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Show Farming without crop dusting Dear Editor: This is written after having attended a meeting called for June 11 in the Uintah School district and due to the large attendance was moved to the lunchroom of the high school. Having spent a lifetime in Uintah County, raised on a small farm with a large family and finding employment on two of the largest farms in the county, and purchasing an eighty acre farm at the age of 21 years, and ten years in Vernal City active in Vernal City government as City Treasurer and City Councilman, and then to a ranch which had land holding 1560 acres, and serving as chairman of the ASCS committee for several years, through World War II and its problems, and later r&eeiving a certificate of recognition in May of 1968 signed by Secretary of Agricuture, and the State chairman of ASCS and most of the remainder in pure bred sheep, and a bee business most of my life, in this spirit that this is passed to anyone who may benefit. Having been on all farms in Uintah County in behalf of farmers interests and observing and growing up with the problems with city and county and state problems, being a member of the state planning committee through the extension and close contact with all county extenstion agents, have seen the changes transpire in the state and county which may be of value to the public. Since the meeting of June 11, concerned con-cerned the use of chemicals, it's interesting in-teresting since in the early history, no chemicals were used nor pesticides, and the higher yield in hay crops irt the county. The ranch we moved onto never used any form of pest control while we farmed the place. We saw the start in the Ashley Valley of pesticides being used and the more they used the more it seemed necessary to use them. However, there are still some farmers far-mers that still refuse to use them and are producing good crops without their use. Fifteen years ago we located a yard of bees on one of them and crops have been normal each year and that location has been the most productive. Only last summer I personally conversed con-versed with the owner who will not permit spraying or dusting. We have others whose names we will privately refer you to with their consent and you may get the information first hand. Four years ago we purchased a seven acre field then in alfalfa and the first year the first crop was almost destroyed. We took a second crop. The following year we took two good crops and the following year we took three crops and no lady bugs were even introduced in-troduced while operating the large ranch. We turned down the offer to try chemicals and the last time we contacted con-tacted them, they still had not used pesticide control. It's my observation the more they are used, the more they must be used. If the signer can be of personal service, much more information can be supplied which you may check for yourself. ELMER LIND |