Trempealeau County, Wisconsin - Chapter 17: Dairy Interests, 1917

The dairy industry is one of great importance in Trempealeau County. In 1916 the 14 creameries had an output valued at $1,191,950.33, the two cheese factories had an output valued at $10,648.71, and the value placed upon butter made on the farms was $118,321.75, thus giving an aggregate value of $1,320,920.79 to Trempealeau County butter and cheese, in addition to the milk and cream sold, and fed to stock.

The Eleva Co-Operative Creamery Company is located in Albion Township ; the Farmers' Co-Operative Creamery Company in Arcadia Township ; the Glencoe Farmers' Co-Operative Creamery Company at Arcadia Village ; the Dodge Valley Creamery Company in Dodge Township; the Ettrick Creamery Company in Ettrick Township ; the Arctic Springs Creamery Company in Galesville Village ; the Elk Creek Creamery in Hale TownshSip ; the Independence Creamery Company in Independence Village ; the Whitehall Creamery Association in Lincoln Township ; the H. H. Solie Creamery in Osseo Village ; the Williams Creamery Company in Osseo Village ; the P. Ekern Company (Pigeon Falls Creamery) in Pigeon Township; the Preston Creamery Company in Preston, and the Unity Co-Operative Creamery Company in Strum, all manufacturing butter.

Several small cheese factories were started in Trempealeau County in the '60s, the most important of which was that of James Gaveney and Noah Comstock, located on the Comstock farm south of the present village of Arcadia.

The production of milk was not regarded with high favor. Wheat was the big crop, and while the farmers all had a few cows for the purpose of providing milk and meat for family use, stock raising was looked upon merely as a side line, and dairying was of not much more importance than kitchen gardening.

Here and there were housewives noted in nearby villages for their ability as butter-makers, and their product met with a ready local sale, but for the most part the butter made on the farms of the county was of poor quality.

Storekeepers took butter "in trade," and by charging a good price for the goods sold "in trade" usually came out even on the transaction, though much of the butter which they thus took in was suitable only for lubricating purposes, and was in fact often shipped by the merchants to makers of axle grease in the larger cities.

This condition is not to be wondered at, as the farms had few facilities for making butter or for caring for dairy products. On many of the farms there was not even a well. Icehouses were almost unknown. The milk was left to "set" in shallow pans, the cream skimmed off by hand, and saved until a sufficient quantity was collected, when it was put in a wooden keg or earthen crock, and beaten into butter with a wooden paddle. The tumbling barrel churn did not come until later, and was never in extensive use in this county.

Wheat was the staple, and on this the farmers depended for their living. But with the passing of the years, the land refused to repeat its heavy crop of wheat. The cynch bugs also came to work their havoc. At first appearing only in spots, they gradually increased their ravages.

In 1878 came an almost total failure of the wheat crop. For three days, when the wheat was in milk, there were alternating hours of rainstorms and periods of extreme heat, which resulted in baking the kernel and stopping further growth. When the wheat was harvested it weighed but about 30 pounds to the bushel, instead of the 60 pounds which wheat should weigh when fully matured. Only about $3 an acre was realized, and great distress followed.

This failure was almost coincident with the rush to the Dakotas, which affected all the Northwestern States, and many farmers left the county.

Not long after, the creameries were established. Those at Galesville and Arcadia were started in 1883, and the papers of those villages expressed great surprise that butter could actually be made by machinery. In 1885 K. K. Hagestad, of Ettrick, interested the farmers and business men in starting a creamery, and the first co-operative plan creamery in the county was the result.

Creamery operations in Arcadia, as noted, date back to 1883, when a creamery, the old Arcadia Creamery Company, was erected near the Arcadia Mineral Spring. After the creamery had been in operation for some time the Koenig Brothers started a creamery south of the village. The Koenig concern went into bankruptcy and was in time acquired by J. M. Fertig. April 9, 1909, it was incorporated as the Arcadia Co-Operative Creamery Company and absorbed the Arcadia Creamery Company. Later the name was changed to the Arcadia Farmers' Co-Operative Creamery Company. It had been in operation for several years when the Glencoe Farmers' Co-Operative Creamery Company was organized, and the village now supports two creameries.

The Arcadia Farmers' Co-Operative Creamery Company is managed by Ellis G. Bigham. The report for the year ending April 30, 1916, was as follows: Value of property, $4,200; number of patrons contributory, 310; number of cows contributory, about 10 per patron; pounds of cream received, 1,820,250; pounds of butter made, 441,127; amount of money

The Glencoe Co-Operative Creamery Company is managed by J. J. Fernholtz. The report for the year ending April 30, 1916, was as follows : Value of property, $6,000; number of patrons contributory, 170; pounds of butter made, 210,755; amount of money received for products sold, $53,038.59.

