Clyde River history committee member Joanne Turner recommended to us that we view this series that she had enjoyed, Tales from the Green Valley, on YouTube. I had a chance to view it over the past week and thoroughly enjoyed it. Did you ever want to know what it would be like to live in 1620? Here’s your chance. Five history scholars agreed to live for one year on a farm in a valley near the Wales border. Did they work hard? Yes, it mentions that they burned over 4000 calories a day – equivalent to a high-performing athlete of today. Nothing, and I mean nothing, was wasted. A thatched roof takes a lot of material, patience and skill. Some of their chores would still be similar to those in the 1800s when our ancestors moved to Prince Edward Island e.g. clearing the land, churning butter and making soap. Click on the screen below to link to the YouTube series and enjoy. Please feel free to share your comments and insights below after viewing the series.
Archive for the ‘Farming’ Category
Tales from the Green Valley
Posted in Farming, History, Seasons on October 17, 2017| Leave a Comment »
Don Northcott hosting Haskap Berry Open House, Saturday, July 15th, 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Posted in Farming on July 11, 2017| Leave a Comment »
Have you had a chance to see and taste Haskap berries? This Saturday, you try them on ice cream at Don Northcott’s farm, 43 MacNevin Drive in Clyde River. You will also learn about this burgeoning berry industry where Don’s company Phytocultures is taking a lead to support its commercial success for growers. Phytocultures has spent the past 10 years focusing on production and berry variety development and also mechanized harvesting methods to make it a viable commercial venture.
The event begins at 11:00 a.m. and includes the following activities and displays:
- Berry variation display – varieties include Indigo Treat, Indigo Gem and Borealis
- Pruning results – poster
- Easy Harvester poster/video operation
- Berry cleaning equipment
- Deep Roots Distillery – Haskap liquor
- Noronha Elaterid Light Trap – Insect trap demo
- Koppert bumble bee hive demo
11:30 a.m. – Welcome Remarks
12:00 noon – Tour of Haskap Berry Plots
- Breeding and selecting a plot
- Objectives and future developments
- High density planting – rationale for this configuration
- 2008 plot – 10 years of observation – trial and error
12:30 p.m. – Harvest Demonstration
- 2008 plot with pruned and un-pruned bushes
- Reciprocating bush shaker – Easy Harvester demo
- Berry cleaning demonstration
1:00 p.m. – Haskap Berries over Ice Cream!
The unique advantage of Haskaps is they are a berry that can be grown in cooler regions. For many years, they have grown successfully in Japan and Russia. The Haskap bush flowers can survive -3 to -5 degrees Celsius. Haskap berries ripen in June, so they offer the first delicious taste of the summer. They exceed blueberries in antioxidants and are very high in Vitamin C along with potassium, Vitamin A and dietary fibre.
Take some time on Saturday to learn about farming innovation happening right here in Clyde River.
Steer escapes from tight spot, only pride hurt
Posted in Farming, Genealogy on April 30, 2017| Leave a Comment »
I was out touring around the original Ward family property on the “upper” Bannockburn Road in Hampshire this weekend with James and Carol Ward from Arizona who were on PEI for the first time on a genealogical quest.
There are two Ward houses still there at the jog in the road, one was the home of Benjamin and Hattie (Beer) Ward and across the road, the farm owned up until 13 years ago by Milton Ward. After friendly visits with the new owners, they suggested we should make sure to visit with Milton who now lives in North River.
James and Milton are 4th cousins and their first meeting was a great homecoming. James is a descendant of Alex Spurgeon Ward, one of the boys who moved to Boston around 1900. He asked Milton if he had any good stories to tell about the farm, and Milton pulled out a newspaper clipping for him to read. Always on the trail for a good story myself, I asked Milton if I could share it on the Clyde River website. Apparently, the story made The Guardian and CBC-TV news back in March, 1987.
Steer escapes from tight spot, only pride hurt
Hampshire – One of Milton Ward’s steers might think twice before he tries to escape again.
The 1000-pound steer pulled a chain over its head in the barn stall sometime Monday night and while wandering around the barn fell into Mr. Ward’s well, where it was trapped until discovered early Tuesday morning.
When Elizabeth [Lizzie] Ward got up Tuesday, she couldn’t get any water out of the kitchen tap. She couldn’t figure out what was wrong until Mr. Ward checked the barn.
“I figured it was a fuse,” he said. But when he discovered the steer stuck in the well it wasn’t hard to figure out the problem. While the animal was attempting to get out of the well, it broke a pipe connecting the tank to the pump, so no water could be pumped out.
After recovered from his surprise, Mr. Ward phoned a neighbour who had a hydraulic hoist.
Getting ropes around the steer was no easy task since the opening only measured six feet by four feet. It was accomplished by putting a rope around the steers head and pulling it to one side so the rope could be pushed down the side. Then the steer could be pulled to the other side so the rope could be brought up again.
