Saskatchewan Grain Elevators

Lives lost in grain elevators

2011-10-31T18:10:00.000-07:00

"Over the past four decades, there have more than 600 explosions at grain elevators [in the USA], killing more than 250 people and injuring more than 1,000." That's the gist of the article my son passed on to me recently. While these are US statistics it wouldn't surprise me to know that Canadian elevator agents have been injured or killed due to combustible dust that exploded. If anyone has Canadian stats on this, I'd like to see them. It's certainly not something that is mentioned in the many articles I've read about elevators. And, a quick Google search hasn't brought up any information from Canadian elevator deaths. The link to Wikipedia already includes the recent accident in Kansas. Another reason to express appreciation to elevator agents for the hard work and dangerous tasks they do every working day.Click on the heading to go to today's article re the Kansas grain elevator accident.

Vanishing Elevators

2011-08-20T15:05:00.000-07:00

I imagine there aren't many wooden grain elevators left standing in Saskatchewan these days. We haven't gone looking lately. I took this photo of Parkbeg elevator in 2009, just off the TransCanada Highway about 60 kms. west of Moose Jaw. I read a book by Walter Stewart recently, called "My Cross-Country Checkup" (2000). He and his wife travel across Canada as they did in the '60's and revisit places they did then and make comments. His comments re the vanishing elevators is particularly telling. To quote: "An inland grain terminal can store, on average, about ten times as much grain--wheat, canola, flax, soya beans, peas, whatever--as one of the wooden elevators. It is thus more efficient to operate. This efficiency can be increased by making the farmer truck his crops farther and farther to a few huge terminals, rather than allowing him to drive a few kilometres down the road to a local elevator, where he probably wastes time chatting with the operator or even, God forbid, drinking a cup of coffee.
Of course, the cost to the farmer for trucking goes up, and so does the cost of road maintenance, in direct proportion to the reduction in costs for the elevator firms and the railways, but these are not matters that concern the people who make the decisions....as long as the costs are borne mainly by the farmers, a less and less significant proportion of the voting population with every passing year, this is not an important consideration.
The same phenomenon that is wiping the elevators off the face of the prairie is observable in every sector of the agricultural economy." (pp. 189,190).

Too, too true!

River Ferries

2011-05-29T15:26:00.000-07:00

One of the thrills I experienced while living on a farm in Saskatchewan was getting a ride across the Saskatchewan River on a ferry. At the time the roads were gravel so one had to drive carefully when descending to the river's edge to wait for the ferry. The river was narrow enough that one could see where the ferry was. If the ferry was on the other side and the operator saw you coming he would immediately start the ferry towards the other side to load you. The operator and his family lived in a house near the ferry as he had to be available during daylight hours to operate the ferry. I've included a photo I took of the ferry near Wingard, Saskatchewan a few years back. I still enjoy going on these ferries whenever I get a chance. If you click on the heading you'll be directed to some history of river ferries in Saskatchewan. I believe that the stats indicating the number of horses pulling vehicles indicates horse-drawn wagons, many of which I'm sure were hauling grain to the local elevators. Prairie elevators provided the "stations" to which many a farmer went and the river ferries provided access to the other side of the river for many a farmer who lived near the mighty Saskatchewan Rivers.

Asquith, SK

2011-03-29T19:06:00.000-07:00

Asquith is a small village not too far from Saskatoon. By the looks of their website the elevators may no longer be standing. Can anyone confirm this? I've added some effects to my original photo of these elevators to give them a "ghostly" appearance. That may be very appropriate as most elevators are gone and remain only as memories, or ghosts of the past.

Holiday Greetings

2010-12-13T21:08:00.003-08:00

Christmas is fast approaching and every year I make up a simple greeting using one of my elevator photos. I liked the bright red colour of this elevator I took of the Springside, Saskatchewan grain elevator. Red is associated with Santa's red suit, and many of the decorations are red or have red in them.
Merry Christmas everyone, and if you don't celebrate Christmas may you enjoy the festive period coming up, including New Year's which many celebrate on January 1.
Traditions are both comforting and cumbersome. Why not add spice to tradition and enjoy the moment.
I noticed that the link to Chris Attrell's grain elevator site had changed so I've updated it in "My Links". I hope this didn't frustrate too many of you.

Yorkton, Saskatchewan

2010-10-24T21:33:00.003-07:00

Yorkton is a large centre on the Yellowhead highway that I used to drive to and through quite often when I lived and worked in Saskatchewan. The Pool elevators were a common sight across Saskatchewan. Unfortunately they went out of business in 2007 when they were bought out. The history of the Pool elevators is in Wikipedia, if you're interested.
I added some special effects using Photoshop to dress up this prairie icon. I took this photo in 2001, if I remember correctly.
Live long enough and many things come and go, as has been the case with Pool elevators.

Wakaw, Saskatchewan

2010-09-05T17:25:00.004-07:00

I'm not sure any more if this grain elevator still stands. Perhaps someone from the area could let me know. In any case I've given the original photo a different look to show the colours and lines of these massive structures. Click on the title to go to Wakaw's web page. The story of the origin of Wakaw is of interest.
The history of prairie grain elevators is also interesting. Click here to find a great overview of grain elevators in western Canada. They do a nice job of describing the reason for the shape of grain elevators and how modern design is changing grain elevators.

