Friday 25 June 2010

Threshing

Farming is at full tilt at the moment and some grass fields are being cut for silage but we are not at the time of the year, yet, that this Canadian card depicts of "Threshing in Western Canada".  Farmers would put together entire threshing crews to help with this chore. The picture looks to depict steam threshers.  The steam thresher-man bought his steam traction engine and seperator to the farm to do the threshing.  Farmers paid the thresher man a set rate per bushel of threshed grain, fed workers and helped out. This machine dominated the grain harvest from 1905 until the 1930s.

The card is one of the Stedman Brothers, a large publisher of central Canada and the Great Lakes postcards from 1908-1915. They produced a lot of these retouched cards.  I like the almost painterly feel of this one.


It was sent to my Grandmother and says "I am sending you a PC or two. Hoping you like them.  The weather is very severe here just now. Hope these PC find you in best of health as they leave me quite well. Yours truly, Abe".  The family emigrated to farm in Canada and experienced some bad winters on arrival. One can only imagine the shock of Canadian winters to someone used to English ones. They got through these first winters with the help of neighbours and friends.  I think this card would probably be sent about 1910.

I keep it in an album with this stamp
which is a 1930 20 cent stamp of harvesting with a tractor overprinted with the "World's Grain Exhibition & Conference, Regina 1933".  By coincidence the family of the post card farmed in Saskatchewan.  I wonder if they went to this exhibition.  The event was supposed to take place in 1932 which was the 50 year anniversary of the founding of Regina but the great depression and the fall in grain prices meant that it did not take place until the following year. The exhibition hall was an important public works project providing work for those hit by the depression. In recent times the building stored agricultural products but it burnt down in June 2009.

To continue the harvesting theme here is my Great Grandfather farming in Lancashire, England where the Canadian family were from.
 My Grandmother wrote on the back "Dad and Ernest on the Combine it threshes and cuts grain all in one operation, a change from when we started with oxen and then horses".



Beth at The Best Hearts Are Crunchy is our hostess for  Postcard Friendship Friday

14 comments:

Postcardy said...

The threshing postcard is very interesting, and it is nice that you have something sent to your grandmother.

Aimee said...

This is a great post! I love that you have the postcard of threshing by hand and then that picture of the combine...so glad you included what was written on the back. It made me smile-I bet it was A LOT easier!

Snap said...

What a wonderful post. Lots of history. And, sent to your grandmother. A real treasure. Happy PFF!

Paul van Yperen said...

A great card and an interesting, personal story. Thanks for sharing and happy PFF!

Anonymous said...

What a fabulous keepsake from the past ... there is nothing quite like the scent of freshly cut stalks ... whether it be hay or grains. To me, the aroma is intoxicating!
Happy Friday! :))

Sheila @ A Postcard a Day said...

It's really amazing how things have changed for farmers of the years. From a full scale operation with a cast of goodness knows how many, to a one man job these days.

Gemma Wiseman said...

Such an incredible treasure of harvesting styles! Fascinating detail of information too in this post!

Irene said...

Great family history and wonderful stamp. mine is here.

Linda said...

A very painterly postcard indeed. Love the typography on the back, too.

Mary said...

For a city gal like myself, interesting to learn aobut threshing! Fun post.

LiT Web Studio said...

thank you for this...as mary says, when one lives in the city you lose touch with the rhythms of the countryside - i'm a country girl at heart, though, and enjoyed this post!

Beth Niquette said...

What an absolutely wonderful postcard--I did so enjoy reading your blog this morning. Makes me feel nostalgic--my grandparents farmed in this manner.

Happy PFF!

Lyneen said...

great threshing postcards... Interesting info... thanks for sharing. PFF!

Dorincard said...

Those farmers have a har-vested interest in cooperating...
Your blog is pure Joy...:)