Fall harvest district news

wayne’s grain-growing abilities.

An old timer once told me, if you wanted to gain the confidence of a horse, you needed to look them in the eye and gently breathe for several minutes into their nostrils.

The horse would then decide if it could trust you or not. I believe this to be true as the horse must give of themselves if it is to be a healthy and productive relationship for both.

Vern McClelland is an associate broker with RE/ MAX of Lloydminster and an active partner in his family’s livestock operation. Comments on this article are welcome either by emailing vernmcclelland@remax.net or calling 306-821-0611

As summer slowly wound down, the annual fall harvest was in full swing for our district’s farming community (1910). From the welcome hum of the mower to the rhythmic “click, click” sound of the binder, farmers in the Marwayne district had begun their harvest.

The ripe waving grain was ready and acres were methodically cut down.

Crops looked good and prairie farmers hoped for a high yield. As harvest progressed, the land looked like encampments of settlers as stooks gracefully rose from the prairie land and seemed to stand guard.

Mr. Wm. McIvor was once again in the community acting as an engineer on Mr. Person’s steam plow.

There was a flourish of new development in this area including a new granary which further validated Mar -

There wasn’t a lot of fishing happening at the river as farmers harvested their bumper crops. The wellattended monthly meeting of the UFA was held at a local residence.

Trustees of the Bell Camp School District were advertising tenders for the building of a new school.

Members of the Grain Growers Association met at the Greenwood schoolhouse to discuss routine agenda items. A brief discussion about the ongoing relationships between the town and country, including their obvious interrelationships came up. Although a little competition is always welcome in any business, Lashburn was selling binder twine at three cents more per pound than Lloydminster merchants.

All the prizes for calves in the dairy class at the recent Agricultural Show were won by the Greenwood district. In each case, they were won by Holstein grades.

Despite the crops being very patchy for the first time, cutting grain was in full swing with reports of good yields.

Folks were encouraged by the rumour of a possible packing plant being built in Lloydminster. This was welcome news for the agricultural district.

Harvesting was in full swing with reports of the grain north of town as being very favourable in the Marshall district.

In previous years, this area typically experienced frost damage.

The heavy soil was rich and despite the lack of rain, the quality and quantity of the grain in the Marshall district was much improved from the year before.

A new harness shop opened, which was an advantage to the farming community as it saved long trips to nearby towns for equipment or repairs. The owner was formerly from the Lashburn district.

The much-needed grading of Main Street was awarded and work began quickly for a noticeable improvement. A culvert was laid down which would carry the water across the railroad track.

The lakes north and south of Marshall were being considered for use by the CNR to supply water for the everincreasing demand for locomotives. Council was busy making a new road south of town which would help the farmers draw their grain.

Harvesting the fields was, and still is, a fulfilling experience for the farming community as they receive their hardearned rewards from the prairie land.