This document details research done at the North Dakota
State University Archives. The records used are Cooperative
Extension Annual Reports from McIntosh
County, North Dakota.
The aim of the research is to identify photographs in the report illustrating
vital aspects of life in the Missouri Coteau region and to record information
explicating the images. Links in the table below call up images of interest
that have been scanned from the manuscript reports.
Most images, including all photographic images, are
scanned at 600 dpi and saved as TIFs. Certain other images, mainly textual
things, are scanned at 300 dpi and saved as PDFs. TIFs have been saved also
as JPGs for reference and web use.
Thanks to NDSU Archives for making these records available
for research. All images copyright NDSU Archives.
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1933
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This is the first report in the series, indicating
extension was not operating in the county previously. It begins, now, with
assignment of Robert J. Adam,
Emergency Agricultural Assistant, to organize the new farm program. His
report includes closing comments:
The wheat program progress in McIntosh County is pretty well advanced and
most applicants have signed up to date. . . . The farmers in general are
willing to cooperate introducing acreage and to comply with the regulations
and limitations of the wheat plan. . . . The thing most of them are looking
forward to from now on is the receiving of their checks.
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1936
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By this time the agent (Robert J. Adam, County
Agricultural Adjustment Agent) is candid about the process of moving from
just managing the farm program to implementing a true extension program.
The attitude of the people of McIntosh County towards extension work is
gradually becoming more favorable. The public is beginning to see that
those farmers and housewives who are following plans of improvement are
making greater headway toward recovery from the recent depression.
However, the actual extension
work program organization is a difficult matter because:
1. The
large majority of the people are of foreign birth and do not speak or read the
American language.
2. Very
little extension work has ever been carried on in the county.
3. Decided
lack of finance and credit makes it almost impossible to start the various
projects.
4. There
are very few natural leaders who will take an interest and further the
program.
5. There
is a decided lack of organization, such as clubs and civic organizations
for the purpose of furthering improved methods.
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This is the first report illustrated with photographs,
and some of them deal with administration of the farm program.
The Agricultural Conservation
Soil program of the Agricultural Adjustment Administration as carried out
by the farmers of McIntosh County Agricultural Conservation Association . .
. has met with nearly a 100% approval by all farmers and landowners of the
county. In general, most farmers are now planning their farming activities
to fit the present program.
McIntosh
County has
approximately 1160 farmers, of which 98% submitted work sheets in the
spring of 1936.
The report gives the names of 28 “supervisors” of the
program and one “boss supervisor,” Carol Olsen, of Lehr. Supervisors are
responsible for measuring acreage.
The worksheets in total designate 294,450 of 574,363
reporting acres as “soil depleting.”
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Photo on p. 11 (middle), Supervisors
Receiving Instructions in the Field
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Photo on p. 11 (bottom), Supervisor
Earning His Money By the “Sweat of His Brow”
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This report steps up the reporting on boys’ and girls’
club work. It highlights the Tri-County Fair held at Wishek, 24-26 August.
A flyer announces,
The last day of the Fair,
August 26th, will be 4-H Club Day. Club members are urged to
attend the fair on that day as the clubs should join in the parade.
And a later flyer promises,
All club members are invited to
attend the fair on that day and all club members are expected to march in
the parade at 3:00 P.M. that day. Every club member who attends the fair on
the 26th will receive a club cap free.
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Photo on p. 25 (top), Ready to
Parade by the Grand Stand on 4-H Club Day / Parade formed by Clubs /
Club Caps and Flags Displayed
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Photo on p. 25 (bottom), Lowell Corn
Club Showing Musical Talent at County Picnic
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1936-37
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The agent reports, again, that club enrollment is
growing. Boys’ and girls’ clubs seem to be the success story of recent
years.
The annual 4-H picnic was held at Lake Hoskins
on 20 June, with 175 club members and 325 family and friends attending.
Kittenball games, horseshoe pitching, a band concert by the Venturia Band,
lunch, group singing, and program presentations by members all were on the
program.