Although the whole operation took about three hours from the time the steer was discovered, the actual lift only took about half an hour, Mr. Ward said.
“It wasn’t easy, but we managed.”
Although the steer has a few bruises it probably sustained in attempts to get out of the well, it appears none the worse for wear.
The well had been covered with two-by-five boards and a half-inch sheet of plywood “but it was made for man, not beast,” Mr. Ward said. He thought there was no need to put a heavier cover on it since it wasn’t near where the steers were kept. But now he admits he’ll have to put a heavier cover on it.
I asked Milton what the price of beef was back then and he said around 70 cents a pound, so on top of it being a prized Holstein, it was $700 they pulled out of the well that day.
Editor’s note:
- The farm is now owned by Peter Cairns.
- The Wards named the farm “Montrose” after the beautiful varieties of rose bushes at the front of the house.
- Hattie (Beer) and Benjamin Ward were Davis Ward’s parents. Davis sang in the Clyde River Presbyterian Church Choir for many years. Their house is across the road from the farm.
Thank Offering Service, Sept. 18th, 7:00 p.m.
Posted in Events, Farming on September 15, 2016| Leave a Comment »
The Clyde River United Baptist Women’s Missionary Society is hosting their Annual Thank Offering Service on Sunday, September 18 at 7:00 pm. Special speaker Teresa Mellish will talk about her involvement with Farmers Helping Farmers in PEI Schools and in Kenya. Special music will be provided by Vans and Emily Bryant. The Church is located at 726 Clyde River Rd. All are welcome. The offering will go towards our missionary work. A light lunch will follow the service. For more information, you can contact Jo-Ann at 902-675-4335.
Teresa’s Bio:
Teresa is a founding member and coordinator of Farmers Helping Farmers. She is a farm partner in Kings County where they breed sport horses and has worked in PEI in small-farm development. Teresa has a M.Sc. Degree in Adult Education focused on soil conservation practices in potato production.
Farmers Helping Farmers, a small non-government organization based in Prince Edward Island, has helped groups of farm women in rural Kenya to grow food for their families. They have improved the lives of over 100,000 Kenyans through their work with groups of Kenyan dairy farmers and Kenyan women who grow crops.
Link to Farmers Helping Farmers website, click here.
The Old Homestead on the Linwood Road
Posted in Family connections, Farming, History on January 9, 2016| Leave a Comment »
Here is a tribute written on May 11th, 1928, by Minnie M. (Fraser) Murray of Henniker, New Hampshire, to her parents. This piece of writing was given to me by Joanne Turner to share with our readers.
In the year 1863, my father and mother started on their life long journey. Their names were William Foster Fraser and his wife Mary Ann (Howard) Fraser. They purchased a tract of land from the Landlord Neal McCallum of Brackley Point.
The land was situated on the Linwood Road between Clyde River and Kingston, Lot 31, 81 acres of land covered with pine, spruce, white birch and maple. My father worked very hard and cleared the land, which took some time. He was a very good carpenter and he erected a very comfortable set of farm buildings, dwelling house, large barn and a number of smaller out buildings in the yard. He dug a well and the water was drawn with a windlass and the old oaken bucket.
He had a large fruit orchard, apples, plums and cherry trees. He also planted a lot of ornamental trees and shrubbery and an abundance of beautiful flowers. He had a market garden, small fruit, black currants, red currants, gooseberries and all kinds of vegetables.
The farm was almost square. He cleared it all except a three-acre spruce lumber lot in one corner of the farm. He reserved lumber to build fences. There were no wire fences in that day. He built a short piece of fence out of pine stumps (about 50 years ago). That fence is in quite good condition yet.
The farm is quite level with the exception of a small steep hill. It was called the Mount.
During father’s lifetime, he had two coats of fertilizer spread over his farm which consisted of mussel mud. The mud was taken from the river bed of North River. The work was done during the winter when the ice on the river was frozen hard. They cut holes in the ice, mud diggers placed in position, the mud taken up with large mud forks resembling scoops, put in sleds and drawn to the farm.
My father grew wonderful fine crops which consisted of wheat, barley, oats, buckwheat, potatoes, turnips and mangles.
His stock was what was generally kept on any up-to-date farm. He always kept good farm horses as he had to draw his produce to market in Charlottetown, eight miles away.
He paid for his farm with pounds, shillings and pence, that was the kind of money they used in his time. He made all his wheels as he was a wheelwright, also his wagons and carts. He kept a strict account of all raised on the farm, all he sold, and all he bought.
My father and mother had many privations and hardships that came to early settlers’ lives.
Of this union, there were born nine children, eight girls and one son. The son’s name was Charles Howard Fraser. When he was three years old, he took sick and passed away (1884). That was one of the great trials of their lives, the loss of their only son. One of his young sisters planted a peony rose on his grave. They tell me it has bloomed every year for 44 years.
