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Show GOOD IDEA OF CO-OPERATION Better Prices Received for Butter Than From Elgin Factory No Middleman to Be Paid. Since ours is a very co-operative community I thoupht perhaps a description de-scription of some of its works mighl be of interest. First, we have one of the finest creameries in the country. It is & success in every way and gives cum-plete cum-plete satisfaction. Its butter averages five cents above Elgin prices, and scores highest in the state tests. It is managed entirely on a co-operative plan. Shares are held by the farmers who are its patrons. A manager and assistants are hired, and also one of the finest butter makers in the country. coun-try. All are given good salaries so they can afford to give all their time and interest to it. writes Mrs. George H. Harper of Litchfield. Mich., in Farm Life. They own good buildings build-ings and first class equipments. Only separator cream is accepted and credited cred-ited according to test- Instructions are given in care and feeding of dairy cows and handling the milk. Cleanliness Cleanli-ness is the watchword, and we all know therein lies the first principle for good butter. This creamery was capitalized at $3,000, all paid in and has never made any assessment. Stockholders were limited to farmers only. No one could hold over 50 shares of stock at $10 per share and the maximum dividend should be 7 per cent. They have been able to keep the cost of manufacture down to 2.8 cents per pound and pay interest on investment. Non-stockholders share In the same privileges, only they receive no dividends. divi-dends. A settlement is made every month with patrons. The buttermilk for the year is sold to the highest bidder. bid-der. Stock salts, balanced rations, mixtures, mix-tures, oil meal, fence posts and corn are sold at cost to patrons. Milking contests are held yearly with selected cows fed on balanced rations. ra-tions. This is open to all patrons and is almost of equal benefit to every other oth-er farmer. Under the same management and officers, of-ficers, but conducted separately, we have the Shippers association, for handling han-dling live stock and produce. Before organizing a capable man was sent to Buffalo (our marketl and Interviews were held with various buyers and instructions in-structions received as to grading all kinds of live stock so there should be no mistakes. Patrons hold shares same as In the creamery. Non-shareholders pay about 2y2 per cent for handling of their stock and share in other regular expenses. ex-penses. The live stock is graded and weighed at home yards and the owner's own-er's tz is placed on it. So each man is sure of getting the price his own animals bring. There is a sinking fund for Insurance, so if any animal dies or is in.iured it is fully paid for. It has proved very satisfactory so far, always petting more than the local buyer could pay, as there is no middleman middle-man to be paid. No one will have any losses to meet or risks to run, only he is subject of course to the fluctuations in price. ' |
