Farm Fresh Bruce County
Digital Exhibit
Early in Bruce County’s history, farmers were able to produce more than they needed and participated in the larger market, feeding those outside the County’s borders. Early ports such as Malta, Port Bruce, Kincardine, Inverhuron and Southampton became places where farmers could take their wheat, which was then transported by ship through the Great Lakes and to the United States. Other settlers, who weren’t farmers, such as Southampton’s Captain John Spence, made a living transporting wheat and other goods out of Bruce to bring to market. Marketing on a local scale also took place and small businesses, some on a cooperative basis, sprang up throughout the County, making use of local surplus to feed the growing local village populations.
The railroad was a key element that allowed farmers to
participate in the market. When the railroad came to
Walkerton, the first train to leave the station was loaded
with produce and livestock. With the arrival of the railroad,
inland towns and villages became shipping points, which in
turn attracted tradespeople causing the community to grow.
Farmers took their livestock to the railroad station where there
were stock yards and weigh stations set up. In other situations,
buyers, known as drovers, came to the farm, purchased animals,
then drove them on foot to the nearest transportation point.
By the 1930s, transportation of livestock by truck began to
replace the train, and by 1950s the railway was no longer used.
In the 1950s there was a rise in community livestock auctions
as many farmers were unhappy with the prices and conditions
set by the Ontario Stock Yard. Bruce was no exception and
there were community auctions in Bervie, Cargill, Kincardine,
Lucknow, Paisley, and Tiverton.
In 1977 the Ontario Beef Exchange Limited was created by six
farmers from Dobbinton, Holyrood and Kincardine. It was a
solution to tensions regarding livestock sales practices and
revolutionized sales by using video. Packers and buyers came
together to view livestock by video and bid. This system had
many benefits. Farmers were not required to transport their
animals which was a cost savings, there was less stress on the
animals which kept their weight up and had the added benefit
of not allowing the possible spread of livestock disease. Ontario
Beef Exchange Limited merged with the Kitchener-Waterloo
Stockyards Ltd., which later became the Ontario Livestock
Exchange Ltd.
Since the early days, Bruce’s settlers were not only producers;
they also took part in the processing of produce and livestock.
One early industry was pork packing, located in Kincardine,
first operated by William Rastall. Other early processors were
creameries and cheese factories. The Teeswater Creamery,
established in 1875, was the first creamery in Ontario, second
in Canada. Throughout the 20th century, there were several
processing industries including dairies, fruit packers, turnip
waxing, egg grading, cucumber grading and meat packers.
As the successful surplus of produce and meat products allowed communities to grow, several food specialists came into the community and established businesses. Early among these were bakers, grocers and butchers. Separate from the general store that provided dry goods, butchers and grocers specialized in fresh produce and meat.
As seen in gazetteers and directories, there could be several grocers servicing the same community. In 1880, there were 10 grocers listed in Kincardine. In the same year, in smaller communities, several grocers are listed; however, they often had another occupation as well. In some cases, their occupations were food-related, such as bakers, or crockery dealers. Alex Colborne of Paisley is listed as a harness dealer and grocer, and William Mathie, also of Paisley, is listed as a grocer and painter.
Butchers, for the most part, did not have an additional occupation, but like grocers there could be several servicing the same community. Butchers often also participated in local beef rings. Prior to refrigeration, it didn’t take long for meat to spoil – beef rings prevented this, especially in the summer months. Each ring member provided an animal. The butcher would slaughter it, and the meat was distributed to members.
Dressing hoists like this one are used to hold open the body cavities of animals while they are being butchered.
This dash churn has the name "Hay the Grocer" stamped into the side. William Hay operated a grocery business at 754 Queen St. Kincardine between the years 1885 and 1919.
From the Kincardine Creamery, this crate was used to ship peoduct to the C.E. Whicher Store in Colpoy's Bay. The Kincardine Creamery operated between 1943 and 1950.
Canada Packers was incorporated in 1927 and purchased the already thriving Walkerton Egg & Dairy Co. in 1934 and operated until 1950. Through its time, Canada Packers began to focus on poultry. In 1963 the creamery was torn down to make way for the expansion of the modern plant.
The Southampton Dairy, operated by H. Gardiner was in operation from 1939 through the 1960s.
Villa Doone Dairies located in Paisley, began operation in 1950.
The Krug Dairy operated through the 1930s and 1940s.
Located on Block 39 between Green and Gustavus Streets, The Port Elgin Dairy & Creamery began in 1885 and was known as Robertson's Dairy. In 1935 Mr. Marshall took over the business and moved it to Market Street. The business was later sold again to W.S. McKenzie.