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Photo on p. 38 (top), County
4-H Picnic Program Presented in Lake Hoskins Pavilion
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The Tri-County Fair in Wishek was 13-15 September,
attended by some 4500 people. About 200 4-H club members participated on
club day, the final day of the fair.
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Photo on p. 40 (top), “Old
Glory” Leads 4-H Club Parade
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Photo on p. 40 (middle), “4-H
Forwards” Wear Club Uniforms
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The county’s livestock judging team placed third in the
southeast district contest held in Fargo.
Included were Willie Hochhalter of Wishek, Solomon Hochhalter of Wishek,
and Harold Essinger of Wishek, plus County Agent Robert J. Adam as coach.
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Photo on p. 44 (top), Judging Team
and Agent return from District 4-H Judging Contest / Fargo Fair – Aug
26th
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The Agricultural Conservation Program continues in
operation, with some change in terminology. What were called “supervisors” are
now called “committeemen.” There is a county committee of four members, Ed
Bauer of Zeeland, president; a board of
directors with eight members, Bauer presiding; and seven district
committees with four members each.
During the year, 89 meetings
were held on agricultural conservation work of which, 28 were small group
discussion meetings conducted by the community committeemen in their own
districts.
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Photo on p. 54 (bottom), Group
of Supervisors receiving Instruction in the Field
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There was an active program of work not only to divert
acreage but actually to pursue soil conservation work on it. Unfortunately,
The soil conserving and soil
depleting crops were total failure in the county due to drought and insects
this year and therefore, no real worth while accomplishments can be shown.
There were the beginnings, however, of experimentation
for soil erosion control.
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Photo on p. 58 (top), Wind Soil
Erosion Stopped by Ridging Field with “Made-Over Disc” / Ed Bauer, Zeeland
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1937-38
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County homemakers had their Achievement Day and picnic
at Lake Hoskins, 3 miles west of Ashley, on
14 July. There was a crowd of 400 in atte3ndance. There was a business
meeting, lunch, and a series of program presentations.
The highlight of the
afternoon’s program was an address by Prof. A.G. Arvold on “Neighborhoods”,
which was greatly enjoyed by everyone.
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Photo on p. 18 (top), County
4-H Picnic & Homemakers’ Achievement Program Presented in Lake Hoskins
Pavilion
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“County Exhibit & Achievement Days Held at
Tri-County Fair”
Held at Wishek, 12-14 September. Lambs were shown by
boys from three different clubs.
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Photo (top) on p. 42, Sheep
Fitting & Blocking Demonstration at Tri-county Fair, Wishek,
conducted by Carl J. Freeman and Robert J. Adam, Agts.
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“Entomology: Grasshopper Control Program Well Taken by
Farmers”
McIntosh county has a heavy egg
deposit by grasshoppers in the fall of 1937 and the result was that all the
crop area of the county was seriously threatened with grasshopper damage
for 1938.
The grasshopper hatch in the
spring of 1938 far surpassed the estimates and was the heaviest hatch ever
to occur in this county. The hatching started early due to a very dry, warm
and favorable spring season. During the height of the hatching season
period it was nothing uncommon to find as many as approximately 2000 young
hoppers per square foot in protected areas, such as road sides and weedy
spots.
Due to extremely dry conditions
and the low ebb of economic conditions, very little tillage such as
plowing, field cultivation or any other ground tilling was done in the Fall
of 1937 and spring of 1938, and consequently very few hopper eggs were
destroyed. Therefore, the hatch was very general on all cvrop land as well
as on pastures and road sides.
“’Hopper Control Organized Early in Year”
The office organized educational meetings all over the
county. The county commissioners “reviewed the situation” and “took action
to organize.” They signed an agreement to cooperate with the “State and
Federal Grasshopper Control set-up.” A committee of six was appointed in
each of the 28 townships to supervise grasshopper control. The county agent
was authorized to order bait. The county also applied to the WPA to
establish bait mixing stations in several locations.
