HEDFORD MAIL TRIBUNE. MEDFOHD. OREGON
TUESDAY. JULY 9. 19S3
B 3
Sweat, Determination Help
Make Small Local Farm Pay
By JOE COWLEY
. Mail Tribune Farm Editor
'- Sams Valley-Caspar Mey
er and his family have done
with sweat and determination
what most people only dream
about.
They have made a small
family farm up Ramsey Can
yon rd. in the Sams Valley
area pay off, which many of
today's agricultural experts
say can't be done. It's even
more remarkable since Meyer
was neither raised nor train
ed as a farmer.
Setting for this story is 130
acres of land high above the
Rogue valley, with a small
cleared patch planted to green
rows of strawberries streth
ing up the hillsides and about
ISO apple trees silhouetted
against the sky on the crest
of a hill and bordering a
small reservoir. In the fore
ground area a small wood
frame house flanked by a
vegetable garden and out
buildings. One is a root cellar
dug into the side of a hill
and the other a small log hay
shed which was once a pio
neer cabin.
Swiss Farm Setting
Two flaxen-haired blue
eyed daughters complete the
setting resembling a small
Swiss farm. The Swiss appear
ance is only natural because
the Meyer family is from
Switzerland.
Meyer speaks English,
French, German and Italian,
his wife, Swiss-German and
English as do the two boys
and two girls
"When I was working (as
a Swiss sales tax clerk) I kept
thinking about what I could
do. I had a job which thou
sands of my countrymen
would like to have. But, I
thought I would like farming.
I had done a lot of garden
ing and worked with farmers.
I liked farming.
"So, we saved all the mon
ey we could. I came to this
country alone in 1954. They
wouldn't let me bring my
family because they thought
a former government clerk
couldn't earn a living and
might have to go back. But
I found a job the first day,
he grinned. "The family join-
ed me about six months
later."
. Then followed years of
hard work to get money for
a farm. Meyer worked in a
Canadian sawmill at night
and as a farm hand during
the day.
"I would work 34 hours at
a time. Maybe I would be in
bed for four hours, he re
lated in his Swiss accent.
About 1B58 when the fam
ily felt they had enough sav
ed they packed their meager
belonings into a jalopy and
headed for Tracy, Calif., 58
miles east of San Francisco,
But land prices were too high
there. The family had liked
glimpses of the Rogue valley
on the way through to Cali
fornia.
Classifieds Help
A classified advertisement
in the Mail Tribune brought
six replies. Meyer inspected
threo of the most likely farms
and settled on his present
farm. He saw it and bought
it all in the same day. It was
the small reservoir fed by a
mountain spring which decid
ed him. "You can't do any
thing without water," he de-
declared.
There there were problems
on financing the farm through
the former owner. Meyer was
working for the Pelton or
chards and on someone's ad
vice contacted his foreman
for a loan. This way he was
able to discount the farm loan
by $550 and is paying his
benefactor through one of the
Brush Controls
Study Under Way
Corvallis - Basic informa
tion to help the land mana
ger control vegetation with
the least amount of contam
ination by herbicides is the
goal of Oregon Slate univer
sity scientists studying the
biochemistry and toxic haz
ards of chemical brush control.
Planned as a five-year 'oint
project between the agricul
tural chemistry and forest re
search divisions of thj OSU
Agricultural Experiment sta
tion, the work is supported
by a Public Health Service
grant of $20,000 a year.
Working on the program
will be Virgil Freed, head,
department of agricultural
chemistry; George Barnes, as
sistant director, forest re
search division; Micheal New
ton, instructor in forestry;
and Logan Norris, assistant
in agricultural chemistry.
The scientists will study the
uses of herbicides on forest
lands to determine the most
efficient means of vegetation
control and the effects of such
treatments on water purity
and wildlife habitat. Basic
studies will be made of the
behavior of herbicides in
plants, water and soil.
It is hoped that such infor
mation will result In more
efficient use of herbicides and
develop a better understand
ing of pollution problems,
Much of the field work will
be done in OSU's McDonald
Forest north of Corvallis. Soil
and water samples will also
be collected in conjunction
with spray operations on fed
eral, state and private forest
lands.
NEW FLY RECORD
An aged bull, In a Kansas
herd, was observed to have
10.000 adult horn flies buz
zing around his head and fore-
shoulders which marks
record of sorts.
local financial institutions.
The whole family works at
chores. The two boys, Walter,
16, and Bruno, 17, work be
fore and after school in the
fields with the tractor, at
spraying, weeding and harv
esting. The daughters work
in the house with their moth-
Father is particular that
nobody handle the cow ex
cept himself so that is his
special project. The cow ma
nure is mixed with straw fori
fertilizer on the one-acre I
strawberry field and the com-
partively small vegetable
plot. Nothing is wasted.
Meyer went to college and
commercial schools in Swit
zerland until he was 21 so
is intent on seeing his boys
make the most of their edu
cation. American schools, he
said are the best in the world.
Both boys are on the honor
roll at Crater High school.
