HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1974-09-12, Page 21,N7
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� � ,r;� r Il�aa►��x.�.1�,..������.,_ �tr>I+r , � �. �,.
t; • t businessChas been lace t r i l" 1
i e n tP 1n. P e ander ho, Qptw stud... „ nt i� also workod' for..�';'s.All d, fd, ;abilit O th 1004 MAA wha, ,
'.the villa r t e y X.
•
ge o>< Lottdl�o o, h, a h+re �o .#;oinlY'tltxirp ttfa.nr. Mand.' vkas b a d::aiaqp �:a.'yy yu .by { }N tip this y� t1d . Rob::sy�
w V. �'^ . M. .4, , 7, .1...Rd
After more than a . carter full>tttne men. t wA itt .the, Cant; f st`1 , of . 444'.
„ a °h�
century of operation, Will f ovidr w , d worke tar a �adesb,�kp �
e. t.l o ps
there + b l ,east .a > 4 ���,th� �.�br t►.'frtoc��ywic�t „
R, N. Alexander is in the recess 11 ears; Nelsan'I:60tyvhn:worked whe ie' he xatse b'aef a cash.
f selling P y ?tdxixrtd to keeft mb
` l ? • # o g his'seed plan Already #'0 10 years And J cCA,-who q
t ... r Jim Crops,, tttttchtnes lat�i-roaatn�, �
.r
M
s the new owner Robert Shaddick of as workod '-there for. t e past " a "
p I 4 b e s 'i1 .d experlecle al?tstde good )justness °tel;d llis
Londesboro has taken over several' ars. Laulra• Lypn, a a
years. gri�bus ne,.ss tori w,�ik"tng. for the 1*pprtarttt.ata pb.1:#y'#1#
operation of the business, well-known Londesborg resident, en ineerio firm pf`' u ss People, i $ ,Flits R4 P9. P (0ly#h;$iandtfl3
Mr. Alexander founded the handled the office duties for 17;
seed plant in 1946 helped out by a years. in the past few years Mrs. •: "
` government grant., He chuckles Alexander, who was formerly a
Rentarn ..
now when he remembers that one school teacher, has handled the,
r = ;• , e ,.'; " ' stipulation was met'with.plenty to paperwork for the plant. Mrs. aooti6ned-from Page 9}
P P P �
spare. Alexander taught Math at SDHS, t
The shaven .field& stretch snttooth. and
Not everyone thought it would for some ears. :.
be though. Mr. and Mrs. The seed business is nothing cleat!' away.
g g Beldam if ever are whistles from stoaxtt
q
r Alexander recall one local new to Robert Shaddick,
engines heard across the land. Oct evvrj'
i" •. '' resident who predicted the lie is currently running the
side' one 'tan hear the bt(mming and
Londesboro area couldn't support Londesboro Seed Plant. with
• �'"� � � � r�r a: chugging of the combine. ,Pro cess is he
'�. :fry' ' F� , a . �� .' a Ht •:§E',�Ir w, w. d '�.$�',,p''� - -
N such a facility. But it did, and it plenty of background in the order oftheday, .Life was never meant .to
' geszv t still is.It supported the las so business. , He has worked x
PP plant be static ,but on-going. Use can still, .
well that it has been expanded art -time at the plant for 11 ears
»'w.+^A za*' • ,�' 3Pxi$f j"x "° t.«sw :,til 6c:'
P P P Y however live with his memories.
�, a;.w.• four rimes since it was built.
The original building was only
24 by 48 feet and by 1951 was too
'small.• The building was raised ����
and another storey was added.
Later another addition was made
and the final addition was made
Z' in 1966>
For 20 years the Alexanders
also grew registered sepd at their ,
THE RE�I,LLY BIG $HOW -- Crowftat the Seaforth Belgians trot along , the track in . their brightly farm which 'was just east, of the
Fall fair always -enjoy the heavy 4 horsets polished harness. Work 'horses are regaining village. In 1970 Mr. Alexander
competitions. Teams of Clydes, Percherons and popularity with Canadians. (Staff Photo) received the Robertson Associate
Award in honour of ' his
contributions to the seed
industry, one of the only three
Once a I m iD st g,o n e ever to have been awarded to
residents of Huron where the
growing of roistered seed has }
never been popular.
orkorsespo u a r
Seed plants have never been TIME AGAIN
numerous in Huron, especially
those dealing in small seeds. AndMr-Al
In 1906 there were two million haul feed to their cattle durin he Agriculture Canada's 'public changes
the
has seen marry
g p million in 1945. By 1955 there had changes in the seed business in '
t horses in Canada. Many of them winter. They can make it throuiit"'" service section, had an idea fpr been a dramatic drop - 832,000 his nearly 30 years in the WE WILL f OOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AT
were heavy draft animals which more snow than a tractor and you keeping them at work. horses remained on Canadian industry, The early days', ' he t.
