Fresh From The West

[Music] life today moves on with vigorous drive and action the forward thrust of progress sets an ever increasing Pace man's love of the wide openen spaces the breadth and sweep of a far-flung view has given way to the narrower confines of ultramodern living today more and more millions of Americans live and work in metropolitan areas their habits of eating are Ed to the tempo of busy lives yet while we are adapting ourselves to a changing manner of life our food preferences are just about what they've always been the influence of the changing seasons on the availability of various Foods has been practically eliminated this is quite evident in the abundance and quality of vegetables in the modern Supermarket the conglomerate mass of dull and unappetizing vegetables that used to be found in the average grocery store has been supplanted by an orderly and colorful Arrangement that appeals to the eye as well as the appetite today people in every Walk of Life are consuming more fresh vegetables than ever before the tomato is widely used as a fresh vegetable in combination with other foods and in sauces sweet corn aside from its popular appeal in the form of a hot buttered ear lends itself well to Mechanical harvesting and handling from Fresh Market canning and freezing cabbage grows well in highly fertile soil is profitable to the planter and is used in green salads coal sloth sauerkraut as a cooked vegetable or a meat wrap beans are one of the oldest vegetables known to man their popularity is due in part to their adap ability to the climate and soil of Western States through hybridization and selection plant breeders have developed improved varieties of stringless pole beans handpicked at the peak of maturity high quality beans share in the increasing demand for fresh vegetables onions are a large volume crop in many Western areas the onion is valued as an export commodity as it lends itself to dehydration in which form it is used in soups and as a food seasoner the onion is a sturdy traveler it is shipped in large quantities to various parts of the [Music] world a tractor with a body of special design is used to harvest broccoli only the bud heads are picked as they reach Prime maturity leaving the rest of the plant intact [Music] [Applause] arti jokes steadily gaining in favor by lovers of good food everywhere are considered a vegetable delicacy by those who enjoy them Western grown celery famous for Quality requires plenty of moisture and grows best in the moderately cool temperatures and fertile soil of the irrigated West celery is grown in many selective areas with varying climates which means that this priz fresh vegetable is found in markets the year round although some celery is packed at Central packing sheds the greater part of the crop is packed sparkling fresh right in the field in paper line crates to preserve quality [Music] the freshly packed crates are lided on this mobile machine and are then ready to be delivered for immediate shipment asparagus an important crop grows well in deep moisture retaining soil of the warm valleys of the western United [Music] States to produce paying crops considerable labor and expense are required for initial plantings which when Once established need no highly specialized upkeep because of the shape of the asparagus stock it is shipped in pyramid type crates the crates are braced in the cars to prevent shifting in growing vegetables under irrigation the land must be leveled to ensure the proper distribution of water during the growing season the land plane does an excellent job of smoothing the surface before starting Preparatory tillage operations which begin with plowing the multiple hydraulic plow affords a good example of the type of modern equipment necessary to large-scale production of quality vegetables the use of choice land and expensive specialized equipment puts the grower of vegetables in the competitive field of big business with all the unpredictable risk it involves in order to prepare a fine mellow seeded several properly timed tilling operations are required [Music] this combined chisel and Spike too tarrow further conditions the soil not only is the top soil loosened and thoroughly tilled but the unders surface is broken up and heated vegetables attain their highest quality when grown in fertile soil rich in organic matter experienced Growers Place great emphasis on the proper preparation of a firm moist seed bed before planting most Growers do their planting in double rows on a broad Ridge with furrows between ridges for irrigation and drainage while the liser is forming the seedbed and Furrow the Outrigger leaves a guide Mark to follow in making the next Ridge in addition to organic matter commercial fertilizers are used extensively to keep the soil at a high level of productivity during the entire growing season fertilizer is drilled in before or at planting time in either case the fertilizer is placed in a band below the seed level this Implement can seed from two to eight rows in a single operation the depth at which the seed is placed varies according to the kind of vegetable and size of seed planted through concrete lined canals great volumes of irrigation water are brought over for long distances from huge storage dams the water is siphoned into furrows of the field at a slow rate of flow and allowed to run until the soil around the plant roots is moistened large quantities of water and a steady supply are essential to the production of Premium