The beef cattle operation can follow two ways of operation. Purebred cattle may be raised for breeding purposes. On some farms they have what is called a cow‑calf operation. The cows have the calves in the spring, are then put out into the pastures until late fall, at which time the calves are sold and the cows are wintered, usually near the buildings. Some farms may pen the calves up and give them special feed rations for a given number of days before they are sold to a feedlot where the finishing is completed and they are ready for market. Butts feedlot north of Carrington finishes calves in this manner.
Some of the changes in the beef operation is the raising of "Exotic Cattle". The Independent, May 1, 1974 has this story:
"It used to be that if you wanted to see Chianina, Blond D'Au uitaine, Maine‑Anjou, Tarantaise, or Semmental, you had to go to Europe‑ supposing first of all, that you knew that these are names of cattle breeds."
Now these exotic breeds may be found in the Carrington area. They are known as "Exotics". Cattle men have found that by crossing the standard breeds with the exotics they can produce a "stretchy" animal with more "gain ability".
Vernon and Richard Topp started in the Charolais business as early as 1964. These white cattle were soon accepted in breeding circles so they were no longer considered an exotic breed.
Cattlemen on the lookout to improve their herd were looking for a higher weaning and mature weight and with some experimenting decided that using the "exotic breeds" was the answer.
The United State prohibits the importation of live cattle, so the Exotics came to this country in bottles or ampules which contained frozen semen from the exotic bulls with which homegrown cows were artificially inseminated.
Many cattle breeders mixed up the ampules to provide a variety of crosses of breeds. A walk through a modern day pasture may provide an interesting sight where the calves may be colored reddish, chocolate brown, yellowish‑red, or spotted white and fawn.
Careful records were kept so that improvement may continually be made in their herds.
Independent June 9, 1976‑Ann Montgomery
The complexion of milking cows has changed considerably throughout the years. From the early days when each farm had a few milk cows it has grown to a specialized business.
One operation is Mark Anderson who lives near Grace City. In 1976 Mark had 26 Holsteins that were confined in stanchions during the milking operation. Milk is transported through a system of pipes and into a bulk tank. Every other day a worker from Lakota empties the tank into a truck tank and the milk is taken to be used in the making of cheese.
Artificial insemination is probably one of the most important improvements for the dairy industry. It has made it possible for the farmer to improve the production of his herd in a drastic manner.
AI schools were provided to teach the dairymen the proper method to be used. The main benefit of AI is that the dairy farmer can count on the quality of offspring from the cows and hopefully increase his production.
Doeling Dairy is located north of Bordulac. In 1976 they were milking 110 Holstein cows. Their operation also included raising all their own feed.
They utilize a milking platform equipped to handle 7‑9 cows at a time. The milk is pumped through stainless steel pipes into bulk tanks. From there some of the milk passes a clarifier to separate the cream from the milk; a pasteurizer, to remove micro‑organisms and prevent fermentation; a homogenizer, to break up the grease particles so the cream will not separate from the milk; and then to a cooler and then into a holding tank.
After this the milk is put into cartons and bottles to be taken out on the route. In 1979 Doelings had 330 to 400 customers on the delivery route. The Doeling label can also be seen at the grocery stores in Carrington and Barlow. They also furnish products for the nursing homes and schools. Their list of products include whole milk, skim milk, one percent milk, two percent milk, chocolate milk, whipping cream, half and half, orange, grape and fruit drink. Other products that are not produced at the farm such as ice cream and cottage cheese are also delivered by Doelings through Fairmont. They have eggs, too, that are produced on the farm.
The 425 gallons of milk which is produced daily cannot all be used for the products that are delivered on the route, so the surplus is picked up every other day by the Knetter Cheese factory in Lakota.
Ronald Dreher milks 25 cows on his farm near McHenry. His produce goes to Mid‑America Milk Company at Valley City.
The Dairy operations in the state are very carefully controlled by strict inspections on a regular basis. These visits are conducted 3 or 4 times a year without prior notice. The inspector checks the conditions of the barns and milk rooms. The bacteria count is also checked.
Dairy farmers also have to be careful to monitor the kind of feed their cows are receiving. One farmer's cows had gotten into a patch of garlic! What a flavor that milk must have had!