Stencils like these would have been used to mark crates that were used in the shipping of produce to market. This stencil has the particulars of who picked/packed the fruit and where (E.G. Moffat of Langside), as well as which farmer or business it was for (J.G. Anderson, of Lucknow) and which grade of apple (No.1 or No. 2).
In the 1930s, as an extentiom to the creamery, thompson bros. of Teeswater, began
processing poultry and set up an egg grading station. The poultry and eggs were picked up from farmers at the same time as cream collection.
The poultry was phased out in the 1950s, but the egg grading continued until the 1970s.
The first Indigenous peoples in Bruce rotated through the area seasonally and practiced subsistence living.
Corn is the only domesticated plant found in the flora remains of the Nodwell village site, however due to the Little
Ice Age, village settlement in the Bruce was abandoned, and the people returned to a seasonal-rotation lifestyle.
By the 1800’s, corn agriculture had returned, and was documented on many early maps including Bayfield’s 1820
map of Saugeen.
During this same period, people continued to be seasonally
in the area; the corn was planted, gardens were cultivated,
summer fishing and other activities commenced, and then
once it was harvested, the people went to the headwaters
of the Rocky Saugeen, Saugeen, and Teeswater Rivers for the winter. By the mid to late 1800s crops diversified and included
wheat, barley, and peas as well as corn. Animal husbandry
wasn’t taken up until the mid-1800s, as wild game,
fish and birds were plentiful and part of traditional living.
The “Big Land Sale” took place in 1854. By 1854 the
lots had been surveyed, but never officially opened.
Enterprising pioneers that were already on some of
the lots needed to make their way to the land office
in Southampton to ensure they applied for the lots
they had already begun to homestead.
In order to receive the Crown patent, settlers needed to continuously occupy their lots, had to clear at least 2 acres per year per one hundred acres (lots were divided into 100 acres), and a house at least 16 by 18 feet needed to be erected. Unlike the “free grants” prior, these lots required payment of ten shillings per acre to be paid in ten equal installments. The Bruce Peninsula began opening for settlement starting in 1856 and 1857.
The first land sale for what now is Bruce County took place
in 1848/49 when the Crown offered “free grants” of 50 acre
lots to settlers on both the north and south sides of the
Durham Road.
In order to receive the patent settlers needed to clear 12
acres in four years and the needed to have the means of
sustaining themselves until the cultivation of their land
could sustain them. Settlers during this time could also
purchase up to another 150 acres but needed to have
ready cash to do so.
Settlers to the Bruce came for a variety of reasons including religious or political persecution, overcrowding in Europe, the prospect of much land for little fee, the idea of owning one’s own land rather than being renters or crofters, and according to some history books, the prospect of adventure. Whatever the reasons for leaving their homelands, Bruce’s early settlers were determined to shape a life for themselves and didn’t shy away from the hard work they knew would be ahead of them. Unlike other settlement areas, the trend in Bruce, with a few exceptions such as the Lewis Settlement, was the settlement pattern was mixed. Those that were Canadian born homesteaded beside those from different European countries, experienced backwoodsmen and farmers were neighbours with those raised in town or those who had previous professions.
Early settler agriculture was done using hand tools, as planting often took place
between tree stumps. Hoes before plows for tilling, hand broadcasting or hand
operated planters for sowing and scythes and knives for harvesting. Early crops
included potatoes, wheat (both summer and winter), turnip, peas, oats, barley
and corn. Early livestock included oxen, cows, hens, sheep and pigs. Many
settlers also took advantage of the maple trees on their lot and harvested sap
for maple syrup and sugar.
Being heavily forested, a key part of homesteading was
clearing the land and preparing it for agriculture. This
was best done during the winter months, when the
underbrush and small trees were cleared and put aside
to dry, and then the larger trees were felled. Felled
lumber could then be used to build homes and as fuel
for cooking and heating. In the spring, the dried
underbrush and smaller trees were spread over the
land and burned. This removed any weeds or sprouts
and readied the land for crops or pasture seeds. The
ashes from the burning were then collected and used
to make potash, an ingredient in soap, or was taken to
a pearl ash factory and sold for two cents per bushel,
making ashes/potash the first crop of settlers. At first,
plows could not be used as it took time for the tree
stumps and roots to die out and rot, making them easy
to break up. Instead, hoes were used to break up the
soil and seeds were planted by hand broadcasting.
As settlers established their farms, there became a need
for tradespeople to support settlers’ needs such as
blacksmiths, coopers, millers, and even post masters.
