M.V.B.A. NEWS
By Herman Turner
All the forces of nature com
bined to help make the first an
nual picnic of the Matanuska Val
ley Breeder’s Association a huge
success.
Tuesday, July 10, was the day
selected for the convocation of the
dairymen and their families at
Barry’s, on Finger Lake. High
light of the occasion was the din
ner held at about one o’clock. For
once Alaskan picnickers were
forced to find shady spots for ta
bles. We usually write to our
folk Outside how we select nice
warm places to set our tables
whenever we eat outdoors. But
this time was an exception. We
are hardly stretching things when
we say it was almost hot. Anchor
age reported a high of 82 and
someone said that Palmer had
83. Anyway, it was nice to sit :n
the shade and enjoy eating the
tfelicious food brought by wives
of the dairymen.
The men in general charge of
the dinner were Parker Lester,
Eugene Kirsch and Arvid John
son. Of course, they were ably
assisted by several of the women.
It had been previously decided
that we were not to talk shop, to
make this a real “get-away” from
the usual and everyday. The idea
was carried out even to the serv
ing of cream for the coffee—cans
of evaporated milk were used!
But we drew the line on marga
rine—none was used on our rolls.
We just felt like being lazy,
so after the dinner, instead of in
dulging in sports as had been
planned, groups just sat, or lolled
around and visited. Some daring
souls took boat rides on the lake
and the young fry went in swim
ming.
Many folk visited together
who hadn’t had such a chance for
years. Harmony and good will
prevailed over the entire group of
some 80 dairy folk. Dairymen
have proven to be the best co
operators in the world, and this
g$oup which has gotten together
to handle its dairy breeding prob
lems, is no exception.
Artmciai insemination is useu
in most of the herds of the Valley
now. First heifers are just now
coming into milk production, and
are showing themselves to be
superior animals. The Red Dane
breed is being established. They
seem to be hardy, docile and easy
feeders. With careful, continued
breeding practices, the Matanus
ka Valley may some day be able
tci show to the world an example
ol? community, co-operative dairy
breeding and an established local
breed, which will stand out, far
above the common and ordinary.
The future of dairying in this
section of Alaska rests largely
in the hands of these folk who
gathered for their first annual
picnic at Finger Lake Tuesday.
V -—
Nancy Johnson Joins
Hospital Staff
Miss Nancy Johnson of Tacoma,
Wash., arrived in Palmer July 10
to take up new duties as nurse
at iiie Valley Hospital.
Miss Johnson took her training
at Tacoma General Hospital, re
ceiving her Bachelor of Science
degree this past May from Whit
worth College in Spokane, Wash.
Appointed by the Presbyterian
Board of Missions, Miss Johnson
made the trip to Alaska via the
S. fS. Denali and is living at the
Matanuska Lodge.
Raymond DePriest
Attending ROTC Camr
At Fort Lewis, Wash.
Word has been received here
that Raymond DePriest. a junior
at the University of Alaska, is
one of 1210 cadets assigned to the
1951 ROTC Summer Camp at Ft.
Lewis, Washington.
The six-week training course
will continue until July 28. Cadet
DePriest will undergo officer’s
training during this period. Stress
will be placed on teaching him
the fundamentals of the Infantry
and in developing his ability as
a leader.
On graduation from University
of Alaska, Cadet DePriest will be
eligible for a commission in the
Army’s Officers’ Reserve Corps
and for consideration for a reg
ular Army commission.
Raymond DePriest graduated
from Palmer High School with
the class of 1947. He is the son
of Mr. and Mrs. L. M. DePriest,
who operate a dairy farm here in
the Valley.
TURKEY AT BENSON FARM
Local dogs will have to get on
the ball if they don’t want their
traditional prerogatives usurped
by lesser domesticated fry.
Such was the opinion of Mrs.
! Russell Felzien as she gave an ac
count of her recent reception at
Mrs. Henning Benson's farm north
j of town.
She drove up in the yard, she
said, and a big dog came out *o
the car wagging his tail in joyful
greeting.
Then a little dog came out wag
ging his tail in the same friendly
fashion.
A turkey gobbler followed as
she started to alight from her car.
The turkey gobbled angrily in a
frenzy of falsetto, gesturing with
wings that scraped ground with
ominous determination.
?4rs. Felzien naturally thought
the bird was only bluffing so she
1-continued with her alighting. But
then the turkey put up his dukes.
With a left and a right, he struck
with his claws. He flew at her
and went on striking. ,
Mrs. Felzien admitted retreat
to her car.
Local Men Treed
By Big Brownie
Marvin Slaughter, who heads
the Alaska surface water investi
gations for Geological Survey, re
i turned to Palmer for the week
■ end last Friday with an exciting
bear story pointing up hazards
of summer field trips.
It seems that Sunday, July 1,
Slaughter and Bob Bronson were
I in the Lake Clark-Lake Iliamna
region across the inlet from An
chorage. On the advice of Elmer,
an * j trapper who claimed he’d
never seen a bear in all the 10 or
12 years he’d lived in those parts,
they had left their rifles behind
as they walked upstream looking
for a gauging station site.
About a mile and a half up the
Tanalian River, they suddenly
came upon a big brown bear no
more than 100 feet away. He was
quite a young bear, not over seven
or eight hundred pounds, but he
charged on the instant.
Slaughter ran 15 feet to the
Valley Frontiersman
5
first tree he could find. It was
only four or five inches in diam
eter. and its branches folded un
der the weight of heavy logger’s
boots. Up Slaughter hurried and
when he reached the top, he was
still climbing.
Bronson’s tree was 30 feet dis
tant. He climbed halfway up be
} fore discovering it was rotten.
Down he plunged to find another
' tree. Luckily, the bear's attention
was focused on Slaughter. The
i small girth of his tree discour
aged the bear, and after a few
moment’s indecision, he skulked
away out of sight into the brush.
The tv.o men stayed treed for
! 15 minutes more. Then they hied
themselves back to home base.
“That mile and a half back was
a long, long walk-’, Slaughter said
a week later.
Armed with rifles, they return
ed to the spot next day; but no
bear was in sight.
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