FARM ORGANIZATION IN SOUTHWESTERN MINNESOTA 79 
this man's neighbors. At silo-filling time even less regular labor 
was available, but as much as 140 man hours were required in one 
day. Exchange help was received to supply this demand and also 
in smaller quantities to assist in haying. Three hundred and sixty- 
eight hours of exchange help was received during the busiest 4 days 
and 31 hours during the other 5 days. This total of 399 hours was 
repaid by 401 hours of work rendered these same neighbors but 
spread over 40 days. 
This handling of peak loads by exchange work merely distributes 
these peaks over a longer period of this time. This farmer distributed 
the extra requirement for 8 days over 40 days and thus avoided 
hiring extra labor. 
THE PRINCIPLES OF THE CHOICE AND ADJUSTMENT OF CROP AND 
LIVESTOCK ENTERPRISES 
FACTORS AFFECTING CHOICE AND ADJUSTMENT OF ENTERPRISES 
Basic data, such as have been presented, may be used in planning 
a well-balanced farm-organization scheme, with a view to securing 
the maximum returns from farming. When used in this way, they 
must of necessity be combined with data on normal yields and 
normal price trends or probable future prices. The farmer is contin- 
ually confronted with the problem of apportioning his resources among 
the different lines of production. He must decide how many acres 
of the different kinds of crops to grow and the number and kinds of 
livestock to keep. His objective in organizing his business should 
be to keep his enterprises adjusted to the conditions of the market 
in such a manner as to yield maximum results. This adjustment 
can not be made once for all time. As the expenses of production 
or the prices of products change readjustments must be made to 
meet the new conditions. 
In the area covered in this discussion, all the land is included in 
rather clearly defined farm units; consequently the necessary pro- 
cedure is the adjustment of enterprises to conditions on particular 
farms and to general price conditions, rather than the choice of 
farms adapted to definite types of organization. Decisions on in- 
dividual farms must be made in view of these conditions. In gen- 
eral, farmers are attempting to secure the most profitable utilization 
of the resources at their command. These resources are real estate 
(owned or rented), machinery, other equipment, work stock, other 
livestock, the operator's labor and managerial ability, any regular 
hired labor employed, and such family labor as is available for farm 
work. 
In determining the combination and proportion of farm enter- 
prises the following characteristics of the problem are important: 
(1) The several lines of production of the farms in this locality 
vary in their demands upon the resources of the farmer. 
(2) The succession of a large number of different operations from 
season to season on the farms in this area necessitates frequent 
labor adjustments. 
(3) Certain nonmarketable resources must be utilized when and 
where they are available. 
(4) The use of intermediate products presents a complicating factor. 
The several lines of 'production on the farms in this locality vary in 
their demands upon the resources of the farmer. — The different crops 