Galesville dates its creamery operation from Nov. 1, 1883, when a private concern was organized and started operations. Editorial writers at that time expressed wonderment that butter could actually be made by machinery. The Arctic Springs Creamery was organized as a co-operative association May 3, 1899, with G. 0. Gilbertson, M. J. Scarseth, D. D. Chappell Francis Stellpfling, L. L. Odell, John Bohrnstedt, L. 0. Moe, C. M. Kellogg and George Uhl as directors. Isaac Clark was chairman of the committee and L. L. Odell secretary. The profits the first year were $2,111.87. This company took over the old creamery and as soon as possible erected the present building. The present officers are : W. F. Raichle (president), John Norgaard (vice-president), 0. S. Bergquist (secretary) and J. A. Berg (treasurer). Will Stellpfling, J. R. Barge, F. J. Stellpfling, J. M. Bibby and John Dick. The cream is gathered and 13 routes are maintained.

The report for the year ending April 30, 1916, is as follows : Value of property, $5,000; number of patrons contributory, 300; number of cows contributory, 2,800; pounds of butter made, 525,1681/2; amount of money received for products sold, $158,734.90.

The Ettrick Creamery Association was organized by farmers and business men of the vicinity, and incorporated Oct. 23, 1885, with officers as follows: K. K. Hagestad, president; Johannes A. Hogden, vice-president; Iver Knutson, treasurer; C. F. Ringlee, secretary. This association served its patrons successfully on a co-operative basis until 1907, when most of the stockholders having quit tilling the soil, or moved away, it was thought advisable to reorganize, so that its patrons could have an active voice in its management. With this in view the Ettrick Creamery Company was organized by about 200 stockholders, with a capital stock of $3,000, March 25, 1907. This company bought the stock of the old association. It is now doing a business amounting to nearly $150,000 yearly. The present officers are as follows: A. J. Ekern, president; A. C. Hagestad, vice-president; R. J. Cantlon, treasurer; A. P. Ofsdahl, secretary; directors, Ed. Quammen, Ole Mustad and M. B. Hilten. The i-eport for the year ending April 30, 1916, is as follows: Value of property, $6,500; number of patrons contributory, 400; amount of money received for products, $119,439.35.

The Pigeon Falls Creamery is located at Pigeon Falls, in Pigeon Township, and is owned by the P. Ekern Company. The report for the year ending April 30, 1916, was as follows: Value of property, $3,500; number of patrons contributory, 210; number of cows contributory, 2,520; pounds of butter made, 356,324.8; amount received for products sold, $121,058.52.

the same year. Mr. Ekern operated the creamery up to May 1, 1892, at which time he sold the institution to a farmers' organization, the Pigeon Creamery Association, incorporated April 9, 1892. This association operated the creamery until the middle of October, the same year, or for about five and a half months, when it burned. It was promptly rebuilt on the same premises by P. Ekern and opened again for business Dec. 1, 1892, Mr. Ekern conducting the creamery from that date to April 19, 1898, when this branch, together with other business interests of P. Ekern, was incorporated as the P. Ekern Company. The present officers are: Andrew Ekern, president; Minnie Sletteland, vice-president; B. M. Sletteland, secretary, treasurer and manager. The butter-maker is John A. Houkom, who has held this position since April 1, 1895. The Holstein and Durham cattle are the principal breeds raised by the patrons. For a number of years there were two large separators run at the creamery, taking in only milk at that time. A skimming station was also run in connection at Northfield, Jackson County, whence the cream was hauled by the company's own teams to the creamery. These separators were removed years ago when the individual farm separators took their place. An exchange station is still maintained at Northfleld. In 1897 an addition was built and equipped for a cheese factory, but was discontinued as such after being operated one season.

The first creamery in Dodge was operated by the Dodge Creamery Company. This company was organized in 1902, with M. J. Kulas as president, J. K. Rezob as treasurer, and Joseph Jeriski as secretary. This company sold out, in 1907, to F. J. Rohn. He was the sole owner, but operated the concern under the name of the Rohn & Kulas Creamery Company. In the spring of 1909 the wooden building was burned, and Mr. Rohn erected the present adequate edifice of solid brick on the old foundation, resuming operations in August, 1909. On Feb. 14, 1914, W. 0. Berthol and B. C. Kreher acquired the creamery under the name of the Dodge Valley Creamery and have since successfully conducted it. For the year ending April 30, 1917, the company took in $28,120.78, and of this paid the patrons $23,646.22. There are 96 patrons, averaging about 20 cows each. The favorite breeds are the Polled Durham and the Wisconsin natives. The report for the year ending April 30, 1916, is as follows: Value of property, $4,000 ; number of patrons contributory, 96 ; number of cows contributory, 600; pounds of milk received, 1,900,000; pounds of butter made, 100,000; amount of money received for products sold, $26,000. This creamery is a thriving and growing company under excellent management and ownership, both of the owners being substantial citizens in every respect.

