The Rural Voice, 1999-02, Page 20A life of dedication
A Euphrasia Township couple is honoured for a
life dedicated to improving their community
By Greg Brown
Bessie and Marshall Saunders (centre) receive their Agricultural Heritage
Award from Euphrasia Mayor Don McCausland (left) and Bob Brassington,
OFA Regional Director.
Two rows of mature maple
trees, now bare of leaves, line
the laneway which leads from
the gravel road to the unassuming,
two-storey brick house. Adjacent to
the main entrance to the house, which
typically is not the front door but the
side door into the "summer kitchen",
is the Quonset drive shed. A`short
walk behind the house is the steel -
clad pole barn replacing the old barn
and stable destroyed by fire. A few
rows of round bales, some piles of
firewood, and fences enclosing the
barnyard and nearby pastures
complete the scene.
This is a familiar sight in rural
Ontario and could describe many
typical farmsteads in Grey County.
However, the couple who have called
this farm home for over 50 years are
anything but typical, so it came as no
surprise to many people in the rural
community when Marshall and
Bessie Saunders were named as the
1998 recipients of the Agricultural
Heritage Award. This award is
16 THE RURAL VOICE
presented annually by the Euphrasia
Township Federation of Agriculture
to an individual, or partners, who
have made a significant contribution
to agriculture in the township for 50
years. Not only are the Saunders
being recognized for the exemplary'
land stewardship but for their
countless hours of volunteer work in
their community.
Marshall and Bessie Saunders
began life together on their 125 acres
along what is now Grey Road 40 in
Euphrasia Township. Marshall had
recently purchased the farm from his
uncle, and like many young couples
they began with very little besides
the land, and a large dcbt.
They describe those early years as
perhaps the most difficult and
challenging of their farming career,
as cash was very scarce but bills still
had to be paid. Reminiscing about
the winters before the fourth line was
plowed "Marsh" tells how the
neighbours would get together and
take the horses and sleigh into
Meaford with a load of pigs, where
they were loaded on the train. One
winter they crossed 26 fences that
were drifted over with snow. The
spring "buzzing" and fall harvest
were also times when six or seven
neighbours would share labour and
equipment, an essential part of rural
living in years past.
The Saunders consider the advent
of the round baler as the biggest
labour saving addition to the farm,
and Bessie especially was not sorry
to see her days of loading the bale
elevator become a ritual of the past.
However, Marsh points out that even
with all the labour saving technology
there stems to be less time today to
visit with, or help your neighbours.
By devoting most of their time
and energy in the early years to the
farm, they established a prosperous
dairy operation while at the same
time raising their five boys. Once the
boys were older and the farm well
established, their involvement in a
variety of community organizations
amounted to almost a second career.
Bessie has long been a member of
the Women's Institute and her
activities with the W.I. are still her
most enjoyable pastime. She was the
W.I. representative to the Grey
County Federation of Agriculture and
over the years, as she says, "worked
her way up the ranks" from secretary
to president. Bessie became the first
woman to hold the top position in the
County Federation, at a time when it
was predominantly a male domain.
Her unwavering support of the OFA
and leadership qualities earned her
the respect of the men she worked
with, which continued to her position
as Regional Director of the OFA
where she dealt with issues affecting
farming across the province. Her
many years as Director of the
Euphrasia Township Federation and
commitment to dealing with issues
important to the local community
earned her the position as Honourary
Director.
Bessie is an untiring supporter of
the Rocklyn Agricultural Society and
was the first woman president of that
organization. She has held executive
positions at all levels of the W.I. and
presently is on the executive of the
North Grey and Grey County W.I.
Bessie's years of volunteer work
have not gone unnoticed and she has