Statement of Henry W. Hardy, Sidney, MT
Lower Yellowstone Valley, 1929-1930

"I expect to reside on the Lower Yellowstone Project in eastern Montana as long as I live. I came here from Wisconsin in 1900. Lamb feeding, hog feeding and beet and bean raising are my principal enterprises and my 270-acre farm has made money for me every year I have owned it. Corn, barley, beet tops and alfalfa grown on the place are accessories in my feeding operations.

This year the farm had 65 acres of corn to hog and lamb down. It yielded at the rate of 30 bushels to the acre. Thirty acres of alfalfa made an average of two tons of hay to the acre in two cuttings and the third crop was used for pasture.

My barley this year on 42 acres averaged 60 bushels to the acre. This will be used for sheep and hog feed. Forty-three acres of sugar beets made an average yield of 14 tons to the acre. I raised 50 acres of beans this year. They yielded as high as 20 bushels to the acre, making a return of $60 an acre. It costs $15 an acre to produce this crop.

Lamb and hog feeding gives me a good price for the products on this soil. Beet pulp also is available to use in feeding. We keep cows and poultry to supply products for our own use and always have garden crops. Potatoes yield well here. Beets on my ground have produced as high as 20 tons to the acre.

"I came to this section 24 years ago, and after the first year took a homestead. Did my first farming in 1904 and raised good crops of corn, wheat and oats. continued farming with varying success until 1911 when we began irrigating and growing alfalfa, corn and grain for feed. The past few years sugar beets, peas and beans have been very successful.

We have a cheese factory and creamery at Fairview which helps to encourage the dairy industry and gives a cash income twice a month.

Raising sheep in small bands is proving profitable as we have the best of feed in alfalfa hay, corn and beet tops and pulp. I have raised hogs profitably for 10 years. We usually get from 50 to 75 bushels of corn to the acre and have the advantage of markets both east and west.

We now have a sugar beet factory in this valley that contracts for beets in advance and insures the price the farmer will get for his beets. In recent years the contract price has been $6 a ton minimum but the settlement price has been between $8 and $9 a ton. Good fields yield 15 tons to the acre.

My farm now comprises 320 acres of irrigated land. The farm is fully equipped with horses and machinery including a threshing machine. The buildings are all modern with electric lighting and pressure water system and hot water heating system. The house and barn cost about $12,000. The place is not for sale at any price.

Neighbors have done as well or better. There are good opportunities for farmers in the Yellowstone Valley here. We have the best of schools and churches, telephone, rural free mail delivery and radios in nearly every home."