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Newspaper
Pella Chronicle
Location
Pella, Iowa, United States of America
Date
Oct 26, 1939
Page
4
Bright Thursday afternoon photos capture the Vriezelaar farm near Otley. Builders work six and a half days on a 34 by 50 foot barn with lofts and stalls while Percheron colt prospects, a huge cottonwood shade tree, and local residents like Vel Kathryn Vriezelaar aid in news gathering for the Pella Chronicle.
The article notes corn pickers on Poortings gas farm harvests up to 70 bushels per acre on 340 acres with 122 in corn this year despite wind damage. It also describes the Jelsma barn near Pella, 70 by 38 feet, with a loft, ventilators, lightning rods, and a new priming coat of aluminum paint sealing the wood.
A colt born September 1 grows quickly and appears healthy with an arched neck and style. Mr Vriezelaar presents the young horse, noting many fine horses will soon be housed in a new farm barn. The mare is the colt’s dam.
Dow Poortinga and son Harold pick corn on Highway 163 west of Otley projecting 70 bushels per acre from open pollinated stalks. Jelsmas build a 6000 bushel double corn crib with cement floor while Alonzo Ver Ploeg shells 1500 bushels into a railroad refrigerator car.
Kay De Haan uses an electric elevator to transfer shelled corn between cribs at the farm, reducing labor. The De Haans retrofit a car with four top holes, two icing doors, and a galvanized roof, enabling fast shelling at seven hundred bushels per hour. Three men operate the system while Ray supervises. The article also notes lush alfalfa, drought concerns, and air on farm economics, predicting a temporary downturn followed by a boom.
Iowa entomologist Geo Decker warns that a large corn crop and lingering old corn in cribs invite rats as cold weather arrives. He urges pre-season cleanup, ratproof rebuilding, debris removal, raised storage, filled runways, creosote coated entry holes, and sulfur sprinkled floors to discourage rat access.
A state study by the Works Progress Administration shows most Iowa landholders own less than a quarter section. Despite small holdings, larger landowners control 54 percent of farm land, while three-fourths with 160 acres or less hold 46 percent. Between 160 and 240 acres own almost one-fifth, 240 to 480 acres hold 28 percent, and over 480 acres account for 12 percent.
About 4000 western lambs are in Iowa feed lots under the 4western lamb feeding project. McDonald says the high quality black faced lambs, sired by purebred Hampshire rams, will be fed 85 to 90 days. Lambs are grouped 16 per pen and distributed across Waterloo Spencer Des Moines and Mason City areas. Sale and show dates will be set in December after inspection. The 4-H participants gain practical commercial experience, with last year’s groups averaging 29 dollars profit per lot of 16 lambs due to a two dollar margin between purchase and sale prices.
Farmers provided over 21.5 million dollars to establish cooperative organizations in Iowa, with farmers elevators contributing more than half of the total. The share underscores the pivotal role of farm operators in building investor backed farmer cooperatives and elevating rural infrastructure nationwide.
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