The older one received hon
ors in mathematics and chem
istry and wants to be a forest
er. The younger brother isn't
quite sure, but thinks forestry
might interest him, also.
Right now the family is
winding up the strawberry
season. Meyer estimates he
produces 4U tons per acre.
Make a circle by touching the
tips of thumb and forefinger.
This will show the size of
these bright red, sweet ber
ries sold though Chapman s
Little Acres on Table Rock
rd. and through some local
markets.
Raise Apples, Too
This fall there will be box
es of Spitzenbergs and Yel
low Newtown apples coming
off the 150 trees perhaps 500
boxes. Last season the grove
of trees produced a thousand
boxes. Some people who
know what the little farm
will ' produce already have
their orders in.
Meyer also likes to grow
cabbage for which he finds a
ready local market. Cabbage
is a hardy vegetable and
brings a good price, he said
He has about 3,000 plants.
Later he hopes to plant
grapes.
"Strawberries bring good,
fast money, but they are a
heck of a lot of hard work
too," Meyer said.
But there's not much
chance Meyer will buy a farm
down in the valley In spite
of recent offers. "There you
just work to pay off the in
terest," he grinned.
When he moved onto his
farm about four years ago
it was covered with foxtail
and other weeds and brush
with a number of old apple
trees he is gradually replac
ing. "Only by producing high
quality products can the small
farmer survive," he remark
ed. His story is proof. AH
equipment is paid for and al
most the farm.
' -r-imiMi, M
jr
. .'A
Meat Care Required To
Salem - Pick up some
meat and we'll cook ojt."
This is a suggestion heard
often during the warm sum
mer weather, and a good one.
But, Dr. M. L, Houston,
supervisor of the meat in
spection service of the Ore
gon Department of Agricul
ture, says it is wise to add
one reminder -
"Don't let it stay In car
so long that it starts to heat."
Beat Summer Heat
Houston explained that the
summer weather that lures
the population out-of-doors
for cooking and into thu pic
nic grounds also warms meats
to temperatures that make
them more subject to bacteria
action, resulting in spoilage
and possible food poisoning.
Deer and elk need just
three things for the good life:
Plenty of feed, water and salt.
FEES REDUCED
Salem - Some of the fees
charged for potato Inspections1
would be reduced by an
amendment to the inspection
regulation being proposed by '
f Oregon Department of
Agriculture.
Salem-Grain export load
ings inspected In Portland by
the Grain Inspection Division
of the Oregon Department ot
Agriculture continued to de
cline in M y.
r,, -Tt fV fee"
STRAWBERRY HARVEST Teenage boys Sams Valley area. Picking was expected to
can be seen in the distance picking straw- be completed at least by the end of this
berries on the Caspar Meyer one acre straw- week. Meyer estimates he gets 4VS tons of
berry patch up Ramsey Canyon rd. in the Northwest strawberries per acre.
Twtr 1 TSTTl
STRAWBERRY PICKERS These pickers had just come
from the strawberry field on the Caspar Meyer farm when
this nicture was taken. David Johnson, 16. Central Point,
picks the crew up in his jeep every morning before 5 o'clock.'
Other pickers are Jay Lusky, 17, Central l"oint; Jonn Kcm
ley, 14, Gold Hill; Bill Shoemaker, 16, Central Point; and
Charley Lusky, Jay's brother, 15. Meyer said he is proud
of pickers who aren't afraid to work overtime.
15
"Never saw
so few mites
in our
apple crop"
The answer's right in our spray tank. Kelthane AP.
Must b. Mite were quite a problem last year.
They sure hurt our crop pears as well as apples.
But not this season. Kelthane AP is controlling all
the mites that give us trouble European red,
2-spotted, McDaniel, Willamette, apple rust, clover.
Mention just about any mite Kelthane controls it.
What made you decide to switch miticides?
For one thing, I get more action per pound of
Kelthane AP. It gives me high initial kill and long
residual action, and it can be used with most
other pesticides.
you're really soli on Kelthane AP, aren't you?
Why not? It's the best miticide I ever used.
FARM RESERVOIR Caspar Meyer, Ramsey Canyon id.,
Sams Valley, pointed out his farm reservoir 10 nis visuors
recently. This, he said, was the big reason he bought the
130 acre farm through the Mail Tribune classified ads. The
reservoir irrigates Meyer's vegetables and apple trees.
&jgK DUE
Se(L ROHM
Broilers Gain,
Turkeys Down
Corvallis - Supplies ot
broilers during the remain
der of 1963 will be larger
than the same period last
year, but about the same
quantity of eggs and turkeys
will be available to consum
ers, according to C. N. Fisch
er, poultry specialist.
An expansion in broiler
production is in the making
with the May output of broil
er chicks the largest output
for any month on record and
up seven per cent from May,
1962, he noted. The number of
eggs in incubators June 1 in
dicates the June hatch will
be larger than the same
month last year and the
largest on record for that
month.
