Many can recall the dwindling number of farms in our region during the 1980s, especially in the dairy industry. The same was true in 1924 with a bleak local outlook, but not impossible to overcome.
As seen in the April 14, 1924 edition of the Freeman’s Journal, “Agriculture in New York is in a deplorable way at present and unless something is done to improve conditions the future of the farming industry will be jeopardized, representatives of the industry testified Thursday of last week at a hearing before the Public Service commission on the complaint of the department of farms and markets of New York state against milk prices charged by the Delaware & Hudson company,” as far as shipping costs.
Costs of production were climbing locally, and there was competition coming from Midwest states at the time, as dairy products were being shipped to the lucrative New York City market. Prices being paid to farmers for the products were falling. Many were getting out of farming altogether.
Locally, some battled back to attract new farmers. The Journal of April 9 posed the question, “Who wants a farm? Right now in the neighborhood of Cooperstown there are six or seven good farms that may be had rent free by the right kind of farmers.
“These farms belong to William T. Hyde who owns some 2,000 acres of land on the west side of Otsego Lake and when Mr. Hyde’s manager, E.E. Gifford, last week commenced advertising ‘Free Farms’ in the Freeman’s Journal a wave of speculation was set in motion as to the exact meaning of the proposal. Nothing like it had ever been heard of before and the people wanted to know what it was all about.”
Gifford said there were no strings attached to the offer, and wanted to deal with farmers who would act in good faith. The way Hyde was looking at the offer, he felt that most of the idle farms weren’t paying any taxes, so the offer would be better than to have the lands lying entirely unproductive.
“The farms are all located in Pierstown, that famous but extensive territory located on the fertile upland between Cooperstown and Richfield Springs, and range in size from seventy-five to 250 acres. They are equipped with good buildings, well fenced and watered and have the advantage of being located near the thriving county seat which makes truck gardening an available specialty. Potatoes, chicken, sheep, in fact, anything that will thrive on Otsego soil may be raised here to good advantage. There is also dairying to which the farms are well adapted, but in the present state of the milk market we are not saying much about that particular line.”
Exactly how many took up the offer was not published, but the possibilities for farming, other than dairy, were being reported at the time.
For example, as Journal readers found out on April 2, “Farmer interest in reforestation in New York state is seen in the recent appointment by Enos Lee, president of the New York State Farm Bureau Federation, of a committee to represent the federation in the work on reforestation.” In our area, the Otsego County Farm Bureau was granted 10,000 pines to be used for reforestation purposes within the county.
“It is hoped before another year rolls by that ways and means may be devised so that the county may take hold of this project, and start forests which in future years will under proper forest management contribute substantial incomes for county and state budgets.”
Also seen as a possibility in the April 2 edition, “All farmers withing reaching distance who want to make more net profit from their farms next year should make a special effort to attend a meeting to be held by the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western railroad in the reception room of the public library at Richfield Springs.” The profit maker was cabbage growing.
On Wednesday, a look back at the area’s business beat in April 1994.