PAIMER, ALASKA
Dorothy M. Bell, Editor-Publisher
Published every Friday-at Palmer, Alaska, for the Matanuska Valley Farmers* Cooper-'
ating Association for the purpose of giving nerrs of the Associations Work, Problems,
an& Accomplishments.
JBSCRIPTIOn BY 1AIL per Year $1.75^ ’ 'BO^ $1.00 Single Copy lOjf
oun BEST ADVERTISERS
Dc nay' spend a lot of.money putting on pro grans over the radio and advertising in
papers, but in thc-lodg run our best advertisers arcJ the unpaid ones—tho housewives
who use our products. True they my begin using tho products because of the adver
tising campaign, but the continued use of those products depends unon tho final
decision or the consuncr and what they have to say about iti
lessen*s Dcokly carriod a letter this r.ronth from a Fairbanks housewife in which sho
says that she and- nany other.housewives cannot always find Alaskan gtowA products in
their grocery stores. She said that sho wanted to buy Alaskan potatoes, but her
store did not carry then. Thether this is thd fault of the grocer or the producer or
his marketing agency wo dfo not know. However, this demand for Alaskan products is
tho best typo of advertising that wo dan get. Once the Alasknn farmers whether
they live.in Hcmcr,.thc Thnnna Valley, or MatanUska, Valley can convince the house
wife that they have the best product, your bid for the Alaskan market is more than
half accomplished.,- The important thing after that is to keep the Alaskan housewife
satisfied with Alaskan products and never lot her down.
One of our biggest problems 4s to supply products over a longer period.of tine. Do
have a short season during which time the-market is flooded with •“laskan nroducc’ and
then a long period during which tinc"outside produce” takes the market. You can’t
.blame your merchants too $uch for not wishing to shift from one marketing concern to
another. Our best ray to meet this problem is to provide storage facilities so that
the surplus can be held until the market can handle it. G, T7, Gasser, in"?hc
alaslca farmer" has a good article on this problem. It is entitled "Lengthening the
Farm Year is Vital.."'
.is little item from the "ala ska farmer" reminds us of the days in 1935 and the
uorics we were told about agriculture in Alaska.
-griculture possibilities in Alaska written in 186*/—"The potatoes are snail and
ratcryr-cabbages arc luxuriant, but will not head. Crows oat up all the young chickens
and also deprive' thb sucking-pigs of their tails." T7c could add a few.morel The days
when those stories went over arc in the, past. Agriculture is proving itself,
’INVITATION -TO.BID.
Sealed'bids rill be received b” the Matanuska Valley Fanners Cooperating
Association,'up to 2:00 P.1.1. Saturday February 2, 1946 for the folioring:
1 only Caterpillar Specdor Trench lioe, #TS5?2, as is.
1 only 1935 Flat Bod Ford Truck # 35, as i3. * •
1 only E0O International Panel Truck # D30-66338, as is.'
1 only Continental Power Unit, located at McKcchnic Mill, os is. ' '
1 only Concrete Block Machine and approximately 345 8x16 tile templates, as is.
1 only Oliver drill box, axle & wheels only, as is.
1., All offers must be accompanied by 10$ of the bid which will be applied in the
purchase price Of the-successful bidder or returned to the unsuccessful bidder.
2. Terms ere casfi or one. third down with balance in not more than six equal payments
with interest.
* . 1 • .
3-. The Mhtanuska Valley Farfaors Cooperating Association reserves the right to
reject any or all bids.
MATANUSKA VALLEY FARMERS COOPERATING ASSOCIATION
BY ORDER of the BOARD OF DIRECTORS 1/5/46
By Roland Snodgrass, General Manager