Most of the prospective in
crease in turkey production
this year may be otfset by
smaller cold storage holdings.
Holdings on June 1 were 11
per cent smaller than on the
same dale last year, Fischer
reported.
LICENSE DEADLINE
Salem-The Oregon Depart
ment of Agriculture has Is
sued a reminder that July 1
was the deadline for renew
ing licenses for all scales and
weighing and measuring de
vices. This also Includes
scales, gasoline pump meters
and liquid petroleum gas
meters.
Timber Industry
mployees Buy
3,463,000
Gallons of Gasoline Each Year!
5,200 employees of the timber industry In Jackson county, each with
only one car and driving 12,000 miles per year (national average) at
an average of 1 8 miles per gallon would use over 3,463,000 gallons
of gasoline.
Now add the oil, lubrication, tires, repairs, accessories, insurance and
other auto costs and you will have a rough idea of the importance
of the timber industry employees to other business in this area.
3,463,000 gallons of gas sold means $346,300 (at 10c per gallon)
in State and Federal taxes.
SOUTHERN OREGON
CONSERVATION & TREE FJVRM
ASSOCIATION
Gardening Tips
Peach Borer
SDrav the trunk and low
er scaffold limbs of peach,
cherry, plum, prune, necta
rine and apricot trees and
English laurel by July 13.
This is a preventative spray
to control the peach root borer.
Thi insect bores Into the
inner bark and cambium lay
er of the tree and girdles the
tree. The borer holes are read
ily seen near the base of in
fected trees.
Thoroughly soak the trunk
and scaffold limbs of the tree
with a spray containing eight
tablespoons (one-half cup) of
50 per cent DDT wettable
powder to a gallon of water.
Apply enough of the spray
solution so that it will run
down the trunk of the tree
and puddle at the base. (Use
about two pints of spray for
a tree six inches In diameter.)
Apply a second spray for
the control of the peach root
borer three weeks after the
first spray.
Corn Suckerina
Suckering corn, that is, tliei
removal of side shoots or
suckers is often claimed to
increase both yields and the
size of ears. Numerous tests
have shown that the removal
of suckers is not beneficial to
Golden Cross Bantam and
similar varieties.
Gladiolus
Pick gladiolus flowers that
are used for indoor decora
tions as soon as the flower
at the base of the stalk opens
fully. The rest of the flowers
will bloom indoors in water.
Leave at least four leaves on
the plant to insure a healthy
rorm for next year's flowers.
Tomatoes
Continue to control weeds
in the tomato garden by shal
low cultivation and the use
of a mulch. Weeds compete
vigorounly with tomatoes for
the moisture and nutrients
necessary for good fruit pro
duction. I
Meet
Mr. A. B.C.
n
o
n
n
n
LVi
n
.
s..
Remember that blossom
end rot is caused by a lack
of soil moisture and wide
fluctuations in soil -moisture
supply. This physiological
disease produces a sunken
black leathery rot around the
blossom end of the fruit.
If you smoke, be sure to
wash your hands with soap
and water before handling to
mato plants. The tobacco
mosaic virus which causes
mottled foliage and fern-like
leaves is most often transmit
ted to plants by the fingers
of gardeners who smoke.
Do not do any unnccssary
pruning as this reduces the
total yield and exposes the
tomatoes to the sun. This ex
posure contributes to blotchy
ripening or yellowing of the
fruit.
Harvest ripe tomatoes as
this encourages continuous
flowering and fruit development.
YOUR NAME
IS THERE!
- He Works for our Advertisers
He is one nf the experienced circulation auditors on the staff
S 'the Audii BureaTof Circulations, Just as .
makes a periodic chock of the records of your bank-w does
Mr. A.B.C visit our office at regular intervals to make mm
exacting inspection and audit of our circulation records. The
Stion facta thus obtained are condensed in "asy.hvread
audTt rcporta which tcU our advertisers: How much i area,
ktlon we have; where it goes; how it was binc "drX
other FACTS that tell advertisers what they get for then
money when they advertise in this newspaper.
Yes, the odds re 10 to 1 that
YOUR NAME IS THERE.
You got ft service, when you
want to charge.
You hve difficulty buying 00
credit.
NOW IS THE TIME to do tome-
thing ehout It. Pay promptly
io the Redbook will ihow you
with a record of prompt pay
ment. CREDIT BUREAU
of HEDFORD
V MEDFORDfe
Adversers ore Invited to oik for a copy
of our latest A.B.C. report.
The Audit Bureau of Circula
tion!, of which this newipoper
it a member, It o cooperative,
nonprofit attociation of nearly
4,000 advertisers, advertising
ogenciet and publisher. Or
ganized in 1914, A.B.C.
brought order oot of odvertinng
chaot by etfablithino-. A def
inition for paid circulation) rules
and standardt for auditing and
reporting the circulation of
newspapers and period'icott.
T T
QiWrRIBUNE
1 OQ
(Jtn-Ot) f3' O !' CI CI Ul ' SJ aHMffJ i MCK-
T
i