Originally published in The Vidette-Messenger of Porter County on February 24, 1951.
Crops-Dairy Day To Be Held In This City
10th Annual Event Is Set For Tuesday
Prairie Farmer Editor Listed Among Speakers
Porter county farm folk, preparing to rearrange their chore schedule a bit next week, today looked forward to the 10th annual Crops-Dairy Day to be staged at the Premier theater here in Valparaiso Tuesday.
On that day county farmers, their wives and families, will take time off to mingle with neighbors and attend sessions specially designed to make life in the rural areas more efficient, enjoyable and profitable.
Paul C. Johnson, editor of Prairie Farmer and former head of the University of Minnesota agricultural journalism, will present the featured address of the day. Johnson’s talk entitled ー ”Where Do We Go From here In Agriculture?”ーis expected to attract a large audience. He will appear on the well-rounded program at 2:30, according to an announcement from Kenyon Wyckoff, chairman of the event this year.
Johnson was raised on a Minnesota dairy farm and put in 10 years as editor of a newspaper in his area. He became editor of Prairie Farmerーa popular farm journalーis 1947.
The 10th Crops-Dairy day program starts at 9:30 a.m., Tuesday with the showing of a colored motion picture entitled “This Living Earth,” followed by an informative and instructive talk on good fertilization and rotation practices by G.P. Walker of the Purdue university agronomy extension department. Walker will bring out the requirements for maintaining soil fertility and stress the value of heavy fertilization of crop rotations and explain nitrogen fertilizers and places for their profitable use.
Dairy Specialist
Porter county dairymen will get tips on barn temperatures, milk production and cow health starting at 10:50 a.m., when Ed Gannon, Purdue dairy extension specialist, appears on the program. Gannon will discuss the pros and cons of loose housing vs stanchion barn for dairy cows and bring up bacterial counts, and importance of sufficient and clean bedding.
Following the annual noon luncheon at Hotel Lembke, farmers and their families are scheduled to return to the theater for the crowning of the corn king and prince. Ralph Herren, Sr., top corn grower in the senior division, will be awarded the Porter County Banker’s association trophy, and Louis Asher, Boone township young man, will receive the Wyckoff Junior cup for his corn growing and producing mark.
Grain and hay drying methods will be discussed by W.F. Rissmiller of the agricultural engineering department at Purdue starting at 1:30 p.m. The speaker will point out new and better methods of reducing moisture content in crops which are to be stored.
Highlighting the interesting afternoon program will be the appearance of the Portage Township High school singers under the direction of Directors George Myers and Roger Lindquist.
Last year more than 700 farmers and their wives attended the one-day session. Chairman Wyckoff hoped today that attendance record might be broken when the farm folk turned out for their special program here Tuesday.
Will Add Music Note To Crops-Dairy Program
PORTAGE HIGH SCHOOL’S heralded double sextet, directed by George Myers, will take the stage of the Premier theatre at 2:15 p.m. Tuesday to entertain the hundreds of Porter county persons who are expected to attend the annual Crops-Dairy day program. The singers are (front row, from left): Marilyn Weber, Eva Jane Andrews, David Farley, Marian Comer, Dick Parker. In rear (from left) are: Patsy Biggs, Danny Haxton, Ronald Hendershott, Joyce Loar, Phyllis Parker, Milton Carlson and Kenneth Wilson. The group of young singers has appeared before numerous organizations adn on programs in this area. One of its recent appearances was before the Hebron Fortnightly club on feb. 15. The double sextet gained superior honors last Saturday in the solo and ensemble musical festival in East Gary.
(Photo by Grayston Gurther)
