TEE VALLEY SETTLER .is published
every Friday by the Matanuska
Valley Farmer's Cooperative
Association at Palmer, Alaska,
Mng.EdL tor: Mrs,^van Wilson
Subscription rates: $1,00 year
by mail « 1.50 year
mailed anywhere: lOp copy
This paper is issued for the pur
pose of giving information and
news of the Matanuska Valley
Farmers Cooperating Association's
work, problems, accomplishments,
and also, news of local and gen
eral interest; and to help foster
the cooperative spirit of the
farmers- of the Matanuska Valley.
RIGHT DOWN OUR ALLEY
In 1P50 when the prices for farm
produce dropped to exceedingly
low levels, an insurance company
began foreclosing on farms at the
rate of 2500 a year. Eventually
this company owned farm land equal
to a mile-wide strip from Hew Yotk
to Los Angeles. The question then
arose, concerning the best way to
recover their money, nearly eveiy
farm showed dilapidated buildings
and depleted soil as a result of
the farmers inability to maintain
them.
With the Government spending and
losing millions' in farm resettle
ment projects in verious parts of
the country, the tac-K of this in
surance company appeared impossi-.
bis. Nevertheless, a plan was de
veloped and today the successful
results stand as proof that re
habilitation of farm land is pos
sible, thoT not according to the
average government plan.
The Manager of the World’s most
fabulous agricultural project be
gan to study the problem before
him. lie engaged Extension Service
men to test the soil and recom
mend the proper fertilizers to
use along with the best crop rota
tion which would rebuild the soil
and return it to productive land.
Carpenters were hired to repair
buildings or completely recon .
struct now homes at a cost of
$1200. to $3,000. A general re
construction program was carefully
carried out first.
Then he proceeded to rent tliefarms
in many cases to the original own
ers, under a contract which demand
ed a special tyre of farming.
Under no consideration was the'
renter allowed to vary from this
type of farming.
After the reconstruction period,
one field man to every eighty
farms was employed to supervise
and check on the tenants', to see
if they were lining up to agree
ment, and give advice in soil
management. Forced by necessity
tc enter the farming business
their policy is to sell them as
soon as possible, preferably to
the original owner, improvements
at cost, r^nt to be applied on
purchase price.
The 1,618,000 acres of farm land
owned by this company supports
between 50,000 and 60,000 persons,
These farms are 100 percent occu
pied with a long waiting list of
persons anxious to secure one.
The secret of the success in this
venture is the high production of
the land, produced through the im
proved methods of farming,
many foreclosed farms, taken away
from the owners have been bought
back and nave become a paying
proposition.
an emcnso million aero rehabil
itation project can succeed in six
years, it appeerc plausible to
asiC bncle Sam to follow their ex—
ample. ..hen SO,OCO persons under
contract become satisfied tenants
v/itu intention to purchase, it is
proof that the plan is an excellent
one. Another outstanding feature,
is the extremely small staff em
ployed to supervise the project.
This farming project is not United
to any particular region. It cov
ers many sections of the country
in many-states. Many kinds of
climate, soil, and marketing condi
tions have been taken into consider
ation and still the plan works.
The project is a success.