vegetables some Growers are put to Great expense in money Time and Labor by providing protectors for the young plants caps are used to stimulate early growth and increased plant yields by creating better growing conditions for certain crops vast acreages of our Western Country are devoted to the cultivation of head lettuce greatly improved growing methods and varieties have kept pace with the ever increasing demand for this popular vegetable more than 3/4 of the thousands of Carlo consumed annually in the United States is produced along the west coast and adjoining territory timely thinning out of plants makes for sturdier growth and leaves ample space for development plants with plenty of room to grow mature fast and are of better quality the plants are blocked out from 12 to 14 in apart ensuring uniformity individual experience determines the frequency with which Le L is irrigated harvesting the lettuce crop furnishes employment for large armies of agricultural workers over periods of many months large solid heads indicate maturity only mature heads of uniform size and quality are selected for Market field packing reduces handling of this highly perishable crop and the freshly cut heads are packed in cartons in a matter of minutes after they are selected and trimmed packing operations take place in the early morning so that the tender heads retain their natural crisp quality right into the carton lettuce comes in many varieties and is a universal crop but the large crisp uniform heads quickly transported to Eastern markets arrive with that field fresh flavor that has made Western grown lettuce famous as a superior vegetable everywhere cartons of lettuce on wooden pallets are picked up from field trucks and carried by mobile hoists into a vacuum cooling plant and placed on movable floor racks the racks of lettuce are rolled into large steel cooling tunnels for quick chilling to cool the lettuce and carton as soon as possible the warm air is pumped out forming a vacuum that causes evaporation of surface moisture bringing the temperature down to 33° in a few minutes refrigerator cars are iced near the loading point in order to have them pre-cooled and ready to receive their cargos of perishable produce without delay the cartons are rolled on conveyors from the coolers to to the Reapers where they are loaded in a further development of the vacuum cooling method the refrigerator car is run into a mammoth vacuum tunnel and both car and its contents are cooled in one [Music] operation carrots are one of the great volume crops in some regions of the West they have a high yield per acre and are a favorite crop with ERS this tractor drawn lifter is loosening carrots as a first step in harvesting field workers gather and arrange them in rows grade them according to size and quality and tie them in [Music] bunches the practice of removing Carrot Tops in the field is proving profitable for both bulk cring and cop [Music] pack the carrots are taken from the field to the Packing Shed where they are thoroughly washed they are then sprayed with pressurized water as they travel an endless belt after washing they continue on through a mechanical grater that separates them according to size Progressive Packers are constantly devising improved methods of grading and packaging enhancing the popular appeal of all varieties of vegetables as a final preparation for packaging expert hands ensure a further degree of perfection by passing only Flawless carrots and tossing out off-grade off color or damaged [Music] carrots uniformly graded in sized the carrots pass between two rows of girls who package them with the aid of a measuring device that drops them into solo bags making possible self-service merchandising in a sanitary convenient and efficient container automatically sealed they are then packed in cartons and shipped in refrigerated cars to Market many people still prefer carrots with tops to meet this demand Packers and shippers continue to create bunched carrots in layers of snow ice which prolongs their original field fresh goodness crates of ice packed carrot shipped clear across the country reach their destination still containing ice in sufficient quantities to assure a product of the same quality and condition as when harvested wrapped in waterproof paper the package is securely bound and the contents protected from dirt and dryness are kept cool and fresh the crates are rolled from the packing house into waiting [Music] cars snow ice in great quantities is blown into the car filling all available space between and around the crates until they are completely embedded in the cooling refrigerant the manufacturer of millions of tons of clean pure ice for the exclusive purpose of preserving produce while in transit and has become an important business Enterprise fast powerful engines and mile long Reaper trains of the Union Pacific Railroad form the all-important link in a chain of Railway Transportation spanning the United States between Western Growers and Eastern buyers trains totaling thousands of carloads of vegetables are delivered daily to Consumers 3,000 M away starting from points in Washington Oregon and Idaho shipments move Eastward those from Southern and central California converge at Ogden Utah where Union Pacific yard facilities make possible the handling of thousands of carloads of perishable produce from all parts of the West at this ultramodern icing dock trains arrive regularly Around the Clock trains consisting solely of refrigerator