The Eleva Co-Operative Company is located in Eleva, Samuel Bollinger being the manager. The report for the year ending April 30, 1916, was as follows: Value of property, $2,800; number of patrons contributory, 190; number of cows contributory, 1,312; pounds of cream received, 1,245,454; pounds of butter made, 327,4781/2; amount of money received for products sold, $87,093.86.

the owner. The report for the year ending April 30, 1916, was as follows : Value of property, $2,500 ; number of patrons contributory, 90 ; number of cows contributory, 800 ; pounds of milk received, 336,000 ; pounds of butter made, 90,720 ; amount of money received for products sold, $26,116.

The Independence Creamery Company is located at Independence Village, its manager being Jacob Jackson. The report for the year ending April 30, 1916, was as follows: Value of property, $4,000; number of patrons contributory, 200; number of cows contributory, 1,000; pounds of milk received, 916,896; pounds of butter made, 224,364; amount of money received for products, $58,168.38. This company was incorporated Feb. 6, 1894.

The Whitehall Creamery Association is located in the township of Lincoln, its manager being N. L. Fredrickson. The report for the year ending April 30, 1916, was as follows: Value of property, $3,000; number of patrons contributory, 450 ; number of cows contributory, 4,050 ; pounds of butter made, 397,600 ; amount of money received for products sold, $110,000. This creamery was incorporated May 27, 1892.

The H. H. Solie Creamery is located at Osseo Village and is owned by H. H. Solie. The report for the year ending April 30, 1916, was as follows: Value of property, $3,000 ; number of patrons contributory, 82 ; number of cows contributory, 800; pounds of milk received, 312,300; pounds of butter made, 77,850 ; amount of money received for products sold, $23,356.

The Williams Creamery Company is located at Osseo Village, and is owned by Charles A. Williams. The report for the year ending April 30, 1916, was as follows : Value of property, $2,390 ; number of patrons contributory, 100; number of cows contributory, 700; pounds of butter fat received, 106,625.28 ; pounds of sweet cream, 40,643.40 ; butter made, 133,- 793; amount of money received for butter, $37,393.06; for sweet cream, $16,306.05.

The Preston Creamery Company is located at Blair Village, its manager being Thomas Mattison. The report for the year ending April 30, 1916, was as follows : Value of property, $2,800 ; number of patrons contributory, 300; number of cows contributory, 3,000; pounds of butter made, 423,845; amount of money received for products sold, $116,613.62. This company was incorporated Jan. 23, 1899.

The Unity Co-Operative Creamery Company is located in Strum, Unity Township, J. P. Hanson being the manager. The report for the year ending April 30, 1916, was as follows: Value of property, $5,000; number of patrons contributory, 325 ; number of cows contributory, 2,000 ; pounds of butter made, 438,374; amount of money received for products sold, $119,324.19.

The Little Elk Cheese Association is located in Chimney Rock Township, the president being H. Weum. The record for the year ending April 30, 1916, was as follows : Value of the property, $700. Number of patrons contributory, 16 ; number of cows contributory, 250 ; pounds of milk received, 450,398 ; cheese made, 45,694 ; amount of money received for products sold, $6,158.71.

by H. H. Solie. The report for the year ending April 30, 1916, was as follows: Value of property, $3,000; number of pati'ons contributory, 82; number of cows contributory, 800; pounds of milk received, 312,300; cheese made, 77,850 ; amount of money received for products sold, $23,356.00.

The totals for the creameries for the year ending April 30, 1916, are as follows: Number, 14; value, $54,690.00; number of patrons contributory. 3,241 ; number of cows contributory, 26,922 ; number of pounds of butter made, 4,176,398 ; amount of money received for products sold, $1,191,950.33.

The totals for the cheese factories for the year ending April 30, 1916, are as follows: Number, 2; value, $1,700.00; number of patrons contributory, 42; number of cows contributory, 520; number of pounds of milk received, 815,398 ; pounds of cheese made, 79,314 ; amount of money received for products, $10,648.71.

The only village in which butter was made in any considerable quantity outside the creameries was Independence, where 700 pounds, valued at $195, was made in homes.