Agriculture
Our first settlers sure didn’t get anything the easy way when they arrived here, usually by oxen, sometimes stayed with their neighbors to be, until a log house could be built.
Each year they could clear a piece of land, by talking the logs off, these would be used later for other buildings and the bush would be piled around the stump burning it when a suitable time came, this helped to loosen the stumps that would be dug out later. Generally this new ground was planted in roots, turnips or potatoes. The following year it would be used for grain and a new piece for roots, continuing in this way each year, they soon had land for hay, grain and roots, and added stock accordingly.
The grain was threshed with a “flail”. This was made from two poles, one longer than the other, the longer one was held in the hand, the short one attached to it by a strap and used to beat the grain from the hulls, this was done on the barn floor, then the straw was lifted out and the grain put through the “fanning mill” to finish cleaning. No doubt our farmers felt like hoisting a flag on the old “flail” and celebrating, when they saw the “threshing machine” coming their way.
The roots were kept in “root houses”, usually those were built into a bank and logs ere used for stays and roof, then earth was piled on top in a mound to run off the rain.
As they progressed and stocked their farms, there was the cream and butter problem, so a milk house was built, where the shelves would be lined with pans of milk. Any surplus butter was sold at the general store. In 1932, when farmers got sale for their cream to Georgian Bay Creamery, most of them shipped their cream and bought their butter, which could always be bought off the truck when the cream was called for, which was twice a week from spring until Autumn, in winter it is sent by bus or transport.
In 1931 before there was an export for cream and no shortage of butter, Mr. Walter Scott, one of our successful farmers, started a milk route, going every day to Parry Sound for ten years, with bottled milk and cream from his herd of Holsteins and Jerseys. In summer he used a car but in winter when roads were bad he used horses or mules. This was discontinued when all town milk had to be pasteurized, but they still supply our village, where very few cows are kept. Most of the farmers keep an assortment of stock, horses, cattle, sheep and poultry.
Many farms are equipped with the latest machinery, and when our Fall Fair comes, you can plainly see by the grain entries that are farmers grow good grain, and our root crop is equally good.
Each year they could clear a piece of land, by talking the logs off, these would be used later for other buildings and the bush would be piled around the stump burning it when a suitable time came, this helped to loosen the stumps that would be dug out later. Generally this new ground was planted in roots, turnips or potatoes. The following year it would be used for grain and a new piece for roots, continuing in this way each year, they soon had land for hay, grain and roots, and added stock accordingly.
The grain was threshed with a “flail”. This was made from two poles, one longer than the other, the longer one was held in the hand, the short one attached to it by a strap and used to beat the grain from the hulls, this was done on the barn floor, then the straw was lifted out and the grain put through the “fanning mill” to finish cleaning. No doubt our farmers felt like hoisting a flag on the old “flail” and celebrating, when they saw the “threshing machine” coming their way.
The roots were kept in “root houses”, usually those were built into a bank and logs ere used for stays and roof, then earth was piled on top in a mound to run off the rain.
As they progressed and stocked their farms, there was the cream and butter problem, so a milk house was built, where the shelves would be lined with pans of milk. Any surplus butter was sold at the general store. In 1932, when farmers got sale for their cream to Georgian Bay Creamery, most of them shipped their cream and bought their butter, which could always be bought off the truck when the cream was called for, which was twice a week from spring until Autumn, in winter it is sent by bus or transport.
In 1931 before there was an export for cream and no shortage of butter, Mr. Walter Scott, one of our successful farmers, started a milk route, going every day to Parry Sound for ten years, with bottled milk and cream from his herd of Holsteins and Jerseys. In summer he used a car but in winter when roads were bad he used horses or mules. This was discontinued when all town milk had to be pasteurized, but they still supply our village, where very few cows are kept. Most of the farmers keep an assortment of stock, horses, cattle, sheep and poultry.
Many farms are equipped with the latest machinery, and when our Fall Fair comes, you can plainly see by the grain entries that are farmers grow good grain, and our root crop is equally good.
Threshing
Mr. Peter B. Harvey bought his first threshing machine in 1890, then run by horse power, this was later replaced by steam which was more convenient to travel. He threshed for all the farmers for miles, going as far as Rosseau. One farmer, Mr. G.B. Lee, of Middle River, had his threshing done by Harvey for twenty five years straight. Sometimes the weather and roads got so bad that the “threshing machine” had to be left until next summer, at some farmers, and the following spring brought home.
In those years every farmer had a threshing of mixed grain for feed and wheat for flour and cereal, making a trip of forty miles to Burks Falls to have it ground.
In those years every farmer had a threshing of mixed grain for feed and wheat for flour and cereal, making a trip of forty miles to Burks Falls to have it ground.
“McKellar Cheese Factory”
About fifty years ago a co-operative Cheese Factory was built on the shore of Minerva Lake, on the Great North Road about one eighth of a mile from the village.
John Thompson was the first President and Tom Canning the first Secretary Treasurer.
Much of the labor in construction or the building was done without remuneration.
At first there was only three milk routes, namely – Balsam – Middle River and down the Lake. The milk from Balsam was brought in by Samuel Irwin, from Middle River by John Robinson and from Down the Lake by Peter Burnett by row boat. Sam Irwin is the only one of the three men now living, and is still going strong.
The first cheese maker was Mr. Robson and he was succeeded by Norman Dick.
The patrons took turns in taking the cheese to Parry Sound, from where it was shipped by boat to Collingwood, and then by rail to Montréal, where it was sold for eight and a quarter cents a pound. The patrons bought their cheese at the same price, and as about ten pounds of milk made one pound of cheese, they received about sixty cents per hundred for milk.
About three years after being built, during the winter, when it was not being operated, the roof of the building collapsed under the weight of snow and it was never re-built. The machinery and lumber were sold.
John Thompson was the first President and Tom Canning the first Secretary Treasurer.
Much of the labor in construction or the building was done without remuneration.
At first there was only three milk routes, namely – Balsam – Middle River and down the Lake. The milk from Balsam was brought in by Samuel Irwin, from Middle River by John Robinson and from Down the Lake by Peter Burnett by row boat. Sam Irwin is the only one of the three men now living, and is still going strong.
The first cheese maker was Mr. Robson and he was succeeded by Norman Dick.
The patrons took turns in taking the cheese to Parry Sound, from where it was shipped by boat to Collingwood, and then by rail to Montréal, where it was sold for eight and a quarter cents a pound. The patrons bought their cheese at the same price, and as about ten pounds of milk made one pound of cheese, they received about sixty cents per hundred for milk.
About three years after being built, during the winter, when it was not being operated, the roof of the building collapsed under the weight of snow and it was never re-built. The machinery and lumber were sold.
McKellar Woolen Mill
McKellar Woollen Mill was built in conjunction with a saw mill by Samuel and John Armstrong in the year 1886. It was run by water-power and first managed by John Orr.
Later it was sold to Batley and Taylor, where they carried on the business for several years. They sold to John Thompson, who operated it until it was burned.
This mill was noted for excellent quality of cloth, blankets and yarn manufactured in it, some of the blankets still being used at the present time.
Later it was sold to Batley and Taylor, where they carried on the business for several years. They sold to John Thompson, who operated it until it was burned.
This mill was noted for excellent quality of cloth, blankets and yarn manufactured in it, some of the blankets still being used at the present time.