CLAY COUNTY ILLUSTRATED 



85 



M. W. Gee Farmstead, Oakport Township 



Wheat is the heaviest crop, and other 

 small grains are also extensively 

 grown. Each year 160 acres of corn 

 is planted, and this field is equaled in 

 size by the potato patch. Another 

 quarter section is kept seeded to tim- 

 othy. 



The first two cows Mr. Olson owned 

 were full-blood Holsteins, and for sev- 

 eral years his herd sires have been 

 registered Shorthorns of the milking 

 strain.- Now his herd numbers about 

 50 head of red cattle, the Holstein 

 marking having been bred out. There 

 are upwards of 60 head of work horses 

 on the farm — some of them are shown 

 in one of the illustrations. 



The farmstead on "Woodlawn 

 Farm" is located in a grove of natural 

 oaks. While the illustrations are win- 

 ter scenes, they show the snow lying 

 as it fell. 



Mr. Olson came from Sweden in the 

 early eighties, and for fourteen years 

 was foreman on the Dalrymple farm 

 at Casselton. In 1895 he came to Clay 

 County and bought the first 965 acres 



of his present farm. He is vice-presi- 

 dent of the Northern Potato Growers' 

 Sales Company, and has served on the 

 township and school boards for many 

 years. 



Martin W. Gee is one of the content- 

 ed farmers, and he has every reason to 

 be. His farm in Oakport township car- 

 ries as good soil as there is in the coun- 

 ty. The farmstead includes ample 

 buildings and is protected by an abun- 

 dant growth of natural trees. Mar- 

 kets are near at hand, and the Oak 

 Mound Consolidated School is within 

 easy walking distance. 



Nearly 900 acres are included in the 

 Gee farm, and every variety of crops 

 is produced. The farm is well stocked 

 with cattle, and no farmer owns bet- 

 ter horses. Mr. Gee was one of the 

 first farmers in this part of the county 

 to diversify his crops. He has raised 

 corn for several years and is one of 

 the leading potato growers of the lo- 

 cality. Mr. Gee is always careful to 

 select the best seed obtainable. 



White Holland Turkeys, M. W. Gee Farm, Oakport Township 