The net cost of the grasshopper campaign to the county
was $950.48. 122 bait spreaders were built, two mixing stations set up. 867
spread 1,556,000 pounds of bait.
The bait formula: 11# bran, 300# sawdust, 2 gals sodium
arsenite, 28 gals water. Mixing done by WPA crews in vats 12’ long, 4’ wide,
1’ deep. Ashley station employed 30 men and a foreman, Wishek station
employed 19 men and a foreman.
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Map on p. 62, Grasshopper
Infestation 1938
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Photo (top) on p. 63, ’Hoppers
photographed about 6/25/38 by Robert J. Adam, Co. Agt., on Highway in
McIntosh Co.
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Photo (middle) on p. 63, ’Hoppers
moving from ditch across highway near Wishek, N.D.
Surface almost covered.
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Map on p. 68, Number of Farmers
Using Grasshopper Bait and Number Machine Spreaders Made
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“More Farmers Interested in Sheep Raising”
McIntosh County
normally has a sheep population of approximately 8000 head. The small farm flocks
have been increased during the year, because farmers find they can raise
sheep more successfully on coarse roughage than cattle.
There have been three sheep clubs organized, with 19
members. Farmers are making use of the CCC Wool Loan program, with 92
farmers marketing 17,563 pounds of wool. The county agent set up three
receiving stations for the wool. Farmers got cash advances when they
delivered wool.
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Map on p. 84, 1938 C.C.C. Wool Loans and Stations,
McIntosh Co.
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“Soil Erosion Areas Mapped”
McIntosh County
has no active organized soil conservation districts or demonstration farms.
Some preliminary work has been done by Gust N. Geiszler, Soil
Conservationist, and the County Agent.
Held some meetings across the county and prepared a map
of erosion areas.
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Map on p. 91, Soil Erosion
Areas / McIntosh
County
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Photo (top) on p. 94, Three
bottom Plow with Moldboards Removed / This cuts weeds, loosens surface,
leaves trash on surface for protection against soil drifting.
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Photo (bottom) on p. 94, Theo Woehl, Wishek in Spring of
1938 stopped soil drifting and obtained a good
stand of wheat by criss-crossing his field diagonally with gang plow.
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Photo (bottom) on p. 95, Basin
Listing / 20 inch spacing / Dams made equal height regardless of
intervals
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1938-39
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“Grasshopper Control Program”
The egg survey in the Fall of 1938
indicated a very light spotted infestation of ’hopper eggs in McIntosh County. According to the survey, no
serious damage could have been expected with otherwise fairly normal
conditions.
The spring check-up on eggs, however,
indicated a very good survival of eggs. The spring of 1939 was very dry,
which made the ’hopper hazard more eminent. . . . Therefore, the hatch was
quite general on all cropland as well as on pastures and roads.
Once again there was a county campaign with WPA mixing
stations.
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“Farmers Seeded 55% Thatcher”
The general attitude has changed from abandonment of
wheat raising to improving the methods of wheat farming – that is, to
smaller acreages, improved tillage, good seed, adapted varieties and
marketing of the crop.
The county was allotted 129,000 acres of wheat for 1939,
which is approximately 40% of the total cropland. . . . The varieties
recommended for McIntosh county were Thatcher, Reward, some Kubanka, Durum
and Red Durum. . . .
Thatcher wheat comprised about 55% of the seeded acreage
in 1939.
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Photo (bottom) on p. 74, Thatcher
has plenty length of straw
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Photo (bottom) on p. 76, Thatcher
Wheat that would be a joy to any farmer
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1939-40
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Photo on p. 13, Sodium Chlorate
Spreading demonstration using Gandy Spreader on C.P. Schumacher Farm
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Photo (top) on p. 14, Wind
Erosion / Northeast McIntosh Co.
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“Jolly Workers Club”
Held 11 meetings, average attendance 12.8. Had a booth
at the Tri-County Fair.
