As ground-breaking technologies have changed the face of industry as a whole over the last century, labourers in every field have had to adjust to new ways of working, and none more than those involved in the business of agriculture.
Farmers, who make up a relatively significant percentage of the population in Waterloo County and surrounding area, work tirelessly behind-the-scenes in efforts to provide for the rapidly-changing world around them.
So every once in a while, it is good to take time and celebrate both the fruits of their labour and the means used for harvesting them, in the past and the present. And events like the region’s annual Steam Thresher Reunion are a perfect opportunity for this sort of thing.
Held this past weekend on the farm of Amsey Metzger, which is located just outside of Macton, the weekend-long event was a great success, drawing visitors from Mitchell, Tavistock, Mount Forest and beyond. Whether attending to admire retired machinery, meet with friends or participate in the numerous family-friendly activities, there was something for everyone at the event.
From live threshing demonstrations and competitions, to food and fellowship, the weekend was packed full of fun, and the time and effort put in by event organizers was most certainly evident.
“All the machinery here was somebody’s fathers or grandfathers,” said Ted Leis, who had his father’s own antique steam engine on display. “This means something to everyone.”
For 86-year-old Edwin Weber, the weekend was a trip down memory lane, reminding him of earlier days when steam engines were commonly used for both farming and travelling purposes. He remembers riding a "steamer" across the Rocky Mountains three times, all the way to Vancouver.
Nowadays, gasoline and diesel-fuelled tractors replace steam-engine-powered threshing machines, speeding up the threshing process. Where it would have taken a farmer at least three days to thresh 30 acres of grain with a steam engine, these new technologies have made it possible to thresh roughly 200 acres in a day.
“That’s called progress,” says Leis, smiling.
And there’s nothing like a good, old-fashioned party, complete with home-baking and wagon rides, to celebrate the fact.