HomeMy WebLinkAboutFarming '89, 1989-03-22, Page 28B4. FARMING ‘89, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 22, 1989.
Early Co-op meetings business and social affairs
Continued from page B3
featuring races and ball games. In
winter, monthly meetings were
held in members’ homes where,
after the businesses was attended
to, a social time was held. There
were Co-op Concerts with a keen
rivalry between teams from Morris
and East Wawanosh. There were
debates, prior to which were some
times held oyster suppers.
In 1921 the co-op purchased a
hay press and bought hay from
farmers within a 20-mile radius of
Belgrave. Robert Scott, Dan Fer
guson and Simon Hallahan were
the main operators of the press and
in a history published at the time of
the Co-op’s 50th anniversary Simon
recalled how Joe Miller had in one
day, weighed the piled 32 tons of
hay himself. Another time W. J.
Hallahan, then a young boy, was
driving a team with the engine
down McGee’s hill at the 10th line
bridge in East Wawanosh when the
tongue broke and the horses ran
away. W. J. was rescued by his
brother Simon who took him to
hospital where it was discovered he
had a broken jaw and fractured
arm.
Also in 1921 the co-op did a
booming business in shingles with
John McGill having to safeguard
$1,500 after the farmers had picked
up all their shingles until he could
later get to the bank. Still the co-op
had a $500 deficit for the year.
In 1935 the co-op began operat
ing its own fertilizer mixer in an old
grain elevator building that C. R.
Coultes owned near the railway
station. That year $7,600 worth of
fertilizer was sold through the
operation and sales continued to be
brisk until the mixer and engine
were sold in the mid-forties.
Trouble began for the co-op in
1940 when the Canadian National
Railway announced it planned to
close down the line between Clin
ton and Belgrave. The railway was
the main source of transportation
for the co-op’s goods but despite
hard work by people like Martin
Grasby, Robert and C. R. Coultes
in getting petitions collected, the
railway was taken out.
Although not politically motivat
ed, the co-op did get involved in
bettering the community. Working
with the Women’s Institute, the
group pushed for, and got, caution
lights in the business section of
Belgrave and street lights for the
village. A resolution was sent to the
Federation of Agriculture in 1941
calling for the fixing of prices of
farm produce until parity with
other commodities was reached (an
issue that was to be raised again by
others in the early 1980’s then hard
times hit agriculture again).
In 1944 the Belgrave Farmers’
Club officially became the Belgrave
Co-operative Association. The old
hotel building was bought and C.
R. Coultes’ store was rented and all
kinds of farm machinery and
electrical appliances became avail
able through the Co-op. Milking
machines were in high demand
with as many as five in a day being
sold. (By 1956 the old hotel had
outlived its usefulness as a ware
house and was sold).
In 1945 Alex Manning sold the
village mill to the Co-op and for the
next few months the Co-op mem
bers were busy repairing or pur
chasing scales, an elevator, roller,
grinder, bag lifts and all the other
equipment needed in the mill.
Archie Montgomery was contract
ed to truck the feed. In 1947 the
Co-op was offered a handsome
profit for selling the mill but things
were going well and the offer
wasn’t given consideration.
During the 1950’s an addition
was made to the mill that became
the warehouse and store for the
Co-op. It opened in 1956. Ross
Robinson became the manager of
the Co-op. Near the end of the
1950’s the Co-op got involved in the
Beef Expo planned
The first annual Western Ontario
BEEF EXPO will be held at
Ridgetown College of Agricultural
Technology on Saturday, April 1,
from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. BEEF EXPO
is an expanded program that
replaces the South Western On
tario Beef Cattle Day previously
held at RCAT every August.
BEEF EXPO offers features that
will be of interest to producers and
consumers of beef plus area 4-H
members.
petroleum business with tanks
installed behind the mill and a
petroleum truck purchased. By
1988 petroleum sales between the
Belgrave and Auburn stores had
totalled more than $1 million.
In the 1960’s the mill was
converted from diesel to electrical
power. By the time the Co-op
celebrated its 50th anniversary in
1964 sales had jumped to $463,295.
By 1970 the Belgrave Co-op
found itself in difficulty and the
decision was made to disolve the
local co-op and become part of
UCO, a move that took effect
January 1, 1971. The branch was
soon back stronger than ever and
on October 24, 1975 a new building
housing store, warehouse and
offices was opened beside the old
mill building.
In April 1981 the old Fina garage
in Auburn was rented and an
Auburn branch was started. This
branch has grown so much it now
accounts for a quarter of the sales
at the combined operation.
Charles C. Culbert
•Backhoeing & Tiling
•Drains, field drains
•Septic tanks & weeper beds
Key features of BEEF EXPO will
be:
•Production and Marketing Issues
•Consumer Presentations and
Product Sampling
•Demonstrations of Technology
•Special Program for Area 4-H
Members
•Commercial Exhibits
•Question and Answer Corral
•Celebrity Cookoff
•Tours of Beef Research Facilities
Culbert Insulation
•Houses, barns, new buildings
•Sprayed on urethane foam
Call:
529-7571
R.R.6
Goderich
BRINDLEY AUCTION SERVICES
UPCOMING
CONSIGNMENT
& FARM SALES
THURSDAY, MARCH 30 - 12:30 - Complete clearing
farm sale for Russ Ritchie, 1 mile west of Lucknow on
Hwy. 86. Equipment stored inside.
MONDAY, APRIL 3 - 10:30 - Clearing farm auction for
estate of Raymond Hogan, 3 miles south, 5 miles west of
Lucknow. J.D. 4240 tractor and no till equipment.
THURSDAY, APRIL6-10:30- Clearing farm auction for
Harvey Livingston, 3 miles south, 4 miles west of
Lucknow. Ford 8700 tractor, large offering of farm
equipment.
MONDAY, APRIL 10 - 10:30 Consignment farm
equipment auction at Brussels Livestock Inc. Call
529-7625 with consignments.
THURSDAY, APRIL13-12:30-Ckaring farm auction for
Loran Peter, 1 mile north of Bervie. MF 2640 tractor,
extremely clean line of equipment.
SATURDAY, APRIL 15- Farm equipment consignment
sale at Stanley Farm Equipment, Kinlough (Hwy. 9).
MONDAY, APRIL 17 - 1:30 - Stocker Sale at Lucknow
Community Sale Barn.
TUESDAY, APRIL 18 - 1:30 - Stocker Sale, Brussels.
MONDAY, APRIL 24 - 10:00 - Farm equipment
consignmentsaleat Brindley Auction Yard, Dungannon.
TUESDAY, MAY 2 - 1:30 - Stocker Sale, Brussels.
MONDAY, MAY 8 - 1:30 - Stocker Sale, Lucknow.
TUESDAY, MAY 16, 30 - Upcoming Stocker Sales,
Brusscio..______________________________________
DUNGANNON
529-7625
LUCKNOW
528-3211
BRUSSELS
887-6461
G. BRINDLEY
529-7970
Stocker Sale at
Brusse s Livestock Inc.
TUESDAY, MAY 2-1:30
Stocker sale at
Brussels Livestock Inc.
MONDAY, MAY 8-1:30
Stocker sale at
MONDAY, APRIL 17-1:30
Stocker Sale at
TUESDAY, MAY 16 & 30-1:30
Brussels Livestock Inc.
UPCOMING
STOCKER
SALES
Lucknow Community Sale Yard.
TUESDAY, APRIL 18-1:30
Lucknow Community Sale Yard
Upcoming Stocker sales at