The Citizen, 2012-02-02, Page 12PAGE 12. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2012.
Total receipts for Brussels
Livestock for the week ending Jan.
27 were 2,134 cattle, 450 lambs and
goats. On Tuesday fed steers and
heifers sold steady. Choice steers
and heifers sold $123 to $128 with
sales to $131.25. Second cut sold
$118 to $122. Cows sold $2 higher.
On Thursday veal sold on a very
strong demand with beef calves
trading steady, while light holstein
calves sold $2 to $3 higher and
heavy holstein calves up $2 to $5.
Lambs, sheep and goats all sold
steady. On Friday calves sold on a
strong demand at steady
prices, while yearlings sold $2
higher.
There were 120 steers on offer.
K/C McAlpine of Ailsa Craig,
consigned six steers averaging 1,573
lbs. selling for an average of $125.40
with two charolais steers averaging
1,540 lbs. selling to Horizon Meats
for $126. Larry Reinhart Sr. of
Mildmay, consigned four limousin
steers averaging 1,333 lbs. selling to
St. Helen’s Meat Packers for $125.
Breimar Farms of Parkhill,
consigned four steers averaging
1,460 lbs. selling for an average of
$124.70 with three black steers
averaging 1,473 lbs. selling to St.
Helen’s Meat Packers for $125.
Kevin Leddy of Auburn, consigned
15 steers averaging 1,360 lbs.
selling for an average of
$117.03 with two limousin
steers averaging 1,503 lbs. selling
to Dominion Meat Packers for
$125.
D. Porter of Goderich, consigned
two red steers averaging 1,433 lbs.
selling to Norwich Packers for
$124.50. Leonard J. Stroeder of
Clifford, consigned eight steers
averaging 1,669 lbs. selling for an
average of $116.97 with one
simmental steer weighing 1,465 lbs.,
selling to Norwich Packers for
$124.25. Francis Riley of Walkerton,
consigned 10 steers averaging 1,418
lbs. selling for an average of $123.83
with three black steers averaging
1,495 lbs. selling for $124. Elliott
Miller sold 35 steers averaging
1,448 lbs. selling for an average of
$123.55 with six black steers
averaging 1,462 lbs. selling for
$124. W.R. Gardiner Farms of
Staffa, consigned two steers
averaging 1,358 lbs. selling for an
average of $122.41 with one
limousin steer weighing 1,480 lbs.
selling for $124.
There were 148 heifers on offer.
Bill Frank of Listowel, consigned 11
heifers averaging 1,395 lbs. selling
for an average of $124.52 with one
limousin heifer weighing 1,360 lbs.
selling to Norwich Packers for $130.
Darren Johnston Farms of Bluevale,
consigned 22 heifers averaging
1,334 lbs. selling for an average of
$123.37 with one grey heifer
weighing 1,315 lbs. selling to
Norwich Packers for $126.75. David
Bowles of Brussels, consigned four
heifers averaging 1,400 lbs. selling
for an average of $124.60 with one
black heifer weighing 1,485 lbs.
selling to St. Helen’s Meat Packers
for $125.75. Jim Fritz of Brussels,
consigned 13 heifers averaging
1,352 lbs. selling for an average of
$124.31 with five charolais heifers
averaging 1,429 lbs. selling to St.
Helen’s Meat Packers for
$125.50.
Martin Metske of Lucknow,
consigned 45 heifers averaging
1,272 lbs. selling for an average of
$123.92 with nine black heifers
averaging 1,308 lbs. selling to St.
Helen’s Meat Packers for $124.50.
Mike Calder of Mitchell, consigned
six heifers averaging 1,329 lbs.
selling for an average of $124.34
with two black heifers averaging
1,365 lbs. selling to St. Helen’s Meat
Packers for $124.50. Noah Weppler
of Ayton, consigned six heifers
averaging 1,346 lbs. selling for an
average of $119.81 with three
limousin heifers averaging 1,372 lbs.
selling to St. Helen’s Meat Packers
for $123.75. Terry Murray of
Clifford, consigned 11 heifers
averaging 1,244 lbs. selling for an
average of $122.45 with nine
charolais heifers averaging 1,278
lbs. selling for $123.75.