cars to be reic by this latest mechanical icing unit with a capacity for reising a car in less than 1 minute with two of these icing units in constant operation at one icing dock thousands of tons of ice are cracked and tumbled into reefer cars every hour of the day and night as trains from up and down the Pacific coast arrived to be reic before continuing the long trk Eastward when winter comes the cooling process is reversed the huge quantities of Mammoth ice cubes so essential in summer are supplanted by safe and dependable alcohol heaters in the [Music] winter they are placed in the bunkers at each end of a car to maintain a temperature that will keep the load from freezing no longer do the changing seasons regulate the availability of fresh vegetables to consumer no matter where they are the irrigated West and modern Transportation supplies them throughout the year all trains converge in Southern Wyoming and continue Eastward to Denver and North Plat Nebraska at North Plat eastbound trains are taken apart and the cars quickly reassembled into new trains for continued runs to the east the operation is performed with push button control by an operator in a nearby Tower cars are diverted to different tracks by gravity with speed controlled by the electronic yard Master new trains are made up for movement to Eastern terminals with stops at conso Bluffs in Kansas City for checking reising and delivery to connecting carriers in all directions the movement of perishables requires continuous day and night servicing with the least possible delay no railroad offers more strategically located terminals for diverging of perishable shipments to Points East North and South that and Union Pacific through the Council Bluffs and Kansas City gateways while the nation sleeps mechanized Monsters of the Rails haul trainloads of crisp cool vegetables through the night vegetables for all the cities of the East through Chicago one of the greatest Railway and consumer centers in the world Western vegetables distributed throughout the country north south and east into New York City thousands of carloads of fresh produce for Atlantic Coast cities the most densely populated areas in the country vegetables that look good and are good because they haven't been where they are for very long the display of fresh Western produce in eastern markets any day of the year seems almost unbelievable quality vegetables of today look better and are better the wilted variety once displayed at the Corner Grocery a few months of the year is a faded memory Nationwide distribution by refrigerated railroad Transportation has been an incentive to the grower in his efforts to improve the appearance and quality of every vegetable variety millions of busy Housewives responsible for the careful preparation of wholesome healthful meals for their families are afforded the convenience of a yearr round supply of fresh vegetables so essential to the well-balanced diet keeping Pace with the advantages of Western volume vegetable production and fast refrigerated transportation is the intelligence and cooking skill of today's American housewife always aware of the physical requirements of her family she is constantly improving methods of preparing and cooking vegetables to keep her charges strong and healthy she uses as many fresh raw varieties as possible since they are always available in plent [Music] Supply the vegetables she cooks are prepared to preserve and retain their vitamin and mineral value few people realize the important part played by the grower the Packer the shipper and transporter in making our standard of living the highest of Any Nation on Earth at no time in the history of eating has the vegetable salad achieved more variet iety or a higher degree of crisp crunchy [Music] goodness but primarily the health promoting wholesomeness of fine vegetables is a product of nature a rich growth of the soil in the fertile valleys of the west where many thousands of acres are devoted to the production of prime lettuce lands which once were desert wastes made fertile and prolific by systematic irrigation from the air this cultivated of geometric design looks like a drawing a valley town built and sustained by the product of a land whose entire population earns a living from the fields they plant and cultivate to meet the needs of a Nation the vastness of an area and of an Enterprise is symbolized by the crop duster ever alert to the incessant onslaught of insect pests the land plane tells us that the farmer of today has attracted an army of able assistance to meet the demands of an ever expanding agricultural activity his partners are the horticulturists who help him solve his soil and growing problems the manufacturers of farm machinery who help him till cultivate and harvest the purveyors of chemicals minerals and fertilizers the thousands of seasonal workers always a harvesting problem because labor availability and employment must coincide with crop maturity perishable crops won't stand delay and must be harvested immediately also aiding the grower at Harvest time are the companies that rent and operate mechanized harvesting units rapid growth of the vegetable industry is responsible for the many processing Cooling and icing plants located in Western areas The Familiar string of yellow refrigerator cars is a constant reminder of the growing importance of fast refrigerated Transportation by Union Pacific Railroad in delivering to you garden green vegetables fresh from the West [Music]