These tradespeople tended to settle in a central location,
and thus established small hamlets and villages, which in
turn attracted others such as general merchants. As farms
became more prosperous and began to run surpluses,
marine ports and eventually rail lines allowed Bruce’s
farmers to participate in the economy outside its borders,
and in turn aid in community growth.
Manufactured ca. 1913, this potato planter was made by the Eureka Planter Co. located in Woodstock, Ontario. This one was found in the storage loft of Peever's Dominion Hardware.
This scuffler hoe was used on the Nathaniel Leeder Sr. farm located in Goble's Grove, just outside of Port Elgin. Dated to the 1880s, it was made at the foundry in Port Elgin. During the 1880s the foundry in Port Elgin was run by Heller, Scott & Co., and later Adam, Heller & Nisbet.
This bag is from the mill in Tara. The Tara Milling Co. formed at the turn of the 20th century and marketed their product under the name "Lily White". The mill originally began operation in 1857 and was owned by H.N.M Richards. It went through several owners, and on June 30, 1953, the mill burned and was not rebuilt.
Marketed as being lighter, stronger, and better finished, the Triumph corn planter featured a patented seed box that wouldn't clog.
Marketed as being lighter, stronger, and better finished, the Triumph corn planter featured a patented seed box that wouldn't clog.
This gear tooth came from Benjamin Shantz's grist mill located on Mill Creek in Port Elgin. The mill began operation in 1855 and ran into the 20th century. Most gears in a grist mill mechanism were made from wood because metal had an increased chance of sparking, leading to explosions. The wood teeth would also break instead of jamming up the mill. The wooden teeth were also easy to replace when necessary.
Oxen require shoes just like horses. The ones here are pair for a single hoof.
Life on the farm is one of cycles, with weather playing a key role. Farmers learned to read the signs of nature and understood when the optimal times for certain activities were.
Seen in many diaries and journal entries from various periods are remarks regarding the weather, wildlife such as robins and passenger pigeons, as well as daily activities.
Early farms were mixed, with farmers tending to livestock as well
as to their crops and orchards. There was something to harvest
in every season. Lumber in the winter, sap for maple syrup in the
early spring, and fruits, vegetables, cereals, and grains in the
summer through autumn.
Though there was always something to be done, Bruce’s farmers
made time to help and support their community by participating
in stoning and threshing bees as well as shanty, house, and barn
raisings.
Like most technology advancements, farming equipment was
designed to ease the burden of work while decreasing the time
required to do the work. Early ploughs were replaced by fully
cast-iron ones created in foundries. They also increased in size,
having multiple ploughshares. Other implements became
ride-on, and farmers no longer had to walk behind. Just after
the turn of the 20th century, state of the art equipment included
an 8-foot grain binder, 24-hoe and seed drill, a four-horse
manure spreader, two furrow riding ploughs, a hay mower, a
hay tedder, a hay loader, and a four-horse cultivator.
With time came the mechanisation of these machines, with
horses being replaced by internal combustion engines. Engines
allowed for faster work, which in turn allowed farmers to take
on more acreage and larger herds. These larger farms in time
replaced the traditional 100-acre family farm.
The Turnip Seeder.
Dating to ca. 1854 this turnip seeder was made by John McNally Sr., who first farmed with his family in Cartwright, Durham West before coming to Lot 11, Concession 14, Greenock Township, where he and his family can be found on the 1881 Canadian Census. The seeder passed through the family to John's grandson, William H. McNally who continued to use it on Lot 1, Glamis, until shortly before his death in 1928.
Not just men’s work, women and girls worked the farm too. In the years of mixed farming, ladies were often responsible for the dairy and cheese part of the operation. This could include herding free range cows home to be milked, milking, several churnings of butter per week, and working cream separators. Butter, being a tradable commodity was often taken to the general store by women or girls to trade for the items they needed.
Textile making was also women’s work, especially during the early years of settlement. After carding and spinning the wool from their sheep, women made blankets and clothing for their families. Scraps of materials never went to waste and were made into quilts. As there were no idle moments, a Mrs. Kelly from Bruce Township recalled braiding straw and making straw hats while watching sap boil. Other women’s work on the farm included canning and preserving,
cooking for their families and at larger functions such as bees, as
well general housekeeping, and child rearing.
Having quality livestock was important to Bruce’s early farmers
just as much as it is today. Once established, many farmers set
about getting a pure bred to improve their stock or start their own
herds. Seen in several farmer’s journals and diaries are breeding
records including which farm an animal went to, how many times
they went and how much the service cost was. Farmers didn’t necessarily need to breed with their direct
neighbours. Often advertisements were taken out in local papers
advertising the breed, where the servicing would take place and
the servicing fee. Based on records, the usual cost from the 1880s
through the 1920s seems to have been $1 per service. Other
breeders advertised further afield in publications such as the
“The Farmer’s Advocate & Home” magazine. Over the years, many Bruce breeders have participated and won awards for their livestock, including sheep, pigs, cattle and horses at local fairs, the Canadian National Exhibition, and the Royal Winter Fair.