There were 399 cows on offer.
Export types sold $66 to $76 with
sales to $78; beef cows, $73 to
$87.50 with sales to $89; D1 and D2,
$57 to $62; D3, $52 to $57; D4, $37
to $47. ValBrook Farms of
Chepstow, consigned three cows
averaging 1,577 lbs. selling for an
average of $85.22 with one limousin
cow weighing 1,715 lbs. selling for
$88.50. Robert and Terry Lundy of
Kemble, consigned eight cows
averaging 1,542 lbs. selling for an
average of $78.11 with one charolais
cow weighing 1,690 lbs. selling for
$85.50. Boern View Farms of
Gadshill, consigned seven cows
averaging 1,584 lbs. selling for an
average of $74.89 with one holstein
cow weighing 1,710 lbs. selling for
$80.
There were 10 bulls selling $74.50
to $87 with sales to $92. Dennis and
Doug Johnston of Holyrood,
consigned two bulls averaging 1,675
lbs. selling for an average of $80.28
with one black bull weighing 1,475
lbs. selling for $87. Enos L. Miller
of Lucknow, consigned one
charolais bull weighing 2,450 lbs.
selling for $85.
There were 165 head of veal on
offer. Beef sold $140 to $165 with
sales to $170; good holstein, $124 to
$132 with sales to $136.50; medium
holstein, $110 to $120; heavy
holstein, $120 to $130. Amos M.
Martin of Elmira, consigned three
veal averaging 733 lbs. selling for an
average of $167.92 with one black
steer weighing 675 lbs. selling for
$170. Anson S. Martin of Elmira,
consigned one limousin steer
weighing 725 lbs. selling for $160.
Lamar Frey of Listowel, consigned
nine veal averaging 713 lbs. selling
for an average of $155.46 with two
limousin heifers averaging 713 lbs.
selling for $168.
Lambs, 50 - 64 lbs. sold $237 to
$274; 65 - 79 lbs., $220 to $250; 80
- 94 lbs., $201 to $235; 95 - 109 lbs.,
$208 to $220; 110 lbs. and over,
$197 to $210.
Sheep sold $85 to $135 with sales
to $145.
Goats: kids sold $75 to $125 to
$145 per head; nannies, $50 to $100
to $125 per head; billies, $150 to
$300 to $310 per head.
Top quality stocker steers under
400 lbs. sold $117 to $217; 400 -
499 lbs., $159 to $200; 500 - 599
lbs., $152 to $191; 600 - 699 lbs.,
$136 to $169; 700 - 799 lbs.,
$129.50 to $163.50; 800 - 899 lbs.,
$125 to $153; 900 - 999 lbs., $122 to
$142.50; 1,000 lbs. and over, $120 to
$141.
Top quality stocker heifers under
300 lbs. sold $120 to $200; 300 -
399 lbs., $127 to $186; 400 - 499
lbs., $123 to $172; 500 - 599 lbs.,
$147 to $172; 600 - 699 lbs.,
$133.50 to $151; 700 - 799 lbs.,
$130 to $152; 800 - 899 lbs., $129 to
$140; 900 lbs. and over, $131.50 to
$142.
By Rhea Hamilton-Seeger
I would like to share with you the
adventure of discovering a new side
of the Maitland River. For those who
canoe, fish or simply walk along the
trails beside the river, they
understand the pure joy of just being
near the river. It is a magical place.
But for two gentlemen the river is
also a direct line to those early
pioneers who struggled through the
heavy forests and wetlands of
Southern Ontario to carve out a new
life for themselves and their
families. I shared part of that journey
with them and together we put the
results in a book.
