CO-OPERATIVE FARMS

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 111, 6 November 1935, Page 19

CO-OPERATIVE FARMS

SUCCESSFUL EXPERIMENT

HENRY FORD'S ESTATE

(From "The. Post's" Representative.)

LONDON, October 5.

The agricultural correspondent of "The Times" tells.of the success oi the co-operative farms established -by Mr. Henry Ford at Boreham, near Chelmsford. Fordson Estates, as they are called, were bought by Mr. Ford after he was in England in 1930. The land was not in a high state of fertility, and it was first necessaf,y';.to restore, its capacity to grow full crop 3 by draining, cleaning, and manuring. As sections of the estate were considered to be in a fit state.of;cultivation co-operative societies were formed, a start with three sections being-made in February, 1934. The results for the first period from February to December, 1934, showed a profit of £1453 on the Boreham Hall farm, £320 on Phillows Farm, and £82 on Lone Barn. These sums have been distributed to the co-operators, in the proportion that their individual wages bear to the members' total wages. The co-operators draw wages each week in respect of their work, |and such wages are in .excess of the minimum agricultural wages laid down by law. Eight of the men on Ihe Boreham Hall farm drew a share of the profits amounting to over £100 last I year. j ASTONISHING PRODUCTION. When returns show that the value ■ of the annual output of food from one '■ farm has been raised to £30,000 from 1 about £2000 before 1931 there seems ' no limit to the potential output of ; market garden crops in this country, ■ says the correspondent. Under the pre- ' vious tenant, who followed mixed farming, seven horses, six men, and a " | boy were employed on 388 acres and "j about £500 a year was paid in wages. Under the present system one horse is employed, three tractors, and 14 perI mancnt workers, whose earnings total £3000. and in addition casual wages j amounting to £1400 were paid for ■, picking and other work during the 31 busy season. Taking the Ihree co- £ operative groups together, the numi ber of men in permanent employment 31 has more than doubled and wages, in--21 eluding casual wages and bonuses, jh?,ve iaoK9 then quadrupled.