My parents were very firm but also very kind to their family. The word “disobey” was never spoken in the home.
My father kept a beautiful-spirited driving horse named Jan. This horse was very kind and gentle. Any member of the family could drive it. This horse had all the kindness and affection bestowed on it that any animal deserved.
There was plenty of work for each member of the family and also plenty of time for pleasure and enjoyment.
My mother was very good to the poor and sick. Many are living today who have blessed her for she gave to the sick and destitute with a lavish hand. For a great number of years my mother would take children of deserving poor from the city and give them a home during the summer months, with fresh sunshine and good food. They returned to their home in the autumn with stronger bodies and rosy cheeks. Mother never received any pay. She enjoyed doing it for free. I think it meant something to mother with her one large growing family.
My father and mother entertained extensively in their home. Their hospitality was unbounded.
My father was a magistrate for a number of years and did a lot of legal business for several communities.
In the year 1908, my father and mother retired from active farming and made their home in the pretty little village of Clyde River. My father worked at the carpenter trade for a few years.
My parents did all in their power for the uplift and community betterment.
In the year 1912, my father passed away. A few years later, in 1920, my mother passed away. My father and mother being dead, yet they speak, all their family rose up to call them blessed.
My father is survived by two brothers, Daniel T. Fraser of Kingston and John Hamilton Grey Fraser, contractor and builder, Denver, Colorado.
Family genealogy notes:
Parents:
- William Foster Fraser – February 1, 1941 in Seal River, PEI and died in Clyde River, April 1, 1912.
- Mary Ann (Howard) Fraser – born December 24th, 1841 and died May 20th, 1920
Children:
- Hannah Fraser – born May 31st, 1865 and died February 14th, 1951
- Mary (Minnie) Fraser – born November 26th, 1866 and died 1940 – married name Murray
- Sarah Bessie Fraser – born April 9th, 1868, married 1st to J.D. Millett and 2nd to (last name) Allen
- Edith Rebecca Fraser – born October 2nd, 1869 and died on May 14th, 1956. Married to Charles David McLean, 1868-1932
- Annie Tyler Fraser – born April 15th, 1871 and died October 6th, 1953
- Harriet Crawford Fraser – born October 28th, 1873
- Ida Jane Fraser – born March 1st, 1876 and died April 29th, 1940
- Ethel Blanche Fraser – born May 1879 and died June 4th, 1953. Married to Dan Jenkins.
- Charles Howard Fraser – born March 1881 and died May 1884, buried in Kingston.
Open Farm Day 2014 – Sunday, September 21st
Posted in Business, Events, Farming on September 17, 2014| Leave a Comment »
Two farms in the area will be participating in Open Farm Day on September 21st. Matos Winery and Distillery in St. Catherine’s along with Don Northcott’s farm in Clyde River, home of his company Phytocultures.
Matos award-winning wine was offered as speaker gifts at the Clyde River History Lecture Series, and Don Northcott’s farm provided apples for our Apple Pie Festival. Both of these operations are innovative businesses, so it will be interesting to see what’s new on the farm.
Phytocultures/Don Northcott’s Farm:
Open Farm Day hours: 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.
1017 Linwood Road, Clyde River
Taste new grape varieties and learn about their exciting new berry crop developments
Matos Winery & Distillery:
Open Farm Day hours: 1:00 to 5:00 p.m.
West River Road, St. Catherine’s
See their vineyards and visit their shop which features wines, spirits, pottery, and wine-related items. Wine samples will be available for free.
Visit the following link to see the list of PEI farms participating in this year’s Open Farm Day.
Reminder: Clyde River Lecture Series Launches this coming Saturday
Posted in Clyde River Lecture Series, Entertainment, Events, Farming, Friends of Clyde River, History on February 2, 2014| Leave a Comment »
This is a reminder that the Clyde River Lecture Series begins this coming Saturday at Riverview Community Centre beginning at 1:30 p.m.
Saturday, February 8th, 1:30-3:00 p.m. – Dr. Lawson Drake – Rare Words and Old Readers – Changes in Farming
Lawson Drake was educated at Prince of Wales College, MacDonald College, Cornell University and Dalhousie University. He taught biology and agriculture at Prince of Wales College and is now retired from UPEI where he taught biology. He served as the first Chair of the UPEI Biology Department and was its third Dean of Science. He is a native of Meadow Bank where he lives with his wife Eileen in a house built by his grandfather in 1881 on a farm that has been in the Drake name since 1852.
In his lecture, he will lead an interactive presentation “Rare Words and Old Readers” where he will highlight changes in farming during his lifetime and from earlier times. For example, he might ask you, “If someone gave you a firkin, could you eat it, spend it, put it in the bank, give it to someone else, fill it or plant it? His talk will no doubt stimulate some interesting discussions about farming.
