Published once a week in Palmer, Alaska for the Mata
nuska Valley Farmers' Co-operation Association for
the purpose of giving news of the Association's work,
problems and accomplishments.
FIFTEER yEflRS OF PROGRESS
The CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR had ah Associated Press release in a
recent issue about the Matanuska Valley, in v/hich the progress and ma
turity of the Valley's people was stressed. There have been several
other articles, along the same lines, in various papers in the States
recently.
All of this has been made possible by the farmers in the Valley,
for it was they who cleared the lands and planted crops to provide money
to put the people of the Matanuska Valley on their feet. There would
have been very little development otherwise. Strange as it seems, there
have been times in the last fifteen years when the farmers were very dis
couraged; and most of them have felt, at one time or another, that it
would be best to leave the Valley and try another place. Many did
loave, but a good solid core stayed-and it is largely through their
efforts that the project finally became a success. There are not any
really rich farmers in the Matanuska Valley, but there are quite a few
with comfortable homes and an adequate income providing the necessities
and many of the comforts of life.
It is true that the last World War benefited the Valley financially;
but it is also true that the farmers didn't get anything they didn't
oarn from this period. We know several farmers who wont to Fort Rich
ardson and earned enough money to buy tractors and farm machinery, en
abling them to furnish the Army in Alaska with food difficult to get
d.u::ing restricted shipping times in the middle of the war. As soon
a? the war was over, however, most of the higher priced markets were
l^st; the farmers had to find other places to sell their products.
1$45 and 19^6 were unprofitable years for many of the farmers, but
most of them stuck to their farms anyway. It was during this period
that several independent movements were started to provide markets for
the Valley products.
After three years of experience with these projects, the members
of the Co-op decided that they would be better off using their own or
ganisation. The Board of Directors was asked to provide the means by
which this could be done. Beginning in I9U8 the Co-op managed to get
some large Army contracts and every year since there has been consider
able progress. One of the things that has been learned is that the Co
op cannot afford to endanger their relations with the Army by being too
independent, careless, or trying to sell inferior products to them. It
appears that as long as the Army market can be retained the farmers can
be reasonably prosperous. So far, in the last four years, there has
been no appreciable surplus in potatoes and other products that could bo
used to build up the Anchorage market, except for Grade A milk during
the last summer. If we are to maintain our sales at the present level,
it will be necessary to develop the Anchorage market. This is one of
the most important things for the near future. This will not be easy
for there is a lot of resistance by the merchants of Anchorage. Their
past experiences, nature of the times, and conditions under which we
will bo able to supply them makes it difficult.
One of the things that seems too difficult for a lot of our Valley
citizens to understand is the fact that the Co-op has been responsible
for the development that has taken place, .and that it is still the main
stay of the financial and moral well being of the Valley. If the money
that is paid to the farmers in the Matanuska Valley for milk, potatoes,
and other farm products were cut off, therew ould be a lot of empty
places of business inthis vicinity. It might bewellf or the civic
planners to remember that the farmers and the employees of the Co-op
pay a major part of the taxes and are always called upon to do the ma
jor shares of any civic improvement. It vc uld be well to go oasy on
the goose that lays the golden eggs, and give it a chance to live with
out too many restrictions and high taxes. CRR