Additional material from the Modoc County, UC Cooperative Extension Records, part of the UC Cooperative Extension Archive at UC Merced, have been digitized and made available on Calisphere. Found in the collection are copies of Modoc County Ranch Roundup, a newsletter dedicated to Cooperative Extension activities in the region, including this issue from 1957.
Modoc County Ranch Roundup, 1957
Two articles publicize some exciting “firsts” for the county. A piece called “The Green and White Score Another First” describes the establishment of a new demonstration program for 4-H participants in Modoc County and the Tulelake Basin region. In its capacity as a youth development program, 4-H delivers an assortment of activities from livestock management, home economic activities, dress revues, summer camps and much more. Participants are encouraged to perform demonstrations which, as the article states, is “the simple procedure of showing someone else how to do a job and explaining it as the work is done.”
Examples of 4-H demonstrations are depicted in several photographs in the UC Cooperative Extension Archive collection from Merced County.
Girl with sewing machine, ca. 1958
Two boys give a presentation on a rifle, ca. 1968
When describing the purpose and value of 4-H demonstrations, the article’s author states that, “demonstrations have a two-fold purpose in teaching recommended practices and helping boys and girls to think clearly, to work skillfully and to talk confidently when addressing an audience.” More activities of 4-H work in Modoc County are viewable in the digitized Annual Reports, in both statistical and narrative formats, available in our online collection.
On the next page, an article entitled, “Modoc Milk Via 2,500 Gallon Tanker Brings New Agriculture Milestone to Modoc Co.” enthusiastically announces the introduction of a large, refrigerated truck to carry milk long distances.
While the old method of transporting milk required back-bending labor, the new truck’s tank carries 2,500-gallons and “is so well insulated that at a 100 degree outside temperature, the milk will raise only four degrees in sixty hours.” This development was a major improvement to milk production and was much celebrated by Cooperative Extension staff working with dairy farmers during that the time.
Check out other issues of Modoc County Ranch Roundup and the rest of the digitized Modoc County, UC Cooperative Extension Records!