In August, the Jolly Workers
enjoyed a picnic. Pictures were snapped by the local leader while the lunch
was being enjoyed.
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Photo on p. 41, Jolly Workers
enjoy Watermelon Picnic
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“Grasshopper Control Program”
Infestations this year were mainly in the southern parts
of the county, made worse by fact that neighboring areas of South Dakota had no
control programs. There were organizational meetings again, and a county
program, and two WPA mixing stations. 340 farmers got 158 tons of mixed
bait. 122 spreaders were used.
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Photo (top) on p. 77, Spreading
’Hopper Bait at 6:00 A.M. on George Ritter Farm
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Photo (bottom) on p. 77, Hopper
Baiting Demonstration on George Ritter Farm Showed 50 to 60% Kill
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Photo on p. 78, Hopper Bait Mixing
Station at Wishek, N. Dak.
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Photo (top) on p. 79, ’Hopper
Bait Mixing Station Crew at Work / Ashley Station
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“Cattle / 7 Bulls Placed”
Work on the cattle project was
largely to encourage increasing present small herds and better feeding for
production and growth. A number of farmers were assisted in obtaining
breeding stock of higher grade or purebred. Seven bulls were placed.
The North Dakota Livestock Mutual Aid Committee made a
loan for one farmer to buy a bull.
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Photo (bottom) on p. 108, Beef
Shorthorn Bull Financed through NDLMAC owned by Jacob L. Raile, Wishek, N.D.
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“Sheep Population Has Increased”
There have been a number of farmers starting new flocks.
Buying of Westerns or old ewes
has been discouraged because of the lack of facilities and shortage of
feed.
A ram sale was held at Wishek
in October. 6 rams were sold off the trucks operated by the extension
service. 3 others were sold by farmers that day. 8 farmers were assisted by
the agent in obtaining purebred rams.
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Photo (top) on p. 111, Sheep
Dipping Demonstration Using Extension Department Dipping Tank on farm
near Steele, N.D.
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Photo (bottom) on p. 111, Sheep
Dipping Demonstration Using Extension Department Dipping Tank on farm
near Steele, N.D.
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“Assisted in Placing Two Stallions”
McIntosh
County leads in numbers of
licensed stallions in North
Dakota . . . so little work is really needed on
the horse project. Assistance was given in placing 2 registered Belgian
stallions with two F.S.A. borrowers.
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Photo (top) on p. 113, Champion
Belgian Stallion / Tri-County Fair, Wishek
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1940-41
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“Wheat Marketing Quota Campaign”
“77 ½ % in Favor”
The Wheat Marketing Quota campaign met with rather stiff
opposition in certain areas of the county. However, it carried by a 3 to 1
vote, or approximately 77 ½ % in favor. . . .
A series of marketing quota educational meetings were
conducted by the county agent and the county committee at nine different
points in the county, from the 23rd to the 29th of
May.
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Photo on p. 55, Farmers Gather
at Country School House to Discuss Wheat Marketing Quotas
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“Wheat: Thatcher & Rival Leading Varieties”
The wheat crop was the best
McIntosh county has had in about 15 or 20 years. The farmers are convinced,
in general, that wheat raising can again be made profitable by better tillage,
good seed, weed control and proper production control through organized
programs. . . .
The Thatcher and Rival
varieties make up approximately 80% of the wheat grown; others are Red
Durum, Reward, Ceres, and Durum, in order of importance.
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Photo (middle) on p. 70, Thatcher
and Regent Strips on the Wishek Wheat Demonstration Plot / Note; the
strength of straw in Regent on right compared to Thatcher just before
harvest.
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Photo (top) on p. 84, The Tire
Tube Method of Treating Home Grown Fence Posts Demonstrated by John
Thompson, Ext. Forester
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Photo (bottom) on p. 84, Thompson
Explains Action & Time of Treatment
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“Sheep Population on Increase”
“Dipping & Drenching Demonstration Held”
Many farmers had not drenched or dipped in 1940, so a
dipping and drenching demonstration was held in June on the John Walz farm,
in cooperation with the State Extension Service. 300 head were dipped and
drenched.