In 1921 there were 2,930 milking cows producing 122,000 of butterfat. In 1982 there were 500 milking cows producing an average 371 pounds of butterfat.
The horse has been one of man's most useful animals for thousands of years. They once provided the fastest, surest way to travel on land. Hunters on horseback chased animals and killed them for food or sport.
It is well‑suited for working and running. It's wide nostrils help it to breathe easily. They have a good sense of smell, sharp ears, and keen eyes. They have strong teeth, but they eat only grain and plants. Long muscular legs give the horses the strength to pull heavy loads or to run at fast speeds. They also use their legs for protection. Many a kick from a horse has seriously injured a man.
They are eager to please their masters. Most horses have good memories and can easily be trained to obey commands. They learn to respond to whistles, the slightest movement of the rider's legs or hands. The quick and willing obedience of the horse has helped to make it one of man's most valuable animals.
Horses have been bred for various purposes such as workhorses, buggy horses, and racehorses.
Saddle Horses: Many people ride horses for pleasure or raise them as a hobby. Some popular breeds are American Saddle Horse, Tennessee Walking Horse, Morgan and Quarter Horse. Morgans were originally used as harness horses for pulling carriages and for harness racing.
Quarter Horses used by the cowboys for cutting (sorting out cattle) from a herd and other ranch work. They can start, stop, and turn quickly. They respond swiftly to the slightest shift of the cowboy's weight. They are sure‑footed and have great endurance. They received their name from running a quarter mile race.
Draft Horses: Tallest, heaviest and strongest of the group of horses. They are descendants of the great war horses that heavily armored knights rode into battle. These horses provided the power that has been replaced with heavy trucks and tractors today. Some breeds are Clydesdale, Belgian, and Percheron. Percherons have gray or black coats and were the all around general-purpose horse. This breed was found on most of the farms in Foster County.
Color: Some horsemen grow horses according to color type instead of breed. Horses of mixed color have various names. Piebald horse has a black coat with white spots. A Skewbald is spotted with white or any color except black. And Piebald or Skewbald may be called a Paint or Pinto. A Pied horse has a solid‑colored coat with a few small spots. A roan is a solid color, but white hairs grow throughout the coat.
Groups: Palominos have golden coats and light blonde or silvery manes and tails. No white except on face and on the legs below the hocks and knees.
Appaloosa have dark brown or black leopard spots on a roan background. They have white rimmed eyes. Black and white stripes cover the hooves of most Appaloosa horses:
Albinos are horses that have no color in its eyes, hair or skin. The horses that are born black and they turn white as they grow older are not usually considered Albinos.
Horses need food at least three times a day. Its stomach is small for the size of its body. They do not chew a cud as does a cow and deer.
A thousand pound horse that works 3 or 4 hours a day needs about 14 pounds of hay, five pounds in the morning and the rest at night. They like oats, but it is necessary to watch them carefully or they may eat it too quickly and become sick. Working horses consume 4‑12 quarts of oats. Water should be given before eating. They will drink 12‑20 gallons a day. They also need salt in the diet to replenish the salt that is lost through sweating.
The decline of horses was brought about with the development of railroad, tractors, trucks, and the automobiles. American farmers owned about 20 million horses in 1910. Early in the 1970s there were about 8 million. Most of these horses are used in racing, and other pleasure type things, and on the ranches and farms that still raise cattle.
In Foster County Leo and Lola Zink raise paints and quarter horses. At the present time they had 15 brood mares. They raise their horses for breeding, selling and showing at the horse shows that are held around the country. Their entries are to be seen in a number of parades too. At the present time they have 35 horses on the farm.
Horse Shows: A means of entertainment developed through the years is the Horse Show. Show horses and their riders compete for prizes in many events such as barrel racing, Western pleasure and Western Horsemanship.
Horse Races provided hours of entertainment in the events that were conducted around the country. As early as 1924 local residents were purchasing high-class saddle horses to be used in the races.
Buggy races too were popular.
Jockey: Foster County has a jockey that grew up in the county, Dean Kutz. He spends his time riding thoroughbreds. He started riding when he was about 16 years old. He travels with his father who was at that time training racehorses. His father was his principle coach and instructor. Dean got his start racing at county fairs. He gained much of his experience riding in the races at Winnipeg, Canada.