It started out as a simple idea. John
Hazlitt was curious about just how
many dams the Maitland watershed
had supported and Ted Turner was
interested in the vanished
communities that would have thrived
and then disappeared at these dam
sites. It was a partnership made for
the river. Their curiosity came
naturally. I was pulled into the mix
when they started talking about
putting everything into a book. I was
not to be left at my desk formatting
pictures and editing copy. I gladly
joined them on a few trips looking
for some of the elusive sites and yes
a visit to the obvious ones like the
Brussels and Gorrie mills.
John grew up in the Benmiller area
and the river was his playground as a
child. His first job was the first
superintendent of field operations
for the Maitland Valley Conservation
Authority. The river and its
watershed came under his care.
Ted Turner has a passion for local
history. As a member of the Huron
County Historical Society he
researched and published whole
issues of Huron Historical Notes on
vanished villages, school sections
and post offices that dotted the
countryside. Names of places and
people left behind in scattered
documents were brought together in
context and readable format.
After much digging through local
history books, pouring over old
maps and notebooks, the two were
ready to actually go and visit these
sites and discover if there was any
evidence left of those first dams.
And that is where this book, Power
of the Maitland, takes a turn on the
adventurous side.
The Maitland River covers an area
of 984 square miles. Hard to picture.
But if you laid out the Maitland in a
straight line it would run 100 miles
from source to mouth. Now that, one
can picture. There are four main
branches: North Branch, Middle
Maitland, Little Maitland and South
Maitland, three of these joining in
the Wingham area. The fourth is a
tributary that meets the main river
further downstream. The Maitland
seems to wander all over the
countryside travelling at some point
south, then north and then west
working its way through flat
wetlands, glacial spillways and
steeply banked areas. A lovely river
to travel by canoe in the spring, but a
difficult challenge on foot anytime
of the year. Some sites were located
(with permission) deep into private
land and others were accessible from
a public road.
The pioneers came into the heavily
wooded areas and those with some
experience headed for the river.
Armed with a broad axe and a few
gears on their back they set up dams
and earthworks to harness the power
of the water. It is the remnants of
these earthworks and dams that John
and Ted and, yes, myself went
seeking.
Exploration of this kind needs to
be done when the water levels are
low, but before the vegetation is fully
grown and mature along the banks.
We ventured into some areas in June
and the growth was already five feet
high making it hard to see each other
let alone any evidence. Some sites
were easily recognized. At the
Hunter site in Howick the river
meanders through pasture land and
from a hill top you can easily see the
earthen berm and the hollowed out
area for the mill wheel. But not all
sites were this easy.
John, Ted and I were trying to find
the Disney site north of Holmesville.
Yes, that Disney family. We broke up
and set out in three directions. I
stumbled around in high shrubbery
heading south. The banks are quite
steep and heavily wooded. You could
walk amid the engulfing
undergrowth or swing from the
branches of the trees that shaded the
whole bank. I walked for about 20
minutes or longer and found my way
to the bridge. It was then I realized
we had not set up the next step of the
plan. Should I wait here or go back?
Better go back! So off I struck back
through the bush, half wading, half
climbing. It was a good workout.
And yes we found what we believed
to be the site. Quite extraordinary.
You can make out the track in the
in the hill where the wagons would
have come down to the site, you can
Authors experience adventure of the Maitland
The Maitland
The Power Of The Maitland covers many local areas in its
pages and offered the authors an exciting journey while
compiling information on the book on the river that runs
through much of Huron County. (Photo submitted)
TUESDAYS
9:00 a.m.
Fed Cattle, Bulls & Cows
THURSDAYS
8:00 a.m.Drop Calves
10:00 a.m.Veal
11:30 a.m. Pigs, Lambs, Goats & Sheep
FRIDAYS
10:00 a.m. Stockers
Call us 519-887-6461
Visit our webpage at:
www.brusselslivestock.ca
email us at:
info@brusselslivestock.ca
BRUSSELS LIVESTOCK
Division of Gamble & Rogers Ltd.
UPCOMING SALES
AgricultureBrussels Livestock report
Fed steers, heifers sell steady at sale
Continued on page 15