Club Minutes: Enterprise Farmers Club, 1948

Questions:

L S Wesley mentioned the Soil Conservation Field day in Fred. Co. where a farm was made over in a day.

L S Wesley - I have a field of alfalfa that has been taken over by bluegrass. Should I use that for pasture + use other field for alfalfa. Most would have bluegrass + use other field for alfalfa.

L S W. - Do we approve the principle of government subsidies on farm products + ^ ^{other articles.} Most of farmers present oppose the principle of subsidies, tho supporting payments for good soil conservation practice.

At this point it was moved that we adjourn our meeting out of respect to Mr. Jackson.

Adjourned to F J Thomas

S P Stabler

Sec

10 - 9 - 48 - Albert Stabler reported that fish had been caught in the pond.

October 9, 1948

986th Meeting

The group met on this occassion with F. L. Thomas at "Tanglewood". The members and guests who assembled in time took a short walk about the beautiful grounds and on out to the pasture. Unfortunately, the Secretary was not with this group so he cannot make a detailed report.

The members of the Enterprise Club are well accustomed to fine dinners, and the Secretary generally makes a practice of not commenting upon them; however, it must be said that the dinner served upon this occasion was indeed one of the finest of the many fine ones we are accustomed to enjoy.

After dinner and the usual social period, the meeting was called to order by the President, W. W. Moore. Guests were noted as follows: R. H. Lansdale, T. A. Ladson, T. A. Ladson, Jr., Jack Bentley, Sam Rice, Francis Miller, G. F. Nesbitt, Dr. Zeigler, and William John Thomas. It was a real pleasure to have an honorary member, C. B. Hurrey, with us on this occasion.

The minutes of the last meeting at Tanglewood were read, and those of the September meeting were read and approved.

Lofton Wesley read a memorial which had been prepared for T. L. Jackson.

The committee which has been asked to bring in a report on farm costs had not finished its work and promised a complete report later. They submitted the following preliminary report: They noted that the cost of distribution has increased over 300%. In figuring the cost on a 300 acre general farm, which is run with a rotation of corn, grain, and hay, + pasture the committee had estimated that the capital investment in farm and modern equipment would be $60,000,00. Assuming the farm supported a paid manager and necessary labor, it would pay 4% on the investment and leave a profit of $200.00 per year under present prices. The committee was continued until next month.

Report of the Membership Committee:

It was moved and passed that the President of the group be made a third member of this committee to fill the position of T. L. Jackson

The Membership Committee moved that the Secretary cast an unanimous ballot of the group to reinstatefor Samuel P. Thomas as an active member. This motion was passed.

Nomination was made of R. Roland Stabler as a member to fill out another vacancy. This will be voted upon at the November meeting.

Crop Prices:

Wheat - $2.13 Calves - $28.00 to $32.00

Corn - Old, $8.00; New, $5.00 Lambs - $27.00

Hay - $22.00 to $30.00 Potatoes - $3.00 per cwt.

Cattle - $25.00 to $35.00 Apples - $1.50 to $3.50

Hogs - $26.25 Eggs - 75c

Mr. Hurrey reported that Tom Gregg had sold 2 bushels of tomatoes for $12.00

As a matter of interest the minutes of the meeting of August 13, 1866 were read.

Questions:

F. L. Thomas - My pasture is thin. It has been limed by not fertilized. What fertilizer should be used, and can it be delivered spread upon the field? Superphosphate will be all that is needed in this case. A complete fertilizer would give more yield if he needed it for a larger number of stock than is now maintained. Southern States Cooperative is equipped to spread fertilizer upon the field.

Wm. John Thomas wishes to sell his crop of corn. He has three plans and wishes to know what price to charge under each plan: 1. Sell shock and all. 2. Sell corn from the field after husking. 3. To sell corn out of the corn house. There was some discussion of this problem, but no concrete suggestions about the price.

M. J. Stabler has cattle weighing about 900 pounds which have been fed on grass for 6 weeks. Should he put them up and continue to feed or sell them now? Most would hold for a while.

M. J. Stabler has a bull that has not been used for service. Will it be good meat for the locker? Questionable. L. S. Wesley has a donkey he wishes to breed to a pony stallion, but the stallion will not perform service. What can he do? Artificial insemination if he can obtain the semen. L. S. Wesleyn has bought a disk plow which he feels is very satisfactory. Should he sell his mold board plow? No. Frank Wilson has a field in corn that had grown wild for a few years ahead of the corn crop. The part that was plowed early was very good; the later plowed was poor. Should he plow a similar field this fall for corn in :[?] 49, or should he wait until spring? Plow this fall. If plowing has to be delayed until spring, apply some high nitrogen fertilizer ahead of plowing. R. H. Lansdale asked for methods of making a temporary corn house. Wire fence on posts or snow fence would be satisfactory methods. R. H. Lansdale has fertiliser that got wet and is very hard. What can he do? Grind in hammer mill or send it back to the fertilizer company to be reprocessed. The latter plan has been used by some other farmers and is very satis factory and inexpensive. F. S. Gilpin- The pasture land adjoining the Brighton Reservoir, which belongs to the Sanitation Commission, needs feeding. What fertilizer should he use? Apply a complete fertilizer. What kind of line should be used? Either ground limestone or ground burnt, depending upon price. Dr. T. A. Ladson wants 200 locust posts. Mr. Mills in Frederick County has them. Malcolm White knows the address. O. N. Stabler has 40 bushels of seed wheat for sale.

Thomas Hyde - Would you buy stock cattle now or wait until December when other lot is sold? Most would wait until the other lot is sold.

J.N. Bentley bought 5 or 6 varieties of grapes that have not yet ripened. Why? Should they be limed? They may have been frozen. Application of phosphate may help.

Albert Stabler told of a call he had from Lamar Jackson as a representative of the clubgroup. That was the last time that these two staunch friends were to see each other.

The Community Fair to be held at Sherwood in November was announced. A collection of $12.00 was taken up as a donation for this Fair. This was turned over to F. S. Gilpin to be given to the Fair committee.

William Gilpin was asked to report on his recent trip to Idaho. He and his wife had gone out by plane to visit William's brother Harold near Salmon, Idaho. This trip out and back was most interesting and the courtesy of the airline's personnel was most striking. Harold Gilpin operates a dairy faim in Idaho. All of his land is irrigated. Alfalfa is cut twice, yielding from 4 to 6 tons per acre per year of wonderful quality feed. Wheat yields up to 60 bushels and oats up to 100 bushels per acre. The country is beautiful, but temperatues range down to 30 degrees below zero in winter.

Adjourned to meet with G. A. and F. F.G. Willson in November.

Stanley F. Stabler

Secretary