Cash cropping began in the 1900s and made its way to Bruce
County. The practice of cash crops changed the farming
landscape as more acreage went to cash crops, and to larger
herds. This trend, which was encouraged by the Canadian
government as a way to ensure food production for growing
urban centers, began the rise of specialization and the decline
of mixed farming. In the early half of the 20th century, white
blossom clover and yellow blossom clover were popular.
These were replaced with grain corn, soybean, barley, and
winter wheat.
Butter molds were used to shape butter into portion sizes that could then be traded at the General Store or sold. Molds often have a design, like the one seen here, that make the portion decorative for serving.
Coming in a variety of shape and sizes, butter paddles were used with butter bowls or troughs in the production of butter and apple butter.
Dating to the late 1870s, this dash churn was used by Mrs. James Nelson of Elsinore.
A small millstone, this was used to grind grains for animal feed.
This style of feed chopper was used to shred turnips for cattle.
This hay fork was originally made in the 1870s and had a modern handle installed at later time suggesting long time use.
Andrew McIntosh’s farm record book documents the McIntosh family farm activities on Lot 51, Concession C, Carrick Township. It records planting and harvesting dates, breeding of cattle and pigs, prices for eggs, pigs, and cattle, and other miscellaneous items.
This is one of 13 diaries of James Rowand Burgess dated 1911-1968 describing the weather, planting and harvesting dates, social happenings, and daily activities on the farm in Arran Township, Concession A, Lot 13.
To learn more about Rowand and read the contents of some of his diaries, click to visit BCM&CC’s [A2012.087*]Online Collections.Dating to ca. 1915, this incubator is made to accommodate turkey and goose eggs.
Published in London, Ontario the Farmer's Advocate featured articles about agriculture, livestock, veterinary, and home circle issues and topics. They also included advertisements for livestock. This one, dated from 1914 includes an advertisement for Shorthorns by John Clancy of Cargill, and for Oxford Down Sheep by Peter Arkell & Sons of Teeswater.
With long workdays and lots of land between neighbours, farming can be isolating.
However, Bruce’s farmers have always found ways to come together and create strong communities. A few of the ways this was done was through cooperative events, celebrations, fairs, and agricultural societies. Many of these activities are as old as the Bruce itself and are part of the heritage and cultural fabric that makes Bruce’s
communities strong today.
Bees and raisings are a great way to combine work and socializing. They allow for work that could not be physically or financially done alone to be accomplished together and encourage community cooperation. Often it was the men doing the physical labour, and it was the job of the women to make sure everyone was fed. Bees were held for all kinds of occasions including stoning (removing stones and rocks from field), logging, woodcutting, threshing, poultry plucking, quilting and sewing. Raisings, along he same lines as bees, were particular to the erection of buildings and we can see from farmer’s diaries that they came together to aid each other in the building of shanties, houses, and barns. Often there was a competitive side to bees and raisings as tasks were divided into teams. The competitive spirit – to accomplish the task before everyone else – helped to speed the work and the prize was most often bragging rights. When the work was done, it was time for leisure and the night was filled with music and dancing.
Plowing matches took necessary farming skills and used them as a way to bring farmers together in the spirit of competition. Plowing matches began being organized by the Ontario Plowman’s Association in Toronto in 1913. Early on, there was a North and South Bruce County match, and they were amalgamated in the late 1930s. Plowing matches have always been a great attraction in Bruce County, and the newspapers show that even poor weather did not deter attendants. In 1924, the match taking place at a farm north of Paisley, the weather was cold and there was still around 2500 people in attendance. Farmers both young and old entered into different categories such a single and double furrow. The plowing match was so popular with youth in 1928, that the Lucknow Junior Farmers organized their own match for their age group and had and a special judge came from Waterloo.
Taking place each year is the International Plowing Match (IPM)
which brings together farmers from all over Ontario to compete
and is hosted on a farm in a different community every year.
Bruce County has hosted the International Plowing Match three
times; in 1976 and 1993 in the Walkerton area and in Teeswateer
in 2008. Expanding upon the traditional plowing match, the IPM
features other attractions such as parades, machinery displays,
live music, quilt shows, historical and educational displays and
artisan vendors.