This article appeared in the Aug. 14, Independent:
Be Merciful to Beast These Days: They Feel Heat Same as Humans:
If a horse could talk he would have many things to say when summer comes. He would tell his driver that he feels the heat on a very warm day as much as if he could read a thermometer.
He would say "Give me a little water many times a day, when the heat is intense, but not much at a time if I am warm; if you want me to keep well don't give any grain when you bring me warm into the stable, just a half dozen swallows of water, and some hay to eat until I am cool.
"Don't water me too soon after I have eaten my grain, wait an hour. Especially do I need watering between nine and ten at night. I am thirstier then than at almost any other time of the day.
He would say "When the sun is hot and I am working let me breathe once in awhile in the shade of some house or tree; if you have to leave me on the, street leave me in the shade if possible. Anything upon my head, between my ears, to keep off the sun, is bad for me if the air cannot circulate freely underneath it, unless it is a sponge kept cool and wet.
"If you do clip off my foretop and treat me as you would yourself, you need not have much fear of losing me by sunstroke.
"If on an extremely warm day I give evidence by panting and signs of exhaustion that I am becoming overcome with the heat, unharness me, take me into the shade and apply cold water or even broken ice, wrapped up in a cloth or put in a bag, to my head, sponge out my mouth and go over my legs with a cold wet sponge.
He would tell of the luxury of a fly net when at work and of a fly blanket when standing still in season, and of the boon to him of screens in the stable to keep out the insects that bite and sting.
He would plead for as cool and comfortable a stable as possible in which to rest at night after a day's work under the hot sun.
He would suggest that living through a warm night in a narrow stall neither properly cleaned nor bedded is suffering for him and poor economy for the owner.
He would say that turning the hose on him is altogether too risky a thing to do unless you are looking for a sick horse. Spraying the legs and when he is not too warm on a hot day, he would find agreeable.
He would say "Please sponge out my eyes and nose and dock when I come in tired and dusty at night, and also sponge me with clean cool water under the collar and saddle of the harness".
And so it was with the horses. They played an important part in the lives of many of the people in Foster County. Many a buggy or sled was taken safely home during adverse weather because of these fine animals. One can only imagine the countless acres of sod that their power helped to turn into tillable acreage. The horse, indeed, was an important part in our history.
During the early years when most farms had a few milk cows they also would raise a few pigs to help provide a variety of meat for the table. The milk was processed in a separator that would separate the cream from the whole milk. The cream was then sold in town for cash which helped many a family purchase the necessities of life that were not produced on the farm at the local store. The product left over called "skim milk" was then fed to the pigs.
An article in the December 17, 1925 Independent:
50 Pigs yearly to Pay for 160 Acres of Land:
It goes on to say that Mr. William Reip, who owned land six miles south of Bordulac, would accept a contract for 160 acres of land by which he would accept 50 pigs a year in payment for the land. The contract was made with Mr. George Willows. The exact number of years in which Mr. Willows took to pay for the land depended on the size of the pigs furnished. At that time the contracting parties figured about five years would suffice to fulfill the transfer. 250 pigs at $10 each were worth $2500, considered a low price for land then but not unreasonable.
Mr. Reip was a buyer of pigs for serum purposes at Anandale, Minnesota.
Source: A History of Foster County 1983 Page 115
Larry and Philip Lura decided to go into the pig industry in a larger manner. In 1973 they set up a structure using the old Birtsell schools and modernized them into a complex that would hold 800 feeder pigs. The pigs were kept in total confinement and fed and watered through an automated system. Feed grain mixtures were ground and mixed on the premises and distributed mechanically to each pen. Water was piped into each pen and the pigs drank through nipples. The floors of the pens were slotted in a third of the area. The slots allowed the manure to collect in a pit, which was emptied about every 2 1/2 months.
The Luras expanded their operation in 1974 so that they could farrow the pigs and continue the process until the pig was ready for market. 40‑45 hogs were loaded in the early morning to be hauled to Fargo pork market.
Under the roofs of two barns the hogs were bred, farrowed, weaned and finished. The complete cycle of the life of a market hog which took about six months. The market weight was approximately 230 pounds.
