A window in time: Merrimack Farmers' Exchange in crisis and tradition/ by Charles F. Sheridan.

Title:

A window in time: Merrimack Farmers' Exchange in crisis and tradition/ by Charles F. Sheridan.

Author:

Sheridan, Charles F.

Call Number:

630 M571s

Publication Information:

Brookline, NH: Hobblebush Books, 2010.

Physical Description:

84 p.: illustrations; 22.5 cm.

Description:

Merrimack Farmers' Exchange, Inc., a New Hampshire statewide farmers' cooperative, was a fixture in the agricultural life of New Hampshire from its founding in 1920. This book tells about the organization of one of the first farm cooperatives in New Hampshire and three events that brought about its demise in the early 1980s, after 50 years of successful operation: first by a very large embezzlement followed two years later by local businessmen attempting to acquire its ownership by tactics known on Wall Street as a "Raid"; and finally, by its eventual sale on terms very favorable to its farmer/owners and employees. These significant events caused the farmer/owners to reconsider the Exchange's prospects for success as a cooperative in light of changes which were impacting small farms as well as the aging of its membership. While the sale produced a bonanza for the Exchange's farmer/owners, it also resulted in the loss of their sense of community and unity of purpose which only a cooperative could provide. The story is told through the experiences of Charles Sheridan, the attorney for Merrimack Farmers' Exchange, during this transformative period. Mr. Sheridan tells the story from both a personal and legal perspective that is enjoyable as well as informative.

Subjects:

Agriculture New Hampshire.

Organizations:

Merrimack Farmers' Exchange, Inc.

Terms of Use:

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Credit Line:

New Hampshire Historical Society Purchase; July,27,2010