I
VALLEY SETTLER
Published every Friday by the Matanuska
Valley Farmers Cooperating Association.
By u. H. Allen__
Devoted to the interests of the members
and personnel of the Matanuska Valley
Fanners Cooperating Association,
$1.00 per year by subscription
1,75 " " " mail
Mailed anywhere for 10# per copy.
ON THE JOB
As always, Alaska's delegate to Con
gress is on the job in the interests of
Alaskans.
L. C. Stock, general manager for the
Matanuska Valley Farmers Cooperating As
sociation; Dr. Lorin T. Oldroyd, director
of the Territorial Agricultural Experimenl
Stations; the Fairbanks Chamber of Com
merce, and the Tanana Valley Farmers As
sociation wrote to Delegate Dimond regard
ing the sale to the Army in Alaska of po
tatoes and other produce raised in Alaska
at Seattle prices plus freight.
Delegate Dimond took the matter up with
the Secretary of War and received the as
surance that "it is the policy of the War
Department to encourage local procurement
whenever it is practicable to do so; also
if fresh fruits and vegetables can be pur
chased in Alaska in desired grades and
quantities at a cost not to exceed 10 per
cent more than the cost of comparable
items in the United States, preference is
to be given to the purchase of Alaska pro
II
ducc«
Delegate Dimond then suggested that the
actual charges paid for freight between
Seattle and Alaska should be added to the
price of produce in Seattle in order to
make a fair comparison with the prices
paid to the farmers of Alaska for similar
produce. "If this is done," the delegate
said, "and then the 10 per cent mentioned
by you is added as an encouragement to
local production, we shall have plenty of
production in Alaska.
"The congestion of shipping between
Seattle and Alaska is an increasingly ser
ious problem. One would think the Army
authorities would bo glad to save every
available ton of space on ships going out
of Seattle to Alaska."
Delegate Dimond sent Mr. Stock's letter
to the Secretary of War,in which Mr. Stock
said:
"Plans arc in progress here in the Mat
anueka Valley to increase production to
the maximum this year as the farmers' part
in the Defense program. Several confer
ences have been held with the representa
tives of the Army at Fort Richardson rel
ative to producing at least part of their
requirements of such crops as can be sue- 1
(Continued on page 4),
EXTENSION CLUBS AND THEIR DOINGS
The Homemakers Council will sponsor an
all-day picnic at King's Lake June 24.The
public is invited to attend the evening
program when the homemakers' clubs will
put on stunts.
A potluck lunch is to bo brought by all
the women attending at noon, and families
are all invited to contribute to the eve
ning's meal which will consist of the fol
lowing menu* weiners and hamburgers, buns,
potato and vegetable salad, marshmallows,
cake and cookies, Cool-aid and coffee.
All are to bring their own dishes.
The Eklutna Girls 4-H club met June 9
at the Eklutna school. Plans were maae
for a general meeting on the fourth Tuesday
of each month. The gardening project
members will meet on Mondays and Fridays
from 2 to 5 p.a; baking club, Tuesdays,
from 9 a.m. to 12# and home improvement
and clothing on Thursdays from 9 a.m. to
12. The grade school garden club will
meet on Monday, June 15.
The Mountain View 4-H club met at the
Sexton home June 9. Alvin Sexton gave a
demonstration on garden seed and Allen Linn
on hov/ to cut and treat seed potatoes.
Part of the meeting vas devoted to music
appreciation, arranged by Mrs. Dinkel,the
local leader. The next meeting v/ill be
held June 23 at the Francis Henry home.
Mrs. A. Moffitt entertained the River
bend Homemakers club Wednesday, June 10.
The topic of the meeting v/as making of
baskets and mats from sedge grass. Mrs.
B. J. Lossing taught the lesson. Guests
from Wasilla who attended the meeting were
Mrs. Rolland 7/arner, Mrs. Martin Olson, *
and Mrs. Fred Hurd. *
The Liberty Girls 4-H club, under the
leadership of Mrs. Merle Anderson, Mrs.
Harold Thuma, Mrs. C. 0. Huntley and Mrs.
Bernard Bouwens, net in the Ladies Lounge
June 10. Plans were made for the home
furnishing, canning, and baking project
meetings. The next meeting will be held
July 8. Mary Mershall presided at the
meeting and Bonnie Moore is secretary of
the club.
The regular 4-H club Leaders Council
meeting was held last Monday evening at 8
o’clock in the Extension office with Harry
Wimmer, president of the club,presiding.
Miss J. Hazel Zimmerman, Territorial 4-H
club leader, discussed 4-H camp9 for the
summer and 4-H club work in southeastern
Alaska. Due to the emergency conditions,
4-H club activities in outlying communities
are finding it difficult to get the neces
sary assistance. The program for 4-H Sun
day, which will bo conducted in all churches
in Palmer next Sunday, were discussed.
(Continued on page 6).