Other farmers still raise a few hogs but not as extensive as this. People still like to have some pork meat around to add to their diet.
Chickens, too, were found on most of the farms. Some farmers, such as the Albert Leppkes, decided to make chickens and eggs their main source of income. The Independent reported in December 5, 1963 issue the story about their business.
At that time the Leppkes raised 6,000 Leghorn chickens and supplied the eggs to most of Carrington and surrounding vicinity:
The hens that laid 3,600 eggs daily were kept in four coops, but the eggs were processed centrally. After the egg was laid, it rolled onto a conveyor belt and moved to the egg room to be washed, sanitized, cooled, graded, and packed. The work is done by hand, except the grading which is done electrically. It took about 10 hours a day to process the eggs.
The chickens ate one ton of oats, millet, corn, and concentrate daily. The biggest problem was finding a market for their eggs. 60% of the eggs were sold in the area, the rest were shipped to New York.
Another product raised on the farms was turkeys. The February 18, 1926 issue of the Independent: tells the story of a woman from Melville who paid a debt of nearly $400 to one of the local banks, the entire amount coming from the sale of turkeys that she had raised that year. The bank held a note that officials felt could never be repaid. The lady felt that she could repay the note if the bank would loan her an additional $25 with which she would use to start the turkey business. The loan was allowed and in the spring of 1924 the lady purchased white Holland breeding stock of good quality.
The first season the weather was against her and she was just able to pay the $25 back to the bank and retain the breeding stock for the next year. That fall she sold her turkeys for $15 apiece and was able to pay the old debt. She still was able to keep enough stock to keep her in business which provided some extra cash for a few other things that were needed on the farm.
In 19 the O&M Elevator tried raising turkeys on a farm seven miles east of Carrington. The barn was renovated and shelters were put up to house the turkeys. The feed was processed at the Elevator. The venture lasted for only a couple of years for several reasons, one of which was a heavy rainstorm which caused the fatality of many of the birds.
Independent, January 3, 1929: tells the story of the value of turkey feathers. They were marketed principally in the East. The quill feathers being used for feather dusters and the down feathers for beds and pillows. This was another source of a little hard cash.
Raising peacocks became a hobby for Mike Murphy of Bordulac when he was a young boy. He was fascinated with the birds that were seen on his grandfather's farm. At age 14 he bought his first pair. He enjoyed watching the birds, as they would frequently admire themselves in the mirror that he had placed in their cage. This practice would stop in late summer, however, when the birds began to molt. They would retreat to hide under the wagon boxes or other buildings.
The peahen is quite plain in her attire and blends easily into her surroundings. She is a good mother and is an expert protecting her young.
The peacock is at least three years old before he acquires the grand plumage that can be spread out in a fan shape, displaying the many brilliant colors. This four-foot tail may be quite a load when wet. In spite of this weight they are really graceful while in flight which they don't do unless forced into a corner.
The peacocks eat corn, oats, sunflowers, and lettuce as a treat. They also love watermelon. They don't require much care roaming about the farm at will. They have a habit of, emitting a shrill crow about 4:00 a.m. in the summer. The peacocks survive well in the North Dakota winters because they have the natural instinct to protect themselves in bad weather.
When Wes Miller moved to a farm four miles east of Carrington in 1973, one of the things he wanted to do was to try his luck at raising pheasants. He started his enterprise in 1974 by purchasing 100 pheasant Blue Ribbon chicks from a hatchery in Bismarck. He lost 75 birds right away. Out of the 25 that survived he kept seven hens and two roosters. The hens laid between nine and ten eggs apiece. The eggs were hatched and it was from this beginning that his operation is now grown to handling about 1,000 hens annually. He also raises wild turkeys, rheas, which are like a small ostrich, and guineas.
The eggs are set in an incubator. He sells the chicks in April all over the country, including some that were sent to Australia to some people who were vacationing in the area and decided it would be interesting to have some pheasants.
Mr. Miller keeps about 2,000 birds which are butchered and sold to various restaurants or organizations that want to serve a gourmet meal to their members. Some of the hens are also dressed in about July.
The feathers have been in demand the last few years, especially in California, where they are made into hatbands. In the early years they were made into ladies' hats. Iowa and Chicago provide a market for the guinea feathers.
