Step Back In Time
May 15, 2004
From the May 1930 National Wool Grower Magazine
"Serve Lamb and Save Money"
The new styles in lamb are coming into their own. Evidence: the mouth-watering description of dishes to be prepared from them in the May, 1930, McCall's Magazine, one of the leading women's magazines of the country.
The article was written by Sarah Field Splint, the director of McCall's Department, who substantiates her title, "Serve Lamb and Save Money," in this way:
"When you read the title of this article what did you think of? Weren't legs of lamb and rib chops the first things that popped into your head? And didn't something like this run through your mind: 'Save money ?lamb is one of the expensive meats ? of course lamb stew is cheap ? but you can't serve it that often.' But a sheep is rather a large animal, after all, and we all know he has a lot more to him than meat, even though most of us don't use that knowledge to save ourselves money. We have fallen into the habit of asking the butcher for the familiar and higher priced cuts, while he has learned to give us only suggestions. Recently our cooking staff set out to discover the sheep's best secrets: we developed so many delicious ways of serving the cheaper cuts of lamb that I haven't half enough space to tell you about all of them here. I can only print a few of our best recipes, but I shall be happy to send you more if you wish them."
Then follow a dozen or so very tempting recipes whose foundation piece is from the forequarter of the lamb carcass.
The value of such an article in a magazine that is read by many thousands of American housewives need not be expressed. It's one of the best ways to increase the demand.
A Satisfied Customer
Mr. Kleber H. Hadsell of Wyoming, who has been untiring in his efforts to advance the cause of truth-in-fabrics, submitted the following lines written by Miss Virginia Nelson of Rawlins, Wyoming. Miss Nelson is eleven years old and, as can be seen, an ardent believer in virgin wool.
- A little wooly lamb am I,
An never was fed full.
But still I'm lucky cause my coat
Is made of virgin wool.
My mother lives up here with me,
An we don't mind the storm.
Because our coats of virgin wool,
Will keep us nice and warm.
We give our fleeces up each year,
To help clothe everybody.
An if folks knew the virgin wool
They never would buy shoddy.
In spite of the long, cold and wet winter the sheep in this section have come through in good shape and the owners are marking one of the largest lamb crops they have had in several years.
Shearing will start the last of May and continue on through June. Most of the wool here is sold through a pool and is generally delivered in early July. At this time (April 22) no offers have been made on this season's clip. In the near future a meeting of the wool growers will be held and a committee appointed to handle the sale.
Feeder lambs will be ready for shipment about September 1, and if the ranges hold up during the next few months, there will be some good stuff for Middle West feeders to turn into their corn fields and feed lots.
As the sheep run at large on the cutover land, and are only gathered at marking, shearing and for shipment in the fall, and as there are no herders, or shearers' unions to deal with and no fences to "ride," the worries of the sheepmen in this section are few. Their chief concern is loss by hogs, dogs, wolves, eagles and a few two-legged "varmints." There is also some loss from stomach worms, but this is not so heavy as in localities where they hold the sheep under herd or in pastures.
We are still fighting scabies, and preparations for a systematic dipping after shearing are being made at this time. Several new dipping vats will be constructed, and we are hoping to get some good results in the work this season. Conditions here are more primitive than in the sheep-raising states farther west, but there is a growing interest not only in scabies eradication work but for a better class of sheep. In the next few years it is expected that sheep scabies will be eradicated, and by the introduction of new rams, better fleeces and lambs will be grown.
R.J. Archer
De Ridder, La.
Japan Purchases Wyoming Sheep
The Japanese government, represented by Commissioner Tomi Yoneda of the Department of Agriculture, purchased 150 Rambouillet ewes and four stud rams from King Bros. Co. of Laramie, Wyoming, the early part of April. The shipment was loaded at Laramie on April 26 and was to be shipped via Seattle to Japan.
28-Hour Law Violated Too Often: Prosecutions Increased in 1929
For failure to observe the requirements of the 28-hour law which provides for the proper feeding, watering and rest of livestock in transit from one state to another, violators have been paying penalties aggregating $27,000 or more in recent years, the Federal Bureau of Animal Industry announces. Compliance with the law rather than penalties is the goal sought, the bureau points out in reminding carriers that violations last year totaled 415, which is a material increase over 284 cases reported for prosecution the previous year.
A Midsummer Convention Considered
Special notices have been sent to all members of the executive committee of the National Wool Growers Association by President Hagenbarth, asking for their consideration of the suggestion to hold a midsummer session of the association to discuss lamb market problems.
The notice reads:
- "Inasmuch as the lamb situation has been critical the past winter and early spring, and feeders have lost heavily in their operations, I feel that the time has come when radical measures must be taken to increase the consumption of lamb. We have talked long enough; now the time for action, and radical action, has arrived.
"I am, therefore, suggesting to you, and asking your approval for the calling of a midsummer session of the National Wool Growers Association immediately preceding the National Ram Sale in August. We desire as much advance notice as possible in order to spread the news thoroughly and develop as much interest as possible.
"Please address: National Wool Growers Association, Salt Lake City, Utah, at your earliest convenience, and state your desires in this matter, as well as any proposals or ideas you may have about it, and oblige.
"Yours sincerely,
F. J. Hagenbarth, Pres."
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