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About The Oregon statesman. (Salem, Or.) 1916-1980 | View Entire Issue (March 30, 1941)
7 U it lUi rtliu """"" . pin tnrB ..- 4W H op oarvest iums lown Into City Annually As Pickers Move In - By ALICE ROBINSON . Statesman Correspondent -- , INDEPENDENCE Popularly nicknamed "Hopland," Independence Is the hop center of the 1 world.1 Once a year its population of 1372 shoots up with the addition of from 10,000 to 15,000 hop-pickers., .' v' 'Jr, '(;:trrli L;,-. ' rt ' Ji. sawmill running day and night joins with the hop industry in providing employment for hundreds of men and women, but agriculture (including hop-growing) is the source of the lar gest portion of the area's income. Dairy farming thrives in the vicinity. Served by both bus and rail- ' . " , : : N ."' " ' ' ' ' ' ' " '' road lines, and with excellent ' i - ';.", ;v-".-. .-i" : i-fiJA--..-:': roads on three sides of the town, the area's principal transporta tion problem seems close to so lution with the projection of plans for the building of a bridge over the Willamette and road improvements on the river side of the city. ( Set against green forested hills, in a valley which is green the year around, Independence lies on the Willamette river 12 miles southeast of Salem. Recreation Minded Probably the most outstanding features of the town itself in ad dition to its customary large in crease in population during Aug ust and September is its atti tude toward recreation. While the picking season is under way the city celebrates with a "Hop Fiesta." Hundreds of townsfolk in the role of entertainers begin the four-day celebration with the coronation of a "Hopland queen." Pageantry, sports and carnival follow. Independence is proud of its outdoor stadium, the "Hop Bowl," where all special events and sports take place. Perma nent field lights have been in stalled, the field drained and provided with recreational fa cilities. Good Cattle Are Products of Perrydale PERU YD ALE . First regis tered Jersey herd in this com munity was that of Frank Lynn early in this century. Now, Levi McKee, Dave Byerley, Annie Vermillyea and George Woods have large herds of purebred Jersey cattle. Andrew Campbell has one of the finest registered Guernsney herds in the northwest. Van Well brothers raise Guernsey cattle of the Campbell strain. Other large dairies of good grade cows are owned by Dick DeJong, Jack DeJong, H. G. Keyt and son, Kenneth, C. Van Staavern and Van Otten broth ers. Railways Serve INDEPENDENCE Two rail road systems serve this com munity, the Southern Pacific and Valley & Siletz. 1 t 5 , fKKSlDKNT The Indepen dence. Hop Bowl centers rec reation for the treat hop growinr area. Robert Craven is president of the organization. J 1 '7 WORLD CENTER of the hop Industry Is the mid-Willamette val ley, with more than two-thirds Of the hop acreare of the United States. When picklni season commences scenes like this are fre quent on sunny fall days; evenings .find thousands of harvesters enjoylnr the fellowship of friendly "tent cities." Hobby Into Fishworms Pay Derby By BEULAH CRAVEN Statesman Correspondent MONMOUTH When Ray mond E. Derby, 54, lost his job last fall he didn't take time out to bemoan about it. For 20 years he had transported Oregon Nor mal school student teachers from Monmouth to Independ ence and return, every school day. A change in the school's transportation plans let Derby out He immediately began look ing for other wbrk. Derby is physically handi capped so could not carry on a regular work program had one been available. Be ean not walk except, haltingly, with crutches. He propels him- den in a rubber-tired express wagon. But he does have an active Imagination. He knows that the free man is one who has work to do and does It, daily, Fond of fishing, he is success ful as a boat fisherman after someone helps him into a boat is--gave-Ju-4uiUdeawJM worms for bait are often diffi cult to secure for immediate use. H,e decided to start a fish worm business. The little ' park in our city is supplied by nature with worms known as night crawlers. Derby hired school boys to catch worms at night for him, paying 40 or 50 cents a hundred. The boys did a thriv ing business last fall filling or ders for Derby. In his large garage he built 4 boxes, of generous size. They are screened at bottom so the worms get air but cannot es cape. Earth, dried leaves, wal-. nut shells and other minutiae .for making humus filled the boxes, and the wrms were planted in their new homes. Now, he has 9 such boxes, with approximately 2830 worms In each box. They thrive on fats and; sweets. ! Derby secured printed" Infor mation on worm culture from Oregon State college, and X) Business Real Dividends other sources In Colorado and California, and elsewhere, on the feeding, care and propa gation of fish worms. Be grinds up lettuce, cabbage, celery tops and such greens and feeds his worms. They are voracious consumers. The turnover is rather rapid since a worm becomes adult enough to lay eggs in 3 months. The eggs are laid in an enclo sure somewhat like a capsule. Derby fills orders on demand at any time, in any amount His venture has grown into a busi ness, new here, but proof of the fact that jobs may be created if one really tries. h 0 VMM mmim mimmi Home of ' Cascade Brand Hams, Bacon, Lard, Meat Products Is 4 Farmers and stock raisers all over this area have found the Valley Packing Co., on the Portland rjbad, telephone 4158, in Salem, an excellent market for their livestock, Such as cattle, hogs or sheep. They pay the highest market prices. , 4 1 , Discriminating food buyers everywhere have found that" Cascade TErand Hams, bacon,, lard and other meat products,' are "the best that ,moneys can buy with quality y unsur passed. ' , - 1 , - - The Valley Packing Co. has a modern, sanitary plant and is one of the three packing plants in Oregon that is government inspected. : Community Unites In' Pageant " RICKREALL A community project unusual In scope and size is the annual ' Christmas pageant, which had Its begin ,ning here In the fall of 1938. Seventy-five persons participate in presenting the dramatic . pic ture of the Nativity of Christ, using community-owned perma nent stage settings which excel those of many city churches. . Mrs. Lydia Wirfs, at that time ...ML,,. ,...11 - I "Hop Center of the, World". ' Invites you to the 8th HOP FIESTA Aug. 28-29-30 UNIQUE. . GAY . . . FUN FROLIC ..vk;.,7:v",v This ad by Hop Bowl Inc Uopland's Civic tody chairman of the home eccnccrJca committee of the local crr "3, had the idea which resulted la ' undertaking of the pageant Kar suggestion that Christmas r2" eant in which the entire com munity could participate was taken to Mrs.. Paulina Judy, principal of the grade school ' and president of the community . , club. . Committees Work . , Immediately the Idea was " translated into . action, and ; a ; committee consisting of heads ' . of the organizations of the com munity formulated tentative .. plans and appointed seven sub committees: Play and play-cast- -tag. direction, music, stage, dec " , orations, costuming and treats. Using the Bible story of the birth of Christ as theme of the pageant was Mrs. Judy's Idea. In this she received the coope ration of the committees. :. , Other Programs Continue ' Although groups of. school children participate fat the pro duction, the two schools also have their own Christmas par ties and Christmas programs fat their various rooms. ! The activity has grown no ticeably during the three years of its existence. Working to gether In its production are the grange, community club, Ma sonic lodge. Ladles Aid society and the Sunday school.