Independent, January 24, 1929:
Mrs. H.T. Hayashi bred and raised canaries and lovebirds according to the story in the Independent. Nearly 30 birds including a red Cardinal and a pair of king birds were kept in the Hayashi home. The birds were valued at $10 to $12 each and were housed in separate cages. The only problems she had with loss was when her very young son swatted two of the baby birds with the fly swatter.
Some of the best singers were taken to the cafe that the Hayashi's owned in Carrington, where they provided entertainment for the diners.
By Nora Nystad Miller
Don and I were both born and raised in Foster County and still being residents of the county and owners of these native North American animals we were asked to write a short article of our past and present American heritage, the Bison.
To start this story we will go back centuries when the American buffalo roamed the plains of the earth. It has been estimated that the buffalo was the largest ton mass of mammal that roamed the earth at one time. Experts say there were anywhere from 60 to 120 million. Studies show that the buffalo was on the verge of extinction in the 1880s and 1890s with only 300 left on earth. Bison experts say the buffalo changed American history, as the Indians wouldn't stop fighting the white man because the animal provided food for them. It wasn't until the buffalo were killed that the Indians gave up. In American Indian societies, the rarely seen white buffalo was most sacred of all animals in the world and the owner of a properly prepared white buffalo robe was the most esteemed person in the tribe and no danger was too great to risk obtaining such a robe. There are no white bison existing today, however several surveys noted white calves in 1961, 1963, and 1973 in the Big Delta, Alaska. Unfortunately none of these animals survived. Statisticians today say that perhaps one in five million buffalo births will be white.
Now in the year of 1981 there are an estimated 50,000 to 60,000 buffalo being raised on ranches across the country with more than half of this number raised in South Dakota. Buffalo ranchers reach as far north as Alaska, south to Florida, east to New York and west to California. There are two major buffalo organizations in existence. The American Buffalo Association and the National Buffalo Association both dealing with the main purpose of promoting buffalo. Throughout the Midwestern states there are numerous buffalo auction sales each year, but the real highlight of auctions is held every January at the National Western Stock Show in Denver, Colorado.
Don and I first got interested in buffalo about 1972 when we purchased some buffalo meat from George Torrison, a rancher near Warwick, North Dakota As the years passed by we kept buying this delicious meat from him and have become very close friends. Then one day in 1978 Don's cousin Roger Miller was talking with us about buffalo and we decided we should try raising a few of these mysterious creatures. Don and I had thought about doing this many times but living in the city presented a problem for us. So when Roger said he had some pasture and would go partners we jumped at the chance. We started with one cow and our herd now has raised 25 head. About the American buffalo from our three years of experiences: The buffalo can weigh up to 2,000 pounds. He can jump with all four legs as graceful as a deer, he can run faster than a horse and will angrily charge a human without a moment's notice. Buffalo do fine on grass and hay, and in the wintertime, unlike cattle, will graze right through the snow and get to the grass. Buffalo, unlike domestic cattle, will not try to put their heads through the fence to find green grass; however, they could easily jump over a six-foot fence if they had a notion to. Our fence is six feet high consisting of five strands of barbed wire and we are still in the process of making corrals and loading chutes. Buffalo are a herd animal, so very seldom does one stray off by itself. This makes it easier for corralling and working these animals.
Buffalo are susceptible to disease, such as pinkeye, congested lungs, worms and brucellosis. However, they can be treated with proper medications. Scientists and researchers are not studying the American buffalo as a possible cure for cancer.
And about the buffalo products‑ the meat is delicious, lower in cholesterol and saturated fats while higher in protein than domestic beef. Being lower in fat it cooks in less time with a lower heat. It is also non‑allergenic. Many weight‑watching groups throughout the country are using buffalo meat in their diet. Many restaurants are putting buffalo meat on their menu including the Chieftain in Carrington.
Other products on the market from the buffalo are mounted heads, skulls, robes, hides, leather, ashtrays made from the hoofs, bookends, and wall plaques made from the shoulder blades. Virtually most everything on a buffalo can be put to some form of use.
Most buffalo ranchers throughout the country welcome visitors to their ranches. We, too, welcome visitors to view our buffalo, but please keep in mind that the American Buffalo are still a wild animal and always will be a beast of the prairie.
