HAMPSHIRE COUNTY FARMERS' MONTHLY 



NEWS OF THE FARM BUREAU 



FARM BUREAU 



OFFICERS MEET 



Representatives of the ten states com- 

 prising the Northeast Group of Farm 

 Bureau Federations gathered at Albany, 

 New York, on August 2 and 3 and dis- 

 cussed problems of organization, rela- 

 tionships and programs of work. It was 

 the fourth annual conference of this kind 

 and it was held at the Ten Eyck Hotel. 



Unfortunately, Massachusetts did not 

 have as large a delegation as usual. This 

 was due to the fact that very few farm 

 officers from the various counties felt 

 that they could spare the time from their 

 work. New Hampshire, New York, Ver- 

 mont, New .Jersey and many other of 

 the other states made up the deficit in 

 numbers. 



President 0. E. Bradfute, of the na- 

 tional organization, was the chief speaker, 

 his subject being "The American Farm 

 Bureau Federation in the Ea.st". Other 

 important topics on the program were 

 "Cooperative Buying and Its Relation to 

 Our Economic Situation", by H. E. Bab- 

 cock, General Manager, G. L. F. Ex- 

 change; "Eastern States Exchange and 

 the Farm Bureau", by Howard W. Selby; 

 "The Farm Bureau — Where is It Going 

 and Why", by M. C. Burritt, Extension 

 Director, New York State 



All of these subjects were fully dis- 

 cussed. In addition, there were the usual 

 state reports, all of which showed that 

 progress is being made. A special Home 

 Economics session was held on August 

 2nd, presided over by Mrs. A. E. Brigden, 

 President, New York State Federation of 

 Home Bureaus. 



The program of the entire conference 

 was in the hands of the New York Fed- 

 eration, and they proved to be excellent 

 Jiosts. 



Qrain Pool Goes Over 



Every county in the State, where the 

 Farm Bureau cooperated with the East- 

 ern States Exchange in promoting the 

 gfxain pool, is enthusiastic over the antici- 

 pation, in most cases. Not all of the 

 figures are tabulated as yet. Middlesex 

 apparently holds the record, with ap- 

 proximately 4, .500 tons signed up. Bris- 

 tol reports 2,400 tons, and Berkshire 

 practically as much. 



One big question now being asked is 

 "what will happen if the market continues 

 to go down rather than up. Farm lead- 

 ers are not worried much over the pros- 

 pect. Besides, they have faith that the 

 men who signed are more than willing 

 to take their chances. Past statistics 

 show that there is a rise nine years out 

 of ten. 



Dayljght Saving Fight Still On 



Continuation of the fight to repeal the 

 so-called daylight saving law was unani- 

 mously approved by members of the State 

 Federation Executive Committee at their 

 recent mid-summer meeting during 

 Farmers' Week at the Massachusetts .\g- 

 ricultural College, Amherst. William P. 

 Wharton, of Groton, Chairman of the 

 Legislative Committee, was instructed to 

 take every possible step to bring this 

 about, and he was pledged hearty sup- 

 port, both moral and financial, from the 

 counties. 



An unusually large grist of important 

 business was put through in record time 

 under the guidance of President Howard 

 S. Russell, who presided. Every county 

 except Hampden was represented. Not 

 the least encouraging part was the treas- 

 urer's report, which showed more than 

 one half of this year's budget already 

 received. Some of the counties have 

 made excellent records in securing re- 

 newals, especially Franklin, Hampden, 

 Middlesex and Worcester. There is still 

 need, however, for immediate funds in 

 order to take care of current expen.ses. 



Plans were announced for a series of 

 Farm Bureaus get-togethers in the fall. 

 The idea will be to hold meetings in sev- 

 eral places in each county. The use of 

 a motion picture theater will be secured 

 and each program built around films 

 produced by the American Farm Bureau 

 Federation. Thus all who attend will 

 see the Farm Bureau story on the screen 

 and will carry away a more lasting im- 

 pression than if they were merely to hear 

 addresses. The first of these rallies will 

 be held in October, and they will continue 

 through November. Hampshire claims 

 credit for originating the idea and will 

 probably start the ball rolling. 



All agricultural associations listed and 

 approved by the State Department of 

 Agriculture are invited by the Executive 

 Committee of the Federation to take ad- 

 vantage of a new plan whereby officers 

 may be bonded at a very nominal rate. 

 The Federation holds a so-called "sched- 

 ule bond" at its office, and names may 

 be added to it at any and all times. A 

 saving of as much as eighty per cent in 

 some cases can be made in this way. 

 Letters announcing the plan have been 

 mailed to all the various associations to 

 which it is thought to be interesting. 



The Federated Fruit and Vegetable 

 Growers, Inc., will expand its pre.sent 

 Boston sales facilities by adding a potato 

 distribution sales office on August 1 to 

 sell for the Maine Potato Exchange. In- 

 formation received this week at the Fed- 

 erated office, according to Sales Manager 

 .John F. Deegan, indicates that the first 

 shipments by the Maine Potato Exchange 



Piper Praises Farm Bureau 



"Until today, I did not realize what 

 a really fine piece of cooperative work 

 the Farm Bureau is doing right here in 

 the old Bay State in showing farmers 

 how to work together," writes Harry L. 

 Piper in a leading article on "New Work 

 for Farm Bureau" in the "New England 

 Homestead" for July 28th. "It was con- 

 siderable of an eye-opener to learn that 

 many of the county farm bureaus, the 

 membership organization of farmers, had 

 their own part or full time managers, 

 going about the country assisting in co- 

 operative buying and selling, taking up 

 the problems of the farmers where the 

 county agent, the educational leader, 

 leaves off. 



"It's a new development and one which 

 I believe other farm bureaus can study 

 with profit. It fits the situation. It is 

 building up a piece of machinery that 

 will stand hard usage and still remain 

 in workable condition. Compared to 

 some of the 'cooperative' organization.^ 

 in New England the Massachusetts Farm 

 Bureau plan looks like a .sturdy plow 

 made of staunch wood and steel compared 

 with a racing automobile. The plow 

 really works." 



Mr Piper then goes on to tell the story 

 of the development of the Federation's 

 program in the light in which he sees it. 



This article has resulted in many ex- 

 pressions of approval, many of them com- 

 ing from farmers who have allowed their 

 dues to lapse. 



Do Vou Want a Copy ? 



"Cooperative Marketing; the Golden 

 Rule in Agriculture" is the name of a 

 book recently issued by the American 

 Farm Bureau Federation. It is vn-itten 

 by Herman Steen, Editor of the "Prairie 

 Farmer". Mr. Steen has paid personal 

 visits to more cooperative marketing as- 

 sociations than any other man of the 

 writing profession. 



This volume is a picture book of the 

 cooperative movement, describing a grain 

 elevator here, a livestock association 

 there, cooperative movement, cotton sell- 

 ing in the South, a cooperative egg as- 

 sociation in far-away Canada, etc. It is 

 entirely devoid of propaganda of any 

 .sort. The Federation offers it, beautiful- 

 ly printed and well bound, at one dollar. 



The book is as interesting as fiction 

 and will prove wonderfully instructive to 

 all who are directly or indirectly inter- 

 ested in cooperative efforts. It fills a 

 long- felt need for just the information 

 it contains. It will, without doubt, have 

 a great influence in helping the movement. 



will begin about August 20. Growing 

 conditions of the crop, however, indicate 

 that there will be no general digging be- 

 fore September 6. 



