A Chilling Experience

HELLO FOLKS — You can't prove it by me, but there is a story going around about the couple who bought a pickup truck with a camping box in it. They started on a cross country trip.

While out on the highway in the western states the husband got tired of driving. It was a very hot day and while his wife was to be doing the driving he decided to cool off in the camper. He stripped to his shorts and was just about to make himself comfortable. At that moment his started up with a jerk, he fell against the door and it came open. He rolled onto the highway as his wife sped away.

His first inclination was to hide in the brush along the highway. But he was quick to realize that such a move would get him nowhere so he tried to flag down cars. The first one sped past him in disbelief. The second stopped in the next town and reported to the police, who went out to see. They doubted the man's story but radioed the patrol ahead where the wife was supposed to be. When they stopped the pickup and asked the woman where her husband was she told them he was in the camper. They suggested that she take a look. In horror she discovered what had happened.

As I say, don't ask me to prove it. But I hope nothing like that ever happens to me.

—o—

A STUDY by the University of Minnesota reveals the great difference in income of Minnesota farmers. The difference come not so much by area, nor by t[yp]es of farming but by the ingenuity of the farmers themselves.

For instance in the southwest area the top twenty per cent of the farmers keeping records earned an average of nearly $13,000. The lowest 20 per cent lost an average of $1,000.

There are, of course, many factors that influence such a difference. The weather can make a tremendous difference, as can several other factors. However, further study revealed that management of farmers makes a tremendous difference. Some farmers have the knack of making the best of their opportunities while others have a difficult time of it.

Farmers now have the privilege of getting professional assistance in the analysis of their farming operations. This assistance is in the form of the farm analysis service available through the regular Department of Education. Minnesota has taken the lead in this service to farmers and other states are copying or watching Minnesota in that respect.

The results are bearing fruit. The gain in income of farmers subscribing to the service has been substantially above the average of other farmers not in the program.

Some of the farmers have more than doubles their income by having an accurate analysis of their business. It isn't impossible for a farmer to do this himself, but the chance of him doing it is very remote. By joining the service he gets professional service and advice that is hard for him to obtain alone. The cost is very nominal and the analysis is as accurate as the records he keeps.

This service permits him to see what operations are paying off, what his cost of production is, so that he knows where the break even point is, and to compare his own program with that of the rest of the farmers. The individual reports are kept in confidence and only the general information is made public.

The program is divided into six areas in Minnesota. The Winona, Austin, Mankato and Duluth areas are in operation. The program is having the most success in the Austin area, which includes Freeborn county. Anyone interested should contact the local vocational agriculture department and the instructors will no doubt be happy to assist.