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Photo (top) on p. 89, Dipping
& Drenching Demonstration on the John Walz Farm
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Photo (middle) on p. 89, Keeping
Chute Filled Makes Handling Easy
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Photo (bottom) on p. 89, All
Set – Ready to Start / Two Men Handle Vat
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Photo (top) on p. 90, Sheep
Climb Out of Vat onto Draining Platform / Dip Drains Back into Vat
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Photo (bottom) on p. 90, Sheep
Come Down Chute after Draining
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“Tillage Demonstration / May 29, 1941 on the Henry H.
Huber Farm / ¾ Mile West of Ashley”
“Observing the work of these regular and ‘made-over’
implements will give you a chance to decide as to their usefulness on your
farm.”
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Photo (top) on p. 94, Tillage
Demonstration at Ashley, N.Dak. / May 29, 1941
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Photo (middle) on p. 94, S.C.S.
Engineer Explaining “Noble Blade” at Tillage Demonstration
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Photo (bottom) on p. 94, Rod
Weeder Used Extensively & with Very Good Success in Golden Valley
County
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Photo (top) on p. 95, Chase
Cultivator with Wide Sweep Shovels Demonstrated by S.C.S.
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Photo (bottom) on p. 95, A
Spring Tooth Field Cultivator Followed by Basin Tiller for Pit Cultivation
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“Cotton Mattress Program: 375 Families Make Mattresses
& Comforters”
The cotton mattress and
comforter program in McIntosh county has worked out very satisfactorily and
has provided an excellent opportunity to contact many farm and towns
people.
The application for 1400 mattresses
and comforters were taken by the AAA county committee, Community Committees
and the county office. . . . allowed 1145 mattresses and comforters. . . .
Received were 97 bales of cotton, 10 bales of ticking,
and 11 boxes of percale. Received in Ashley, Wishek, Lehr, and Zeeland.
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Photo (bottom) on p. 99, AAA Chairman Assists in
Checking & Unloading 18,000 Lbs. Cotton at Ashley
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1941-42
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“Wheat, Barley, Rye & Flax CCC Loan Program”
“287 Loans on 176,668 Bushels of Wheat, Flax & Rye”
Commodity Credit Corporation
placed a total of 239 grain storage bins in McIntosh county to relieve the
congested storage situation.
These are located in Ashley, Wishek, Lehr, Danzig,
Venturia, and Zeeland.
Also, 52 wooden bins were made available to individual
farmers; 52 purchased them.
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Photo (top) on p. 47, Erecting
Bins at Ashley Site
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Photo (bottom) on p. 47, Filling
Bins at Ashley Site
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“Home
Gardens”
An extensive Victory Garden
program was carried out in 1942. 33 garden meetings were held on “Food for
Victory” and “Victory
Gardens”.
A total of 109 county gardeners
were personally appointed by letter from Governor Moses to serve as Victory
Garden Committeemen in their respective townships and farms.
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Photo on p. 68, Viewing Garden
on Gottlieb Haerter’s Farm
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Photo (bottom) on p. 69, Ashley
School Has Fine Victory Garden
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1943-44
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“Sheep Shearing School”
Seven boys from McIntosh and Logan counties enrolled.
Held at Elmo Nickisch farm, near Wishek. Assisted by Vo ag department of
Wishek and the Flexible Shaft Company of Chicago. An instructor from that company
did the school, of two days, during which “each boy had to shear at least
seven or eight sheep in order that they might have a general knowledge of
routine sheep shearing. . . . This is believed to be a very valuable school
as there was a definite shortage of sheep shearers.”
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Photo (top) on p. 69, Sheep Shearing School Held at Elmo
Nickisch Farm, Wishek
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Photo (bottom) on p. 69, Sheep Shearing School Held at
Elmo Nickisch Farm, Wishek
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