•Published once a week in Palmer, Alaska, for
the Matanuska Valley Farmers' Co-operating
Association, for the purpose of giving news
of the Association's work, problems and ac
c omplishment s•
VF MARKETING.. NEWS
* * * . •
The Valley Farmers' Market Inc.
met in the C-o-op Club Room on Tues
day, May 1st., and approved the by
laws for the new association.
Five directors were also elected;
Robert Busby, Howard Estelle, Max
Sherrod, John Dunlap and Mrs. R.
Washburn.
Several sites were considered by
the members, and final choice by
majority vote was the Co-op land
directly adjacent to the Co-op Ad
ministration Offices in Palmer.
Building of booths on this site
will begin around the middle of May,
with the work to be done by volun
teer members of the association. It
i3 planned to erect twenty booths
to start with, each to be large
enough so that it can be divided
int.o two, if necessary.
rj-'he following people have indi
cated. their desire to sell at the
Market: B. Buzby, Linn Wright, Al.
Kirsch, W* Benbow, J. Dunlap, Al.
Saxton, Mrs. A. Moffitt, Mrs. L.
Short, H. Estelle, Max Sherrod, W.
D. Ca.llison, Mrs. R. Washburn, G.
Plack, R. Lincoln, Mrs. H. Benson
and various Homemakers Groups.
The Board of Directors will meet
within thq next ten days, to take
necessary measures for incorpora
tion of the association, formulation
of rules and regulations for the
market,, ,and appointment of a market
master. At this same meeting, the
Beard of Directors will elect from
amongst themselves a president,vice
president and secretary-treasurer.
Any producer of farm or home prod
ucts, selling in the market and re
siding in the Matanuska Valley, may
become a member by agreeing to com
ply with the by-laws, articles of
incorporation, and rules and regu
lations of the Association; and be-1
ing found acceptable by the Board
of Directors. Applications for mem
bership may be made' to the Market
Master when he or she is appointed.
The purpose of this organization
will be to provide moans, facilities
and methods of marketing farm and
homo products and other allied co
mmodities on a retail basis.
Mrs. W. 'Parcells is confined to her,
home due to an accident on Sunday.
ACSG ASS'N NEWS
It is the opinion of the Alaska
Certified Seed Growers1 Association
that because of the limited supply
of potato seed available for plant
ing this season, individual growers
throughout the.Territory will be
obtaining sane of their potato 3eed
stocks from the States. After
careful consideration of all avail
able information, the new organiza
tion is recommending the Kennebec
variety as the first.choice for in
troduction into Alaska. This var
iety appears to bo adapted to A
laskan conditions. In limited
trials it has yielded well, is a
smooth tuber with shallow eyes, and
has good cooking and eating quali
ties.
Members of the Association arc
urged to import Foundation or Cert
ified stock, particularly of the
former grade, of Kennebec for in
crease and ultimate release to the
trade by our organization. Sources
of seed of thi3 variety can be ob
tained by'contacting Dr. M.F. Babb
or C.H. Dearborn of the Alaska Ag
riculture Experiment Station at
Palmer.
•' The Arctic Seedling will contin
ue to be the most popular ].ocal
variety in 1951 since it is the
best 'no have availabia in quantity
at this time. It is also true that
we cannot hope to produce enough
certified seed to supply the demand
in 1952 for Kennebec, therefore, it
tvill bo necessary for us to utilize
Arctic Seedling until such time as
our stock of Kennebec will replace
it.
The Teton variety has qhdwn much
promise among growers in the Tanana
Valley and another seasons' trials
may serve to give it a definite
place among the recommended vari
eties for that area. It is being
encouraged *by the growers in that
area primarily because of its re
sistance to the ring rot disease
which has been so widespread in the
Fairbanks area.
It is the hope and aim of the A
laska Certified Seed Growers Asso
ciation, to supply the potato grow
ers of Alaska with superior seed
stocks of all standard varieties as
quickly as possible. If Kennebec
will continue to perform in the fu
continued on page I4.