Now for a short look into the future. We are hoping for a good calf crop next summer‑ this will be our first calves. (Buffalo don't usually breed until they are at least two years old, but have been known to calve until they are over 35, usually calving every year.)
We are also hoping our demand for meat expands. We have sold buffalo meat to the VFW Club in Bismarck, the Carrington Fire Department, customers from Fargo, Leeds and numerous area buyers.
Last, but not least, we are hoping in the future the American Buffalo truly finds it's way back on the face of this earth bountifully to give other people the enjoyment and beauty of watching these creatures and the natural goodness of their meat and byproducts.
We would like to thank the community and a special thank you to Lucile Zink for the opportunity to share the American Buffalo.
Miller Buffalo Ranch RR No. 1, Box 30
Carrington, North Dakota 58421
Located 5 1/2 miles east of Carrington on Highway 200.
(All references taken from the American Buffalo Journal, Buffalo World and our own experiences.)
Another type of farm in Foster County is a fish farm operated by Harold Erickson. Mr. Erickson started his project as an experiment which began in his living room in 1967 and has now been developed into 40 acres of fish‑producing ponds which now hold 150,000 fish. (1979)
In 1966 Erickson decided that his salty land would not produce the grain crops he was trying to grow, so he started looking around for some other crop he could raise on his land.
The only experience Erickson had had prior to this was working in a fish processing plant for a time. He spent a lot of time reading books on the subject.
The same thing that makes land bad for grain is very good for raising fish. The water was very high on his land; the water very often would seep through the ground. The evaporation of the water would leave the salty residue. He has three electric pumps to keep the ponds filled with fresh water.
Independent, August 22, 1979
"Erickson's fish producing process involves a network of fish ponds which range in size from 20 feet in diameter to two acres. He keeps brood fish from which eggs are hatched. The fry from these eggs are then raised on the farm until large enough to put into stock ponds. He furnishes fish for ponds in North Dakota and Minnesota. He raises mainly rainbow trout, but also has some black bass and blue gill fish.
His fishing industry is split between his fish farm six miles north of Carrington and another farm near Stanton, North Dakota.
The Stanton farm is another experiment. One of the problems Erickson faced was the seven months of winter when the trout could not grow because of the cold weather. If the temperature is below 40 degrees the trout will not grow.‑
The Basin Electric plant called Leland Olds plant is located near Stanton. At this plant energy is produced with steam heat. The water is heated 27 degrees higher than it is before it came through the plant. Two‑thirds of this steam is released to the atmosphere as waste heat. The company was looking for a way to use this waste heat. Erickson made an agreement with the plant to use this warmed water in the winter for his fish industry.
This warmed water from the plant is mixed with river water to keep the temperature for the ponds at 58 to 62 degrees.
The experiment has proven successful. In Carrington the trout would grow about seven inches from ice‑off to freeze up. At Stanton they will grow from 12‑14 inches during the winter months.
Erickson travels between the two farms, while his son, Chip, manages the farm at Stanton.
The Carrington farm is now used for a hatchery. In the fall the four to six inch fish are transported to Stanton by aerated tanks.
The fingerlings are fed by hand with commercial trout pellets which are given to the fish three times daily. The fingerlings are at first placed in a tank covered with wood to prevent sunburn. Some of the tanks were covered with nets for protection from the birds.
Erickson has expanded his operation to furnish his fish to restaurants and grocery stores. They are now easily available to anyone that is interested.
(Independent July 11, 1978 ‑Ann Montgomery)
Some people living in the rural area occupy their time and energies to other things besides tilling the soil. One such enterprise was a rabbit farm that was operated by Carol Caudle in 1978.
Rabbits were used for food as far back as in the days of the caveman who learned to hunt and cook rabbits for their meals.
Carol's Ranch was located northeast of Carrington. She pointed out that, though both domestic and wild rabbits may be used for foods, domestic rabbits have some major differences from their wild counterparts.
"Domestic animals are wholly white meat, for instance, where as wild rabbits are all dark meat. Domestic rabbits also have more meat on their carcasses and carry no known diseases transmissible to man."
