The Comeback of the Kennewick Creamery

The local creamery, like nearly every other co-operative organization, has weathered through some pretty tight places. In fact, in the early days of its existence, it hit the bumps so rapidly and regularly that it took a plunge into receivership. The two obstacles with which the little institution has had to contend were strong competition from city creameries and a lack of confidence on the part of the dairymen. Competition from city creameries is a club with which every little local creamery must expect to be swatted at some time or other. The only protection against this club is the confidence and loyalty of local patrons. No small-town creamery can hope to succeed unless its dealings are with a class of farmers who are willing to give the local institution the benefit of the doubt and who do not rise to the bait of unusually high prices which are occasionally dangled before their eyes by the city creamery. When the creamery was reorganized two years ago, more cream was being shipped out of the valley than was being sold to the local creamery. A far different condition prevails today. The cream can at the railroad siding is practically a thing of the past, and with one or possibly two exceptions, every dairyman from Richland to Hover is a patron of the local creamery. It is not difficult to trace the cause for the local creamery’s success: the farmers, in the face of repeated disappointments, finally succeeded in getting together.