SEGMENT: CROPS, LIVESTOCK & FARM ORGANIZATIONS

Bert Aikman>UIS Collection A's>UIS Collection, Segment 9

SEGMENT: CROPS, LIVESTOCK & FARM ORGANIZATIONS,

duration 07:32
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CROPS
Mentions crops grown first years on the farm.
LAND
Paid cash rent for pasture. Paid $50 rent/yr for house, & $3/acre/yr. Description of farm size.
FARMING METHODS
Mentions crop rotation. Describes seeding new pasture. At first seeded in spring, but when he got a drill, he could seed in the fall. Describes seeding hay with wheat & crop rotation. Grew Red Clover. Ground wasn't too sour yet. Tile tended to make ground go sour. Later Bert had to fertilize with lime. Never raised much alfalfa because it required "sweet land".
LIVESTOCK
Bought 3-4 cows the first year. Just made butter, did not sell cream for the first few years. Then Bert bought a Galloway Cream Separator. Fed skim milk to hogs. Cream taken to Litchfield. Mentions again how dairy farming was savior for the area. Discusses change in dairy business. Bert's wife milked cows. She milked faster than he could. Cream check paid for groceries.
FARM ORGANIZATIONS
Joined Farm Bureau his 3rd yr of farming. Local Farm Bureau leader was a "wide awake fellow." Discusses benefits of Farm Bureau. Story of culling his hens with help of Farm Bureau.