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Show Duchesne County Contributes Food For Victory - - - args- Without water and crops and livestock, Duchesne county would have no type of industry; probably not even our few mines would operate without the sustaining sus-taining influence of the other three. Without them our entire area would revert back to sage and greasewood, as we have seen some developed areas do when the life-sustaining water disappeared. With this agriculture agricul-ture comes an honest desire of farming people to achieve something some-thing worthwhile and desirable in their field of activity. Many activities are now contributing to our welfare. , Seed Industry The alfalfa and clover seed industry in-dustry has been one of specula- ' tion. However, millions of dollars dol-lars have been brought into this . area from this industry alone. Even this season, we will find the Christmas bells ringing with about a 90,000 pound harvest. This will mean more than a quarter million to our farmers. Some of the Speculation is being be-ing taken out of this hazardous business. Perhaps one can wish for the day when insecticide materials ma-terials will not be entirely used by the armed forces and the control con-trol of the Lygus bug will be possible. This would mean a greater and more uniform harvest har-vest of alfalfa seed from one year to another. Perhaps the better cultural practices will enlarge en-large our income. For instance, on the Bacon farm in Cedarview this is what happened: Like many old fields of alfalfa the crop had depleted to a stand of foxtail and grass. Water was scarce and plowing delayed. A light seeding of Red Clover was planted to try for some pasturage. pastur-age. A late spring frost set it back. A little hay was garnered for a second crop. These farmers were then encouraged to apply phosphate, as commerical fertilizer, fert-ilizer, to test their land for needed need-ed plant foods. A heavy second crop was gathered the next year; averaging 2 tons per ace. The weeds and most of the grass had --now disappeared. The fertilizer was stimulating the legume plants. A good pasture was obtained ob-tained from the aftermath. In the early spring of 1944 one thousand pounds of 43 phosphate phos-phate was applied on 8 acres of land. The first cutting of hay yielded 2Vi tons per acre and was harvested by the 25th of June. The second crop was held for seed. This crop was cut on October 10th. with a tractor mower. Two rain showers came while it was in the field and the crop was hauled from the field to the thresher. On October 19th. the seed was weighed from the thresher with a yield of 3244 pounds from these 8 acres. This also left the pummy to be fed to dry stock during the winter months. This seed was cleaned and run 92 percent first class seed and 6 per cent second class; meaning only 2 pounds per hundred hun-dred cleaned away. On final analysis an-alysis this not only yeilded heavy but is probably one of the very few lots of seed that will grade . extra fancy this year and will therefor demand an extra fancy premium on the market. For clover, again the lifehood of water wa-ter is a heavy duty. Seven irrigations ir-rigations were applied to this crop during the season. For many areas this is more water than they have and we again see the continual need of water developments develop-ments in our inland empire. This is only one case. The Pleasant Valley farmers could give us a lot of good news With their alfalfa crops the past two seasons. However, nearly every, case of success will bring to the continual need of fertilizing, proper water use and crop rotation, ro-tation, and other cultural practices prac-tices that always mean good farming with successful results. Farmers Do Exceptional Job Duchesne county is now credited cred-ited with having 728 of her sons in the armed forces of this country. coun-try. This does not include those who have moved away, previously previous-ly and registered and were drafted draft-ed from other sections. Neither have we counted the girls who have volunteered. Along with this our country has suffered heavy labor losses from those who moved elsewhere in search of War work. Another factor concerning our production was the scarcity of farm machinery. Never has our supply of new machines been so low and the condition of our present equipment equip-ment been so nearly worn out. Through much repairing and make shifting our county came through. In spite of all these difficulties dif-ficulties we and the rest of the country have garnered an unheard un-heard of peak of production. No one thought it could be done but they did it without Japanese or Italians of War Prisoners coming here to live with us. As the Christmas bells ring this year we are sure it will also be in honor hon-or of those who have labored so hard to maintain those who are away on other important business. busi-ness. Approximately the following follow-ing acreages were planted, nurtured nur-tured and harvest this year without undue amount of loss: 5,000 acres of corn, 5200 acres of wheat, 4500 cres of oats, 3,-000 3,-000 acres of barley, 500 acres of