"Carol described the uses of rabbits as 'food, fur, and fancy'. She explained that a fryer sold for about $1.20 per pound, she sells the pelts for fur, live rabbits for pets, and rabbit dung for fertilizer, which she says is the most useful and rich domestic fertilizer available."
Some rabbits are also sold to laboratories for experimental animals. Angora rabbits furnish fur for coats, pickled rabbits feet are relished as a culinary delight by some. The feet may also be used for makeup brushes for performers in a theater, not to mention the charm for "good luck".
The fancy come in with special breeds and rabbit shows sponsored by the American Rabbit Breeders' Association. This provides a market for breeding stock.
Some advantages of rabbit is that they have more meat on their carcasses. The meat is low in cholesterol and is often times recommended by doctors to people who can't eat other sources of meat. It ranks high in percentage of protein in comparison to other meats.
Two or three does and one buck rabbit should be able to produce 350‑500 pounds of live rabbit fryers per year. After loss is figured for dressing them out they still provide 200‑300 pounds of good eating.
Most does have eight or nine babies. It takes about eight weeks for the does to raise the rabbits to the fryer stage. They weigh about 4‑4 1/2 pounds live and dress out about 60%.
Independent, December 8, 1976‑Ann Montgomery
Long winter months provide some of the area residents with another type of diversion, trapping fur-bearing animals. With a demand for furs on the market, besides being interesting, it also provides extra cash for the trapper.
Some of the skins in demand are mink, fox, muskrat, beaver, raccoon, and rabbit. Fox pelts were bringing $75‑$100 per pelt in 1980.
A good trapper must know the habit of the animal for proper placement of the traps. He must also know the effectiveness of different lures and baits and should check traps daily.
Most traps are set to grab the animal by the leg so it is likely that the trapped fur‑bearer will be alive when the trapper arrives to collect it. Various means may be used to kill the animal, just as long as it doesn't damage the pelt. Favorites are shooting it in the head, or "bopping 'em over the head" with the butt of the gun, hammer or other heavy instrument.
Traps are set along the riverbanks or tracks used by the animals.
The animals are usually sold "in the round" (unskinned) to a dealer.
Winter months provide the season for this sport, that is the time when the fur is the thickest. Fashion determines the price of the various furs. It was the demand for these furs that brought people to the unsettled areas and as a result set the stage for settlers to follow.
Do you like honey? That, too, is produced in the Foster County area. Dewey Robson is the owner of the Honey Farm in Carrington. He represents the third generation of bee‑keepers in his family. He has been involved in stocking his hives with only hybrid queen bees and is also concerned with developing good queen bees.
The hives are placed out on the local farms near fields such as alfalfa, sweet clover, and sunflowers. While the bees are busy gathering the nectar for honey, they are doing the big job of pollinating the crops. The productivity of the crops have been known to increase as much as 29% when the bees are in the area. "In recent studies it was indicated that about 90 crops in the U.S. depend on bees at least to some extent."
Besides the benefit of pollination the farmer also receives some honey for allowing the hives to be placed on his land.
Mr. Robson is also one out of 10 people who formed a corporation known as the Hybri‑Bee Corporation. The purpose of the organization is to breed better queen bees. They have customers around the world. "About 500 bees are sold each year according to Mr. Robson.
As early as 1924, honeybees were found in Foster County. Graves and Moore farm east of Carrington had nineteen colonies of bees, nearly 200,000 of them. They reported that about 2,000 pounds of "the best honey in the world" had been gathered from a field of sweet clover. At this time honey was selling for about 25a a pound. Moore and Graves estimated that 6,000 pounds of honey could be gathered from 200 acres of sweet clover.
Independent, November 20, 1924
Dr. R.L. Webster of the Ag College stated that honey was more economical than alcohol for use to prevent automobile radiators freezing during the wintertime.
He said that, "While the cost of the strained honey was more than the same volume of alcohol, it was never necessary to replace the honey as it does not evaporate, making it more economical." He stressed the necessity of having all connections very tight so that the sticky substance is contained and that the radiator should never be allowed to boil over. He recommended that the honey and water be boiled together prior to putting it in the radiator.
Who knows if there be other interesting uses for honey!
Source: A History of Foster County 1983 Page 121