PALMER ALASKA
CARL RASMUSSEN, FIITOF.
Publisher1 every Friday nt Palmer, Alaska, by the Metanuska ''alloy
Farmers Cooperating Association, for the purpose of giving news of the
Association's accomplishments, problems and news of local interest.
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PHAM AMA&
Another summer has passed and the leaves are falling from the trees
that border the fields in the Uatanuska Valley. Host of our farmers
have very eood crops and while the harvest weather has been somewhat
unfavorable up tc the present time, it looks a3 If we will have enough
good days to ccmo’lete the narvest hef ore .the freer,eup. Spuds t re being
picked and ready for storage. The hay crop seems to be fair and there
are pome good grain fields that will soon be ready to thresh.
The returns for the vegetables that have been sold so far t s been
/ery tood and it looks like a fair profit will be made on this years
operations on practicaly ell products handled. Of course it will be
necessary to wait until the storage products are sold and. delivered
before the farmer cattail of his money invested in the crop, > t prices
.agreed upon in the contracts insure a good profitable return.
Then,looking on the other parts of the picture that affect the firmer,
it appears that the officials that represent the United States Govern*
menf, who has invested so much for the development of the Matanusks
Project, are we 11 pleased with the progress that is being mad' and With
the efforts of the individual farmer to meet his obligations in connect
ion with this investment.
Dvon t.s early as lest .spring a statement was made by one prominent
offlei‘1, that he was quite ••veil satisfied with the manner in ..hieh
the majority of the Project ’ armers were meeting their obligations ' nd
that rom yments were being made in regular installments in amounts
large enough to insure the ultimate repayments of the loans gr-nted.
This is indeed a contrast to tho statements that have been mrr in
former years, in r^gar5 to this subject.
Quoting from what wo henr"by tho grapevine" but entirely unofficial
of course, it is Said that thl'pow rs that be" favor modification of fch
contracts,that have been such controversial subjects in the past, and
that they look wish favor on the removal of such restrictions that tend
to make this contract different from the ordim ry contract th ; i3 used
in the normal course of business this .kind. Also there will undotibtfcd*
ly be a positive gurrrnt'o of a clear.title,when the property is prid
for, and that lands that hay been sold that clear title does net -xist
in the poscc3*on of the seller at the present time, will be c.e uirod
so that this lrnd can bo properly transferred whan "he time c,-ir.es•
V/c understand that a definite policy will be formulated soo' , so that
Government lands that are vacant and which have be n held in r serve,
will be opened to th' public for the development o'f‘ new homes, jeneraly
speaking the outlook looks good for th future development of -he Valley
and with r more adequate development of credit facilities for -he benifit
of nmbitous farmers it looks like v/e might got, going at full speed some
time in the near future. The people' of the Mati.nuako. Valley can and
should show how agriculture cun be developed in Alaska.