potatoes for family use, 21000 acres of alfalfa, 2500 acres clover, clov-er, 12000 acres other hay, 1500 acres seeded pastures and 155,-000 155,-000 acres of other pasture cared for. Along with this some 125 farmers performed essential industrial in-dustrial work during the winter months while the women and children stayed at home to care for the stock and ranch headquarters. head-quarters. Livestock and Produce When Uncle Sam called for more livestock and products, Duchesne Du-chesne county farmers performed perform-ed willingly. Some 6500 cows have been milked this year to obtain this War Product. Somewhere Some-where near 1,105,000 pounds butterfat have been produced. This was manufactured into Cheddar cheese, Dutch cheese, butter, casein, dried milk and ice creams. Some whole milk has also been transported into the Salt Lake milk shed during the past season. Along with this production county dairymen have been looking forward to other times. In order to prepare for this they have been interested interest-ed in obtaining better stock with higher production abilities. Twenty cooperative groups have baned together. These groups are using some of the best bred dairy sires this basin has ever seen. With this foundation herd sire they are selecting their best dairy heifers to replace the old stock in the milking stantion. New replacements are located with others help when changes are desirable. Along with this program they are also interest in marketing better Uintah Basin Turkeys . . . Will Grace Tables Overseas Christmas milk. Therefore we find producers produc-ers like Wilckins of Duchesne, Galloway and Workman of Roosevelt and Lisonbee of Bluebell Blue-bell building milking parlors and milk houses to provide our school and towns with some of the finest milk these centers have known. Other farmers are coming along with these improvements im-provements and milk in Duchesne Du-chesne county will be clean and sanitary for anyone's use in the near future. More feed, better care and sanity surroundings are the goals of our future market mar-ket supplies. When these are accomplished ac-complished the bi-products from our plants and creameries will be some of the finest to be found. Meat Supply For Uncle Sam's meat supply we contribute heartily. Somewhere Some-where near 10,000 head of cattle are sold from this county. These also, are better stock than we have known previously. Beef cattle producers are now obtaining obtain-ing the best beef sires they have ever known. Such developments as B. grade bulls or better on our ranges is resulting in a more uniform calf-crop with quicker maturing animals for the stepped step-ped up war program. The Utah State Livestock Improvement program can be well proud of the work done by the cattlemen who use the mountain pastures of the Uintah Basin. Lamb Crop From down off these same ranges and across the upland pastures come about 20,000 lambs to be sold each year. The sheep herds are also producing somewhere near 218,000 pounds of wool to clothe our boys who are out there in mud and snow. No doubt the warmth of this clothing and our fine food will make Christmas more tolerable wherever the products are taken up to the Front, We are nigh out of pork production. pro-duction. Our sad experience of no feed and too much stock to eat it became a bankrupt affair. However, with harvest of the present season many shall find pork production a paying enterprise. enter-prise. This might yet again be called the farm mortgage lifter. A year ago we sent some 9.000 head of hogs to slaughter. This was at a fair price had the feed been more available and not so expensive. Turkey Industry Some 45,000 turkeys will grace the tables of Americans and Her Allies from Uintah Basin Ba-sin this year. With turkeys and chickens as salable items our farmers will realize about $275,-000 $275,-000 from the sale of meat this year. Along with this contribution contribu-tion we sent from three to four truck loads of eggs to outside market each week. Grade A eggs and meat are now being produced produc-ed by Duchesne county farmers. The field of expansion is unlimited unlimit-ed for Her for some time to come as this production can be done here on a profitable basis. Boys and Girls 4-H Clubs The future of this county and all countries remains with the boys and girls. During the past year 114 young people enrolled in 4-H club projects. These included in-cluded Home economics, livestock, live-stock, crops and gardens. These people learn how to do a thing right by having to carry it out themselves, under supervision. These and many other farm boys and girls helped to fill in the gap of insufficient labor. They performed adult labor all season. Not only did they give help but they learned how to do the farming farm-ing job themseleves, and with gardens, crops, livestock, poultry poul-try and homes they will be able to carry themsleves into a successful suc-cessful future when the time requires. re-quires. Along with this the young people bought and sold war bonds, enducted fire prevention pre-vention surveys, assisted war drives and assumed a rightful place of leaders of tomorrow. |