5C Second Annual Repokt 



Sheldon. The goods are sold by grocerymen in three towns. 

 The sales last year were $3,02q, which speaks volumes for the 

 home market if you have any good thing to offer. Dairying 

 helps to maintain the fertility of the farm. We have used cot- 

 tonseed meal as a fertiUzer, but it is certainly more profitable 

 to give the cow a chance at it first. 



Apples, small fruits and, for the last two years, vegetables 

 have been grown. We sell wholesale and retail, any way to keep 

 things moving. 



A market wagon should, of course, go out in the morning, 

 but ours on account of the cakes goes in the afternoon. We 

 have customers who expect us,, others stop the wagon. We 

 never cut prices on berries as such news travels fast ; with 

 vegetables, different sizes and conditions seem to make it allow- 

 able. 



We advertise more or less. This year we aim to do it 

 systematically, taking space by the year. Can you give any 

 reason why the farmer should not advertise and push his trade 

 like any other business man? 



Our first notice read about like this : "Watch the Valley 

 Farm advertisement. We believe in advertising, and the local 

 market for the output of our farm. We have many good cus- 

 tomers and friends in town and would like more. This space 

 is taken for one year. It is not large, but we hope you will 

 find many good things in it during that time. Just now we are 

 cutting up some very fine Berkshire pigs, raised on milk, apples 

 and corn, guaranteed healthy and all right. Now ready, Sau- 

 sage, Head-cheese, and old fashioned spare rib roasts. Later, 

 hams, shoulders and bacon. If tired of regular lines of meats 

 you will find Valley Farm products a welcome change. 



Telephone L. H. Sheldon, Prop." 



Not much of a horticultural flavor there, but the pigs are 

 a valuable assistant on the farm, and when our pork products 

 are gone we will try to show people how much better it is 

 that they should live on fruit and vegetables. 



A very pleasant feature of our business is the summer 

 cottage trade on the west sliore of Lake Bomoseen. On the east 

 side are trolley cars,, boarding houses, Sunday picnics and 

 saloons. We do not go there. The west side is being rapidly 

 built up with cottages that are occupied by a very nice class of 

 people that must needs buy everything they consume. This 

 trade is in charge of our two boys, twelve and sixteen years 

 old. They go two mornings in the week. Carry fruits of all 

 kinds in their season and vegetables too numerous to mention, 

 chickens, eggs, butter, and later Mrs. Sheldon found it a fine 

 market for her cakes. The loads grew too large for one wagon 