The beginning dates of several fairs are before the incorporation
of the county in 1867. Fall fair dates include Kincardine 1852,
Walkerton 1854, Culross Township Exhibition/Teeswater 1855,
Paisley 1856, Arran-Tara 1857, Port Elgin 1858, Tiverton 1861,
Lucknow 1863, Pine River/Ripley 1863, Mildmay 1864,
Wiarton 1868, Teeswater 1870, Chesley 1883.
The fall fairs put on by local agricultural societies are
much anticipated events and a Bruce County fixture.
The first fall fair took place in Kincardine in 1852. Fairs
gathered neighbours together while promoting
competition, the exchange of ideas, and a venue to
unveil new breeds or seed strains. Prizes were given
for a wide variety of things including the best of a
breed, produce, women’s handiwork and domestic
goods. Prize lists continued to grow and began to
include things such as photography and square
dancing, as well as for events such as sack racing.
Entertainment was also a key element with music,
dancing, horse racing, theatrical productions, baby
contests, Queen/Princess/Ambassador contests,
and eventually a midway.
Through Bruce’s history there have been many different
agricultural societies and organizations. Some of these
were politically motivated while others were for advocacy
and education. In 1837, the Legislature of Upper Canada
passed an act promoting the formation of Agricultural
Societies whose purpose would be to “import[sic] livestock,
grains, grass seeds, useful implements of husbandry, or
whatever else might induce improvement of agriculture”.
Later as mixed farming gave way to specialization, societies
focused on specialized areas were created.
An early educational organization, the Farmer’s Institute, came into being after the establishment of the Ontario Agricultural College in 1874. These sought to teach farmers scientific farming and featured new technology, etc., but by the 20th century membership had decreased and the institutes disappeared. The organizations that came afterward continued in the spirit for which the early agricultural societies were formed as well as promoted other elements such as citizenship. Other organizations, such as the Farm Forum contained education and acted as a platform for farming voices which in turn was used to advocate the causes of farmers.
Prize booklets contain the prize lists for the different events at the fair as well as the Officers, Directors, and other officials of the agricultural society hosting the fair. The Pinkerton Agricultural Society was formed in 1860 and held Fall Fairs each year. School Fairs were added in the late 1920s. The Fair ceased to be held after the late 1930s.
These tickets relate to the North Bruce and Saugeen Fair. That organization began as early as 1858 with 31 competitors that year. The Fair was held annually in Port Elgin until it was discontinued in 1967. Interest was re-kindled in 1981 when the Port Elgin and District Agricultural Society was formed.
This ribbon belonged to Mrs. H. Webster of Burgoyne who was the Home Defence Leader of the 4H Homemaking Club for
1956-57.
This wall hanging, created by Crystal McLeod, former Ambassador of the Fair, for the Arran-Tara Agricultural Society, celebrates Bruce County's fall fairs and features several communities throughout the County along with the dates of their first fairs.
This wall hanging was used by the Queen's Bush Rural Ministries while they were at public events such as ploughing matches, Farmer's Day in Elmwood, fall and agricultural fairs, and annual meetings.
This book, published in 1983, presents the results of a survey of approximately 600 farm women of Bruce and Grey counties, focusing on the psychological and financial stress experience by farm families. It is also about the farm women in Grey and Bruce Counties; how the financial stress had affected them, their roles on and off the farm, and their views of themselves and their future.
For more information about Concerned Farm Women, click to visit BCM&CC’s Online Collections.This booklet from the Do-Cum-In Farm Forum, formerly located in Culross Township, documents the group’s meetings and responses to the Farm Radio Forum broadcast. Information recorded includes their report on broadcast, questions discussed, and requests for other discussion on other topics.
Click to visit BCM&CC’s Online Collections to view some of this booklet’s interior pagesThis book, published in 1958 is a yearbook for the Junior Farmers and Junior Institutes spanning from 1948-1958. Included are histories of the clubs that were active at that time including Port Elgin, Tara, Tiverton, Paisley, Chesley, Kincardine, Mildmay, Ripley, Teeswater, and Walkerton.
This Bruce County Junior Farmer Yearbook, 1977-1978, includes club reports from Teeswater, Ripley, Port Elgin, Paisley, Mildmay, Tara and a description of provincial events and competitions.
This seal press was used by the Park Head Credit Union Limited which was the first rural credit union or co-operative bank in Ontario. It was established March 10th, 1938 and disbanded in 1949. The Park Head Credit Union was the outcome of the first Farm Forum.
This trophy was awarded to George McDonald for the best single furrow with a plain plough at the first Bruce County Plowing Association competition held outside of Paisley in 1924. This plough, brought over from Scotland in 1852 by George's grandfather, James 'Red Jim' McDonald, was used by George in the match.
