Jasper County Democrat, Volume 13, Number 25, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 July 1910 — Eat Muskrat, Maybe; Farm in Chicago [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Eat Muskrat, Maybe; Farm in Chicago

T* HIC AGO.—“Loin of Chicago Grown v Muskrat with Bullrush Sauce.” Bills of fare in Chicago restaurants will Carry the foregoing item as a., “special, fresh today” entree if the plans of three pioneer “muskrat farmers” culminate in success. The first muskrat farm has Seen started. Its products are to be food and fur. Its market will be Chicago, as a beginning at least, but success may broaden its scope. Mark Gelder, loan merchant. 1732 South State street; Jack Eck, painter, 348 Twentysixth street, and John Horan, Willow Springs, are the proprietors of the farm. Its location is in the “Sag” in the towns of Worth and Palos, 20 miles southwest of Chicago. It comprises 190 acres, is more than a mile

long and consists of the fairest stretch of swamps and shallow, little lakes to be found m this section of the country. It already has a large muskrat population. The birth of the farm came when Gelder signed a lease for the land with Mrs. Catherine Rawlings, its owner, for a term of 15 years, starting on April 16, at a rental of S2OO a year in advance. The farm may figure as a worthy champion in the fight against the high cost of living. Secretary of Agriculture Wilson recently recommended the meat of muskrats as a food. He emphasized its cheapness and its good qualities, including flavor and nutritious value. The farm may enable many people to follow his 'advice. “Our first idea was just to trap for the furs,” said Gelder, “but knowing muskrats were good to eat, we decided to investigate conditions and try ,to promote muskrats as a popular article of diet. We have strong hopes of success, for a trial will convince people that the meat of the muskrat is good.”