farmers hitched into teams to don't have to. worry about them Their new job was to pull farms. recalls, saw the seed or grain'
low, cultivate, sow and harvest not st actin on a cold machin come in in s}nall lots, mostly in SEAFORTH FALL FAIR
p g g wagonloads of visitors on tours of There were only half that many bags. Now the lots are large and
their fieldsk. But most of the new work for the'farm. a decade later and in June, 1973, bags are seldom seen. Recently,
w Then came the tractor and heavy horses is, in the parading, ' The idea has worked very well. when St atistics Canada stopped for instance, a farmer drove in next week Sept. 9.2 Q
mechanization. There was no advertising and public relations Last year, nearly 30,000 -visitors keeping track of the number of with three hopper wagons full of
work for the slow -plodding giants business. to the farm rode the tour wagon horses, there were only 342,000 of seed,
of the horse world and their The brewing industry was one which is called the Tally -Ho., them. Most of those were saddle Traditionally the plant has
numbers rapidly declined. of the first to rediscover the heavy. Mr. Henry, who drives ''the horses or other light breeds. • closed in the month of July, the
Y g dull season for the seed cleaning
But now the big Dobbins and , horse. Breweries have wagon, uses the six big Of the heavy horse breeds,.the business. But it is open again on ���Nellies who broke the sod on traditionally used draft tealms. Clydesdales in three separate Belgian is the heaviest. The August 1 to meet the rush of M CGAVIN
Canadian farmland are regaining Originally, toe horses had great. teams, He,also .puts them in a Belgian horse is very popular in . farmers harvesting their crops.
popularity. utility in the trade, hauling four -horse hitch for local parades, Canada and the U.S, They range The plant is in operation from
"The 're ver much in demand wagons of beer barrels between then until after the spring rush for EQUIPMENT
Y Y g and next year hopes to use all of through every shade of .browns. seeds. And rush it is in the spring �
right now," says Ralph Henry, the factory and retail outlets. them in a six -horse hitch. The Percherons, a French when the plant runs day and night WALTON rR
horse ' .trainer for Agriculture One American Company used "A few years ago it was very breed, are the next largest and with fosur'or five men on duty. Phone 527-0245 ^^—
Canada's three , teams of teams of horses as a promotion difficult to get sets of harness for many be anywhererfrom white to There is p, :-t-time l+elp at the'
Clydesdales 'on • the Centrjil for years 'and then discontinued heavy horse teams," he explains. Hiack, but are usually a dapple- Plant during the rush periods but I
V_'perimental Farm here. the practice about 10 years ago "But now there are a number of grey color. the st aff is small at most times:
"Heavy horses are a big draw when the heavy horse was at its custom harness -makers, - The Clydesdale wasrobably
at shows and fairs and there just low ebb. However, when their especially in' Mennonite the ost common breed in
aren't enough good show horses beer sales slumped, the firm communities. Canada in early, farming days. BEAN
,'�'in Canada to meet the demand. decied to bring back the horses. "The difficulty now is to find The Cl des are usually brown
Th is. has pushed up the price - a They now have three eight -horse someone to shoe the horses." with fou white •socks and a lot of
g Y g g or saddle horses one can buyfine silk hair around the hooves.,
gelding ready tolshowrwould sell shows sand spa parades, th Mr. Hen ry,fac y -made shoes, but for the Two other 'British breedg of J'JJ ~'
for ab out $3,000 these days." says. larger horses the iron must be heavy' horses are less common in Ad Q Ill O n a I C a' a C 1 t y I S n O W a V a 1i a b l e at Our n e W
And i team of quite ordinary "I'm not sure wh ' the heav
9 Y „ Y Y .heated aq#,hand-turned for the Canada, They are,. the Shire,
draft horses for farm work 'would horses are so popular ._today. right fit. _ which is usually black with four modern ,plant at Seaforth whieh provides 'even .
cost $2,000, Mr. Henry says. People, especially children, are Agriculture Canada is fortunate white socks and the. Suffolk
"Add to that '$600 to $700 for a impressed with their size. Most because Mr. Henry does his own Punch, which is smaller and m O r e e o n v e n i e n e e for .area bean growers
set of harness and about $1,000 to mature show animals weigh more blacksmith work. The horses stockier than the other breeds,
feed a team for •a year and work than a ton. And a good show team must be shod every five or six In Quebec,dhere is a Canadian-
h
YOU,CAN BE
I horses are not as cheap as one has snappy footwork which will weeks.. developed breed of light draft -
? might think. really please a crowd." Horses were at their peak in horses called the Canadian. They
i So even with {fuel costs going But likethe-steam engine, the Canada in 1921 when there were are dark brown to black- and -,are
up, it would be premature to say heavy horse really owes its revival 3.5 million of them. on Canadian very sturdy for their size-... ASSURED O
lthat draft horses are, returning to to nostalgia. Many people can farms. * •
the faun"in large numbers remember, or would like .to The number dropped to 2.8 -a.,. `air prices
However, Mr. Henry points out remember, when the work horse million in 1940 and then to 2.4
that some farmers do use heavy had a place on every farm.
horses for some special jobs. 'Here at 'the Central Experi-
."For example, many, cattlemen' mental Farm, horses were used
in the west use a team of horses to' until the Bellefleur. chief of
Order
. SEED
•�• 'WHEAT
_and
FERTILIZER
y
fox Fall application
SEAFORTH CO.OP
FARMERS
4 ,
kl
ORDER
Your
a
SEED* WHEAT
md
FERTILIZER
NOW
We. have Grain Bank storage
for your
mixed grain or barley,
SEE US FOR SE&VICE
U:JOE$
V Phone 527.1910 Seaforth
Honest we is
/'.
Reliable grading
* Patronage return
on profits
w
* "Courteous service
/Make The Farmers' Elevator
Werk For You!
.ONTAR. 0 EAN GROWERS
Vor C -1:10i 0 PFPATIV' F 1 NVAr
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ions
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fit