this use as a diagnoStic
tool that farm records are most
valuable. Your records should help
you discover why your farm is a
paying or losing business, rather
than simply showing a gain or loss
for the years work. Of course
you can't expect the records in
themselves TO cure an ailing seq
ment of the farm business. They
can indicate where the business
is in trouble but correcting the
trouble will require careful weigh
ing of facts and alternative ours
eS of action.
D0L W4I1IO0L OO1lNP4CIC Q1lo az
curate records, it would be diff
cult to locate the weak points.
From this standpoint alone farm
records are well worth keeping.
For keeping farm records may
we suggest the Montana Farm
and Ranch Book which is pub
lished by the Montana Extension
Service and is available here at
the Extension Office for Cost.
Many Richland Co. Farmers and
Ranchers are using this record
book and have found that it does
/, a good job in fitting their needs.
THE FARM REAL
ESTATE SITUATION
Ever since last March the trend
; in farm land values has been
; moderately downward. For the
; country as a whole the decline
was l percent from March to July.
Eugene Quenemoen, Extension
: farm management specialist, says
that if this trend continues or il
e land values level off and become
q stable it could have some adverse
Q results for farmers and rancherS
For one thing it would dry up an
I important source of increasing net
worth. 1t would also adversely af-
o feet the credit base for a farm
or ranch operator since appreci-
e alton in land value has provided
r an expanding credit base for farm
e operations and for enlargement o.
farms.
v He points out that if land value.
d remain stable and if the squeez'
e continues on cash income, then tht
repayment of debts incurred Il
: buy land at present prices woult
k be difficult and especially SO wheE
ri down payments are low. Eithe
IF superior management or source
t. of income other than those real
f. lied from the land purchase
would be needed to make repay
ty ment. The trend in land value
f. will be well worth watching dur
I'd ing 1861.
r. DECEMBER 10, 1860
HOME ECONOMICS
I've told you a number of thing
N about my job as County ExtenSio
1c Agent - who hires me, who m
m supervisors are, and who my c(
6 workers Ire You know that m
office is in the basement of I'll
,at Court House. You'll find the tel
&c phone listed under Richland c
n Extension Service. You know tn
- 1 ann an employee of Richla1
County and Montana State CO
lege.
My title. until recently, w
Home Demonstration Agent, al
it will take a while to get avn
from it. No doubt that is the re
son for many misunderstanding
about my job. l was asked recen
ly if / go around the county givil
demonstrations. Far from it!
summarize my job briefly, l wo
with homemakers in organic
groups, with All clubs, I do
weekly newspaper column, and
weekly radio program. l try
help people with individual pro
lens when they request inform
ton or help, by letter, phone, {
flee or home call. My work
partly subject matter and par
organizational.
Since its purpose is to impro
family living or stated
another way, to help people
tain the greatest possible satisff
tion from their living - the ST
iect matter is almost anything II
pertains to the home.
Next week / will tell you n
the Home Demonstration Oh
operate. -
WASH AND WEAR COTTONs
For care tips on the new p
manent-finish cottons, the b