, 9/30/76 interview

Introduction

Segerstroms Role In Farmers Union Local
Scope and Content Note: RS president of Naples-Mondovi Farmers Union local #41 from 1932 to 1937; MS secretary from 1943 to present (1976).

Importance Of Farmers Union Youth Program
Scope and Content Note: Has helped keep family together; teaches legislation, education, and cooperation. Recalls how Chester Dodge, Mondovi school principal, approved student absence to attend Farmers Union state conventions because of educational value.

Advantages Of Farmers Union Youth Program
Scope and Content Note: Lessons taught from age eight; major advantages include opportunity to attend state Farmers Union camp and to earn trips to national camp in Colorado. Segerstrom children and grandchildren have attended national camp.

Location Of Youth Program Local Meetings
Scope and Content Note: Met at first in farm homes; later in Mondovi city building. Junior leaders conduct monthly youth meetings.

Location Of Farmers Union Meetings
Scope and Content Note: At first in members' homes; later moved to Naples town hall or schoolhouse. Earl Robinson guided merger between Mondovi and Naples locals.; local now meets in Mondovi city building.

Comparison Of Farmers Union Youth Program And 4-H
Scope and Content Note: Farmers Union youth program has broader view that stresses legislation, education, and cooperation, while 4-H emphasis on developing skills related to specific aspects of farm life. Many children belong to both groups.

Farmers Union Organizes First Camp
Scope and Content Note: MS involved in first week-long Farmers Union camp at Chetek. Ruth Huntington, first state Farmers Union junior leader with 4-H experience, and some national junior leaders helped to organize youth program and camp.

Farmers Union President Kenneth Hones First Suggests Building Farmers Union Youth Camp
Scope and Content Note: Hones, a nature-lover, suggested establishment of independent Farmers Union youth camp.

Farmers Union Raises Money For Camp
Scope and Content Note: Raised money through locals, cooperatives, sales, basket socials. Segerstroms donated much money and labor.

Farmers Union Members Help Build Camp
Scope and Content Note: MS recalls clearing out brush before getting first building started. RS remembers digging out for fireplace and trenches for foundation, putting on siding, constructing chimney for main building. All labor voluntary; no electricity at first.

Ken Hones's Contribution To Camp Development
Scope and Content Note: Kamp Kenwood named for Hones, possibly at Jean Long's suggestion. Hones prepared layout and building plans. Allowed few trees to be cut; left little auto parking space.

Junior Leaders Attend Camp
Scope and Content Note: Junior leaders attended camp every summer.

Kamp Kenwood Schedule
Scope and Content Note: Beginners attend three days; juniors for one week. Chaperones and lifeguards watch children. Legislation, education, and cooperation instruction for several hours each morning. In the afternoon children play, perform skits, run. cooperative stores to learn management.

Camp Admits Children Of Non-Farmers Union Members
Scope and Content Note: City children may attend as visitors.

End Tape 4, Side 1

Introduction

Farmers Union Permits Children Of Non-Members To Attend Kamp Kenwood
Scope and Content Note: As guests, although Farmers Union children have first priority.

Farmers Union Juniors Plant Trees At Camp In 1940's
Scope and Content Note: In 1940's juniors planted over five hundred pine trees to line camp road.

Location Of Kamp Kenwood
Scope and Content Note: On Lake Wissota near Chippewa Falls. All log buildings constructed from trees on property.

Relationship Between Farmers Union Local And Cooperatives In Mondovi And Eleva
Scope and Content Note: Although seventy-five to eighty per cent of Mondovi Equity Cooperative patrons are farmers, not necessary to be member of Farmers Union. Anyone, including townspeople, who patronize cooperative can share in cooperative dividends.

Relationship Between Cooperative And Farmers Union Central Exchange
Scope and Content Note: Mondovi cooperative also operated large feed mill and corn bins. Cooperative early bought fuel from Skelly Oil Company; later pro-Farmers Union directors control board of Mondovi Equity Cooperative. When Farmers Union member Francis Diller hired as manager, cooperative affiliated with Central Exchange.

Segerstroms Attend Central Exchange Annual Meeting In Twin Cities
Scope and Content Note: Attended Central Exchange annual meetings each year beginning in mid-1930's. Impressed with speakers, enjoyed banquets. Later, Segerstroms helped organize busloads for $2.50 to $3.00 apiece and arranged for free meals.

