Mimeograph Circularhttp://hdl.handle.net/11122/26412024-03-21T21:33:48Z2024-03-21T21:33:48ZFORAGE PLAN TS, SOILS, AND GENERAL GRAZING CONDITIONS ON UMNAK, KODIAK AND OTHER AREAS IN SOUTHERN ALASKADickson, James G.http://hdl.handle.net/11122/26832020-01-24T14:30:57Z1956-11-01T00:00:00ZFORAGE PLAN TS, SOILS, AND GENERAL GRAZING CONDITIONS ON UMNAK, KODIAK AND OTHER AREAS IN SOUTHERN ALASKA
Dickson, James G.
The preliminary survey of the plant species of grazing value found
in the several areas is reported . Some comments on management and
other problems are included. The information given is restricted to a few
sections. Although the flora is similar for those studied, additional islands
must be studied before general application to other specific areas is attempted.
1956-11-01T00:00:00ZFARMING IN THE: MATANUSKA VALLEYAndrews, Richard A.http://hdl.handle.net/11122/26812020-01-24T14:12:36Z1955-06-01T00:00:00ZFARMING IN THE: MATANUSKA VALLEY
Andrews, Richard A.
1955-06-01T00:00:00ZMATANUSKA VALLEY DAIRY FARMSAnders, Richard A.http://hdl.handle.net/11122/26782020-01-24T14:12:58Z1954-12-01T00:00:00ZMATANUSKA VALLEY DAIRY FARMS
Anders, Richard A.
Over 10 million pounds of milk were produced in Alaska during 1953.
Almost two-thirds of this was produced in the Matanuska Valley . Milk
sales were greater than sales of any other farm product.
During the year 1953, dairymen in creased herd size by an average of 3
milk cows. Most of this increase came from first calf heifers which
brought with them lower milk production. About half of the dairy
farmers sold over 125,000 pounds of milk per farm .
The average dairy farmer had 288 acres of which 104 were cropland.
Dairymen had 4.6 acres per animal unit in feed crops. The trend in
use of cropland was toward more hay, silage and pasture and less grain,
potatoes and vegetables. Dairymen have been increasing their acre ages
of grass for hay and pasture. In 1953, 41 percent of the acreage cut
for hay was a grass mixture.
Purchased feed was the greatest single expense. It amounted to about
one-fourth of total expenses. Machinery purchases were second and
labor was third. Fertilizer , the fourth largest expense, amounted to
$8. 50 per acre of cropland. Milk sales made up 88 percent of the cash
income. The net returns from farming ranged from a loss of over
$7, 000 to a net gain of over $14,000 . The average was $4, 843. Fifteen
dairymen realized over $6,000 .
Fourteen farmers who realized a high net return from dairying had 7 more cows and sold 2, 200 more pounds of milk per cow than the 14
farmers who had a low net return. Furthermore, they bought more
fertilizer and realized more from each dollar spent for purchased feed.
Average cost of keeping one producing cow for the y e a r, except for
unpaid operator and family labor and interest on family capital, was
$664.11 . It cost an average of $7.97 to produce 100 pounds of milk .
The range was from $4,07 to $13.97 per hundredweight per farm .
1954-12-01T00:00:00ZFarms of Railbelt AlaskaAndrews, Richard A.http://hdl.handle.net/11122/26742020-01-25T01:21:18Z1954-12-01T00:00:00ZFarms of Railbelt Alaska
Andrews, Richard A.
Gross farm income to Alaskans was nearly 3 million dollars in 1953. Milk was the most important farm product, followed by sales of potatoes, poultry and vegetables,
The Matanuska Valley provided over half of the total farm production, Seventy-six farmers were interviewed in 1953, Of these, 39 were dairy farmers , 23 were potato farmers , 5 were poultry farmers, 4 were vegetables farmers and 5 were miscellaneous farmers. Dairymen as a whole increased their cow numbers faster than they cleared land in preparation for larger herds. Potato farmers experienced a very poor year. Yields were high and acreage planted was greater than ever before, but disease cut the crop drastically and the market was very competitive, This was the first year in the past 5 that potato growers as a group lost money. Poultry producers obtained a greater average rate of lay per hen than in previous years, Even so, the margin of return was small. The Tanana Valley was the second most important agricultural area in 1C)53. Potatoes were the leading enterprise. There was much interest in dairy farming but lack of capital, buildings and a dependable water supply are major deterrents to development of this enterprise, On many potential dairy farms, cleared land was no longer a limiting factor because over one-third of the cropland was either idle or in green manure crops. Tanana Valley potato growers who received the greatest net farm returns from their farm operations obtained high yields, had a high percentage of US #1 potatoes, had a sizeable acreage in crops and utilized considerable family labor.
The other leading agricultural areas -the Kenai Peninsula, Southeastern Alaska and the Aleutian Chain-were the source of over 20 percent of the total agricultural production in Alaska during 1953. Several types of farm enterprises prevailed in these areas and on varying scales of production. Dairy and poultry were the leading enterprises in Southeastern Alaska, poultry and beef on the Kenai Peninsula and beef and sheep on the Aleutian Chain. No one enterprise existed on sufficient numbers of farms to make analysis possible when information was collected by the survey method.
1954-12-01T00:00:00Z