Lectures continue February 15th and 22nd
Saturday, February 15th will feature Judy Shaw presenting on “Renovating the Shaw Family Homestead” and on Saturday, February 22nd with Jack Sorensen, “Capturing the History of a Community for Generations”. For more details, click here. The lectures run from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. followed by refreshments.
2nd Clyde River Lecture Series begins in February
Posted in Clyde River Lecture Series, Events, Farming, Friends of Clyde River, History, PEI 2014 Celebrations, Rivers, Seasons, Youth on January 20, 2014| Leave a Comment »
In between Winter weather warnings and following a little touch of Spring in Winter, we can think of what activities we would like to take in. The Clyde River Lecture Series last year was popular and many people were asking if it could be continued. The Friends of Clyde River group extended invitations and we have three speakers confirmed for February. We hope for good travelling. Make sure to mark your calendars and plan to attend. Invite your friends and family from other communities as well. The lectures will take place at the Riverview Community Centre.
This year, we are spreading the lectures out over the year, so here are the three that will launch the 2014 series. I think they will be well worth getting bundled up for and heading out to learn, meet friends and enjoy a hot cup of tea or coffee.
Saturday, February 8th, 1:30-3:00 p.m. – Dr. Lawson Drake – Rare Words and Old Readers – Changes in Farming
Lawson Drake was educated at Prince of Wales College, MacDonald College, Cornell University and Dalhousie University. He taught biology and agriculture at Prince of Wales College and is now retired from UPEI where he taught biology. He served as the first Chair of the UPEI Biology Department and was its third Dean of Science. He is a native of Meadow Bank where he lives with his wife Eileen in a house built by his grandfather in 1881 on a farm that has been in the Drake name since 1852.
In his lecture, he will lead an interactive presentation “Rare Words and Old Readers” where he will highlight changes in farming during his lifetime and from earlier times. For example, he might ask you, “If someone gave you a firkin, could you eat it, spend it, put it in the bank, give it to someone else, fill it or plant it? His talk will no doubt stimulate some interesting discussions about farming.
Saturday, February 15th, 1:30-3:00 p.m. – Judy Shaw – Renovating the Shaw Family Homestead, St. Catherine’s
Judy is the granddaughter of Walter Shaw, former premier of PEI from 1959-66, and is now living in the family homestead in St. Catherine’s where she had spent summer vacations with her grandparents. She is the daughter of Bud and Ethel Shaw who live in Oshawa, Ontario. Judy is retired but is working as a consultant. She is a graduate of University of Guelph and worked for 34 years in regulatory affairs, government relations and public affairs with Syngenta and its legacy companies (Novartis and Ciba-Geigy), that included six years at Syngenta’s Global Head Office in Basel, Switzerland, on the product development team. Judy’s passion for agriculture led to a philanthropic giving back program focused on agricultural leadership in Canada as well as sustainable agriculture and hunger issues; enrolment with Imagine Canada; and a leadership development program for grower association board members to enhance their effectiveness as advocates for agriculture. Judy is currently the President of the Canadian Agriculture Hall of Fame and Director with Genomics Atlantic and, among many other previous roles, she has been President of the Canadian 4-H Council.
Judy will speak about coming back to live in the Shaw family homestead that her grandparents built and managing renovations over this past year. The home is a modified Cape Cod style similar to homes built in the 1860s and particularly to a home that her grandmother lived in while she was nursing in Boston. The home was built in 1923 on a farm settled by the Shaw’s in 1808. Judy will speak about the interesting things she found during the renovation, what is unique about renovating an old family home and gardens of a place with so many memories, what to consider, what to keep and what to change. She will bring along some old photos as well as some before and after shots.
Saturday, February 22nd, 1:30-3:00 p.m. – Jack Sorensen, Tryon & Area Historical Society – Capturing the History of a Community for Generations
Jack Sorensen is a retired Electronics instructor from Holland College who is now dedicated to developing a vintage radio collection, researching and interpreting local history and being active in church, cemetery and watershed activities. He chairs the Tryon and Area Historical Society, Archives Committee at South Shore United Church and Tryon Peoples’ Cemetery.
Jack will speak about the growth of their Historical Society and how it contributes to community spirit. Their activities include walks, talks, concerts, interviews with area seniors, establishing collections of historical artefacts and materials, developing interpretative trails and carrying out school heritage projects. Jack’s presentation will offer us a wonderful example of what another country community has achieved in capturing and celebrating their area’s history. Of particular interest will be how they actively support intergenerational events and projects where young people and seniors come together. Young people enjoy hearing old stories, and technology can be a great way of making history available in a way that interests them.
Lectures run from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. and are followed by coffee/tea and homemade treats. If you have any questions about the lectures, please contact Vivian at vivian@eastlink.ca.