634 



IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



cents at Northfield, 42.4 cents at Marshall, 38.6 cents at Halstad, and 33.4 

 cents for the large farm in northwestern Minnesota; the average cost of 

 board per month on all farms was $12.65, and per day 42 cents." 



An important factor in determining the cost of board on farms is the 

 proportion of home-grown material and purchased foods which is used. 

 The table which follows shows the average quantiy of farm produce other 

 than vegetables used on the various farms: 



Average annual consicmption of farm produce per vian on certain Minne- 

 sota farms. 



According to T. P. Cooper's discussion of this subject: 



"The values given in the table afford a good illustration of the quantity 

 * * * of the farm products used per man, and show the great differ- 

 ence in the dietary of the farmers in the southeastern part of the state 

 and those in the northwestern. At Marshall a larger amount of butter 

 was made and consumed on the farm than at Northfield, and a consider- 

 ably larger amount of cream, meats, etc., were used, while the quantity 

 of eggs and pork used w^as smaller. At Halstad as at Marshall there was 

 a tendency to make a greater use of products produced at home. The 

 saving shown in the amount of butter and eggs use per man is possibly 

 due to the fact that they have a ready cash sale, but is more likely due 

 to the use of certain substitutes which are cheaper or more easily 

 secured. 



"No skim milk (that is, milk from which the greater part of butter fat 

 has been separated, but which still contains about one-tenth per cent fat) 

 was used on the Northfield route, but a large quantity was used on the 

 Halstad route and but very little whole milk. The quantity of cream 

 used on the Marshall route is large compared with Northfield, 90 pounds 

 against 16 pounds, but the quantity of whole milk consumed was less. 

 In 1907 only two farms on the Halstad route used whole milk. However, 

 the loss of fat in the whole milk was made good by the use of cream 

 and the skim milk. The cream commonly used on these farms contains 

 from 20 per cent to 30 per cent butter fat. 



"It is of interest to note the great dependence placed upon dairy 

 products on the Marshall and Halstad farms. There, the milk, cream and 

 butter used assume a prominent place in the family diet. As no milk or 

 cream is purchased, the quantities of milk used indicate in a way the 

 dependence of the farm family on the different routes upon these products. 

 At Northfield 349 pounds of milk and cream were consumed per man per 

 year, while at Marshall and Halstad the amounts are 630 pounds and 



