THE V.iLLCY SETTLER is publisheoa
every Friday by the Matanuska Val
ley Tanner's Cooperating Associa
tion at Palmer, Alaska.
Fng. Editor: Irving Eowvillo
Subscription ratos:
By l -.11:
Mailecl Anyv;h ere:
&1.00 year
1.75 year
.10 copy
This paper is issued for the pur
pose of giving information and
news of the I.Iatanushs Valley far
mers Cooperating associations
work, problems, accomplishments,
also news of local and general
interest and to foster the Co
operative spirit of the Farmers
of th.- Mat: mu ska Valley.
Much interesting information
is contained ih material supplied:
by hr. Lorin T. Oldroyd'ih an art
icle in the Alaskan Jan* 9
"For long yoa.rs we ha.ve stu
died the nutrition of farm live
stock in relation to health and
proper development oi a good ani
mal. Only recently- have wo. given
car :ful thought to the importance
of vitamins in the human diet. •
The health project for mem
bers of 4-11 Clubs in Alaska has
been stress
ever since this work
was commenced in 1050.
just now rePalining
•v o ar ;
that for many years wo have boon
removing the most important health
giving element from wheat and feed
ing it to cattle and hogs in feed
lots. Mo need to return to a more
substantial diet similar to that
used when most of ou1’ people lived
on the land and prepared their own
food. The entire kernel of wheat
should bo placed in our flour, and
we should demand that all bread be
made of whole wheat flour.
Use Alaska Foods
After listening to many dis
cussions on the importance of vi
tamins in the humhn diot, the di
rector states that pra.ctica.lly all
of the most necessary vitamins can
bo provided through the use of
farm crops and other food pro
duced in Alaska..
’'Farmers have accepted the ■
challenge to increase production,
but are demanding in return that
they have protection from the dan
ger of farm prices going into a
tailspin at the end of the war.
Through the great farm organiza
tions, the National Grange and
the American Farm Bureau Federa
tion, they arc dcmiinding^ a parity
price for agriculture. -No longer
arc they willing to pay “boo;.!
prices1' for what they must buy
and accept ‘‘depression prices" for
the food they produce.
"llany of the officials of the
Department of Agriculture arc in
terested in the development of
agriculture in Alaska, and many
of them feel that we should b j
producing more of our own food
than wc arc now doing. Del gate
Dimond has given the matt<r of
food productin in Alaska careful
thought and is interested in fur
ther development of farming in the
Territory."
Alaska Farming Problems
Bolduc.to Dimond and Dr, Old
royd met with officials of Farm
Security and "he Experiments Sta
tions for the purpose of discuss
ing the problems of farming in
Alaska. Delegate Dimond has been
interested in securing the ben
efits of farm Security for Alaskan
farmers, and at a meeting with
Dr. Ditchcll of the Farm Security
Office at Y/ashingtom suggested
tha ■ his branch of the Federal
service be made applicable to tho
Territory. Dr. I-itchcll- seemed
favorable to such a plan, and thi s
service may bo provid 1 early in
the spring.
Dr. Cldroyd is enthusiastic
about agriculture in the fertile
valleys of Alaska and feels that
A askans can produce much of the
food necessary for. good health.
They can produce all of.the pot
atoes needed for local consump
tion, much of the meat including
pork, mutton, and some beef.
'-‘-'hey can produce many dairy and
poultry products, vegetables, and
(Continued on Dago'S)