New Building Of Farmers Union Grain Terminal Association (GTA)
Scope and Content Note: Attended open house for new GTA headquarters building in about 1933-1934. “ Overnight” profits on flax paid for building. Segerstroms knew M.W. Thatcher personally; admired ex-teacher Frank Livingston who gave visitors tour of the building.

Central Exchange Annual Meetings Stimulate Patronage Of Local Cooperatives
Scope and Content Note: Visitors to Central Exchange annual meetings impressed by set-up; helped build patronage in local Farmers Union cooperatives.

More Discussion On Bus Trips To Central Exchange Annual Meetings
Scope and Content Note: MS organized busloads to Central Exchange for ten to fifteen years. Mondovi Equity Cooperative began to pay for buses when Francis Diller became manager. No bus trips during last few years.

Central Exchange Helps Finance State And Local Farmers Union Organizations
Scope and Content Note: Central Exchange returns percentage of income to state Farmers Union for education; money distributed to locals. MS feels youth program would have financial problems without Central Exchange.

Elements Necessary For Successful Cooperative
Scope and Content Note: Manager must be cooperative-minded, believe in cooperative philosophy. Directors must set example by cooperative patronage. Manager must be a good businessman. Francis Diller manager for twelve years, “really put the Mondovi Equity... where it is today.” Got along well with private businessmen. Central Exchange distributes certain percentage of margin to local cooperatives.

End Tape 4, Side 2

Introduction

Membership And Attendance Trends In Naples-Mondovi Farmers Union Local
Scope and Content Note: Membership steady, but attendance at meetings has dropped. More diversions, such as bowling and school events, reduce attendance at local and cooperative meetings.

Farmers Have Less Free Time With Modern Machinery
Scope and Content Note: Greater reliance on machinery since 1930's fails to provide more free time. Care of more efficient but expensive machinery, larger herds, night field work, second jobs, all reduce farmers' time for Farmers Union and other meetings. Segerstroms feel they would rather farm in 1930's than in 1976.

Hard Times Bring Farmers To Farmers Union Meetings
Scope and Content Note: Good attendance at meetings when people in distress, as during the Depression. RS sees hard times in neighborhood in 1976 because of three years of drought, high interest rates, and high debts.

Good Attendance At Farmers Union State Meetings
Scope and Content Note: MS optimistic over improved attendance at state Farmers Union meetings and at special meetings on important issues; believes people aware of FU influence on national legislation.

Attendance At Farmers Union Meetings During World War II
Scope and Content Note: High during 1940's; has fallen steadily since 1950's.

Early Farmers Union State Conventions
Scope and Content Note: First area meeting held in 1929 in Dunn County; first state convention held in Menomonie in 1930. First state convention raucous affair with much competition over leadership and platform. Little intensive debate at later meetings; general agreement on desire for higher prices for produce. Conventions peaceful during Hones presidency; members satisfied with his organizational ability.

Communists Fail To Infiltrate Farmers Union
Scope and Content Note: In early 1950's Jenkins of Dunn County, a communist, tried to undermine Farmers Union through education department. Hones found communist literature in education program and burned it; could have been troublesome for Farmers Union during McCarthy period.

Farmer Radicalism In The Segerstrom's Neighborhood
Scope and Content Note: No radicals in neighborhood.

Dissension Within Farmers Union
Scope and Content Note: Friction between Hones and Mary Jo Weiler and Warren Miller in late 1930's due more to personalities than substance.
Note: Meant to say Warren Nelson, state secretary in late-1930's.

M.W. Thatcher Effective Proponent Of Central Exchange
Scope and Content Note: Good speaker; persuaded farmers that strong cooperatives in Twin Cities would benefit all farmers whether cooperative members or not. Experienced in grain business, Thatcher could demonstrate to farmers advantages of cooperation.

Comments On Charles Talbott

Comments On A.N. Ricker

Membership Dues In Farmers Union
Scope and Content Note: Membership dues dropped from $7.50 when Segerstroms first joined to $2.50 during hard times of 1934-1936. Increases since.

Farmers Union Juniors Get Farmers Union Life Insurance Policy
Scope and Content Note: Those who complete youth program and first year of junior work receive free $1,000 insurance policy; recipient pays $1.00 per year on policy thereafter.

RS Farmers Union Insurance Agent
Scope and Content Note: RS one of first area Farmers Union insurance agents; sold for 23 years until 1971.

Farmer-Labor Progressive Federation (FLPF)
Scope and Content Note: RS believed Farmers Union membership in FLPF in 1930's would mean greater influence on national legislation; helped support political candidates who were La Follette progressives.

Political Rally Attended By Phil La Follette
Scope and Content Note: Recalls meeting at Durand where Phil La Follette spoke to 2,000-3,000 people gathered at Tom Pattison's. RS worked hard for Phil La Follette.

End Tape 5, Side 1

Introduction

Continuation Of Discussion About Meeting At Pattison's

Comments On Robert La Follette, Jr.
Scope and Content Note: Seldom at area meetings, though sometimes at Farmers Union state conventions. RS recalls that La Follette a good speaker who held the old La Follette philosophy.

La Follette Returns To Republican Party; Segerstroms Join With Democrats
Scope and Content Note: Dismayed when Bob La Follette, Jr. returned to Republican party in 1940's. Segerstroms became Democrats, as party philosophy had changed. Feel Roosevelt brought U.S. out of crisis; Harry Truman also “wonderful.”

Wisconsin Democrats During Governorship Of Albert Schmedeman
Scope and Content Note: During Schmedeman's term, philosophy of Wisconsin Democrats not like that of national party under Roosevelt.

Most Progressives In Segerstrom's Neighborhood Become Democrats
Scope and Content Note: Most Progressives became Democrats when Wisconsin party reorganized.

Early Leaders In Buffalo County Area Who Help Organize New Democratic Party
Scope and Content Note: Included Arthur Hitt, Adolph and Verna Maasson, Arthur Benjamin, Elmer Steiner, Progressives in 1930's.

RS Joins Democratic Party
Scope and Content Note: RS voted for Roosevelt in 1930's; began to support local Democratic candidates in 1940's after demise of Progressives. Historically, Buffalo county heavily Republican, but has “gone a long way these past years.” RS chairman of Buffalo county Democratic party for six years and helped bring about change. Over 350 county members in 1976.

Why Democratic Party Begins To Challenge Republican Party In Buffalo County
Scope and Content Note: Democrats beat many old Republicans because Democratic programs help farmers, small businessmen, and working people. Truman years best for farmer in terms of prices and profits. People did well under Democrats; “moved up” in the 1940's after the hard times of the 1930's. No reason to support Republicans, the party of the rich.

Why Farmers Should Work With Urban Workers
Scope and Content Note: Although workers want low food prices, and farmers want to sell for high prices, the two groups are interdependent; must buy products of each other's labor. Concerned, however, about such arrangements as “Russian wheat deal.”

Agriculture Educates Labor
Scope and Content Note: Farmers trying to educate workers to understand rural problems, especially in matter of parity income. Parity level of 75 per cent established during Eisenhower administration not high enough in 1976.

Comments On Government Bureaucracy
Scope and Content Note: Many government organizations with similar functions should be consolidated; national government should be as efficient as any private enterprise, according to RS.

Farmers Need Government-Administered Parity Levels
Scope and Content Note: RS supports government parity price controls to protect farmers against uncertainty of “supply and demand.” Opposes establishment of wages above parity by organized labor. Full parity with definite floor and ceiling worked during Truman's administration; changed by Republicans.

Farmers Union Members Travel To Washington, D.C. To Meet With Government Leaders
Scope and Content Note: RS went in 1953 and MS in 1954 to Washington to speak with congressional representatives and administration officials. Eisenhower and agriculture secretary Ezra Taft Benson reluctant to meet with Farmers Union representatives. Particularly irritated because Benson had lowered parity level for milk from 90 to 75 per cent; for Segerstroms meant loss of $100 per month.

Comments On Senator Alexander Wiley
Scope and Content Note: Republican who nevertheless received much Democratic support. Good on some issues, willing to meet with Farmers Union representatives, but never did much.

Comments On Melvin Laird
Scope and Content Note: Refused to meet with any Wisconsin Farmers Union representatives who were not district constituents.

Comments On Lester Johnson
Scope and Content Note: Very good Congressman.

Comments On Vernon Thomson
Scope and Content Note: Republican who always promised much during election campaigns but did little. Improved in later years because of stiff Democratic challengers.

Comments On Others Who Ran Against Vernon Thomson
Scope and Content Note: Mention unsuccessful campaign of Democrat Gunnar A. Gundersen. Ray Short from Platteville a good man, as was Alvin Baldus from Eau Claire. Feel individual farmers have fared better under Democrats than Republicans, but will support Republicans who do a good job.

Crops And Livestock During Early Years Of Farming
Scope and Content Note: Farmed 120 acres in four-year rotation; divided almost equally between 20-25 acres clover timothy and oats; 20-25 corn; 20-25 hay; and 20-25 pasture. Had 20-22 milking cows, plus 15 younger cows to replenish herd. Also had four horses.

End Tape 6, Side 1

Introduction

More On Livestock During Early Years Of Farming
Scope and Content Note: Farm supported around 100 hogs. Had 150-200 laying hens, bought chicks every year. Bought groceries with egg money. Usually bought a little corn for hogs. Never bought hay since crops and pasture sufficient to feed cattle.

Farm Machinery From 1920's
Scope and Content Note: Bought used grain binder for $50 in 1924. Bought used drill, springtooth harrow. Also had corn binder to cut and bind corn for silo filling. Shared threshing machines, corn shredders, and silo fillers with other farmers.

Early Farm Income
Scope and Content Note: Before 1930's got about six cents per pound for hogs. Managed fairly well although cream check not too large.

Herd
Scope and Content Note: Usually bought oil-meal to add protein to feed for cows. Good herd of Guernseys which averaged 400 pounds butterfat. Cow tester came, first one in 1920's.

Raising Alfalfa
Scope and Content Note: Liming program led to alfalfa. Later, mixed timothy and broom grass with alfalfa to improve pasture. Always mowed hay, forked it loose and filled 30 x 70 barn. Later, got wire hay baler and baling fork to help get hay into mow.

Later Machinery Purchases
Scope and Content Note: Relatively little invested in machinery. First tractor a 10 W which cost $360. In 1945, purchased International Harvester tractor, though still used horses for hauling manure in winter and planting corn.

Milkhouse
Scope and Content Note: Built milkhouse in 1947 for Grade B milk. Cooler held six to eight cans; used cans until quit farming.

Sells Herd And Machinery And Quits Farming
Scope and Content Note: Auctioned dairy herd as well as some machinery in 1958; son left for military service and farming too much work without his help.

Builds Concrete Silo
Scope and Content Note: In 1942 builder from Downsville (Dunn county) offered to build 12 x 40 concrete silo for less than $600. Same builder contracted with other farmers in area. Wanted more stable silo since old wooden one had blown down twice.

Hired Labor
Scope and Content Note: No hired labor until sons got older, except for occasional day work in busy seasons.

Relationship With County Agent
Scope and Content Note: Saw county agent occasionally at meetings, but received little help on farm improvements. RS kept up with farm developments by reading extensively after his normal school agricultural course. Cow tester provided new information on feeding.

Compares Drought In 1970's To One In 1930's
Scope and Content Note: Buffalo county shortage of rain for last three years (1973-1976) has brought drought just as bad as in 1934-1936. Ground dry “clear down”; much moisture needed, especially for type soil in area. Good land cracking open as deep as eight feet near brother's farm around St. Peter, Minnesota.

Farmers Cut Pine Tree Windbreaks
Scope and Content Note: Some farmers extend crop acreage by removing pine trees planted during Depression to prevent sand erosion.

Little Direct Aid From National Government During 1930's
Scope and Content Note: Received no subsidy to purchase grass and hay for cows. Farmers paid for transportation of lime. Some farmers in 1930's unable to take lime or fertilizer because they had no equipment for spreading.

Orchard And Garden
Scope and Content Note: Has always had orchard; grew apples, plums, berries. Always had a large garden, and proud of Concord grapes.

Comments On Future Of Rural Life And Farming
Scope and Content Note: RS generally optimistic, but concerned with need for government to provide incentives to keep young folks on farm despite high costs and interest rates. Fears corporate ownership will squeeze out family-size farm. MS feels farming good experience; they planned carefully, managed with what they had, never went into debt. Easy credit in 1976 has led to credit over-use.

Cooperative Commonwealth And Organizational Membership Among Farmers
Scope and Content Note: Still a possibility with greater support from more people. Farm Bureau, Farmers Union, and National Farmers Organization all working for same things; have decided to compete less and work together to sign up members. Important that collective membership of farmers' organizations increases. Some farmers in Buffalo county belong to more than one general organization. Segerstroms believe that Farm Bureau in particular has changed; greater sympathy than before for retaining family-size farm.

End Of Interview