Wet Prairies

2010-08-15T16:51:00.005-07:00

When we left Saskatchewan to retire on the "wet coast" as it's sometimes called we were convinced that the prairies were about to go into an extended period of drought. We experienced many dust storms and saw grain crops that barely produced enough grain to make harvesting worth while. This year's been totally opposite. Constant rain and even some flooding is happening on the prairies in Canada. Farmers are hoping that they can get the crops off this fall. They could have bumper crops or as sometimes happens, frost could come early and wipe out the promising yield. Only time will tell. Who wants to be a farmer these days when the climate is so unpredictable?
I found this photo that I took a while back showing water right next to a ripening wheat field. I thought of the farmers this year when I came across it and decided to post it here. Whenever I take photos on the prairies I'm always been fascinated with water next to grain . It's likely due to the anxiety we used to experience on the farm when the grain was testing too humid during harvest. We had to stop and wait for nature to dry the grain. Otherwise we risked it overheating in the grain bins and catching fire, or at the very least, spoiling the whole bin full of precious grain.
The old buildings in this photo are also a reminder of different times when more farms existed and each farm was reasonably self-reliant. Mixed farms were common when I was a child. Now farmers tend to be grain farmers or cattle farmers. Specializing can be riskier when the one thing they're farming doesn't do well that year.

Prelate, SK

2010-07-14T21:50:00.003-07:00

We drove through another small village, pop. 164, while travelling through part of Saskatchewan we hadn't seen before. This is the only elevator still standing in Prelate. If you click on the title you'll be directed to a book that's been placed online re the history of Prelate. I've linked the title to the first page regarding the history of the grain elevators. Very interesting history. It looks like they had five elevators there at one time. This book is a reminder of the decline of the rural communities because farms got bigger as machinery became larger and more efficient. Farmers than sold and moved to the nearest large towns or cities to retire or to work.

Leader, SK

2010-07-14T21:37:00.002-07:00

Last month we drove through a part of Saskatchewan we hadn't visited before. I took this photo of the Leader elevator along with the sculpted Ord's Kangaroo Rats. Apparently these rats can leap up to 8 feet at once. Leader is the furthest north that they've been found.
It looks like this elevator is still being used. I've linked the heading to some information re Leader and area. We wanted to drive out to the Sandhills nearby but the roads were being repaired and it began to rain, again. Maybe another time.

Cudworth, Sk

2010-04-27T11:59:00.006-07:00

I understand that this elevator is no longer standing. It's unfortunate how quickly these prairie icons are being torn down. They're just not economical, profit-wise, to leave them up. Maintenance upkeep and lack of use, due to the cement behemoths that are replacing them, is dooming most of them to being destroyed. It's less expensive to tear them down than keep them up. Some communities have managed to keep their elevators as museums but the owners (large corporations) make it difficult and expensive to do so. Nostalgia on my part? Perhaps. Sometimes it's hard to let go of what was an important part of our lives as we grew up. The wooden grain elevators is that for me.
(Click on the Title to read about Cudworth.)

Wooden windmills on the prairies

2010-01-19T16:45:00.002-08:00

Even rarer, I'm sure, than wooden grain elevators are the wooden windmills that are still standing. This one is on my brother-in-law's farm north of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. It's in need of repair as the wooden slats are rotting and it's becoming structurally unsound. It's too bad as these also are icons of the prairies. Using wind power readily available on the wide open prairies was an energy efficient way of pumping water from the well for the water supply of the farm herds.
I have a few photos of windmills in Saskatchewan. Does anyone have a collection? Or know of one? I googled windmills and came up empty. I'll have to do some more searching as now I'm curious as to whether these memories of our past have been preserved.

Inventory of Existing Saskatchewan elevators

2010-01-09T20:36:00.005-08:00

I just came across this list of existing grain elevators in Saskatchewan that was completed in July 2006. There are between 500 and 600 remaining. What I like about this list is that it gives the dates the elevators were built. The Pense elevator I've posted here was built in 1967.
If you want to see the list and see if your favourite elevator was still standing in '06, click on the title of this blog.

Holiday Greetings

2009-12-22T13:07:00.003-08:00

I wish everyone a wonderful holiday season and may 2009 have brought you fond memories of times well spent. And, may 2010 bring you all that you wish for.

Times past

2009-08-13T18:15:00.007-07:00

Before steel bins became available and affordable for farmers they built wooden bins to store the grain before shipping. The bins were often built in or near the grain fields so as to cut down on transportation time during the harvest. The risk, of course, was that the bins were vulnerable to thievery of the grain by unscrupulous farmers who wanted to meet their quota. The main disadvantage of these square-cornered buildings was in loading the grain. Someone had to crawl inside the bin and shovel the grain to the auger. I remember the dust and the hard work of moving the heavy grain by shovel. If I didn't put a handkerchief over my nose and mouth I would suffer from inhaling the dust. The worst grain for nasty dust was oats.
These bins I photographed a few years back near Blaine Lake, Saskatchewan. I've "colored" the photo to make it look like it was taken much longer ago to try to recreate the times.
I enjoy the progressive falling of the bins all in a row--symbolic of time passing.

Tessier, Saskatchewan

2009-07-12T18:56:00.004-07:00

Tessier is a village of around 30 inhabitants, located west, southwest of Saskatoon. This elevator was still standing in 2001 when this photo was taken. It is a "typical" country grain elevator in that it stands very much alone in the wide open prairie. This elevator is right next to the main highway and so is easily spotted if you're driving along highway #7 on the way to Kindersley from Saskatoon. It's about 50 kilometers or 30 miles from Saskatoon. (Click on the title to find it on Google maps.)
I've chosen to "sketch" the photo to give it a more dated and archival look.

Advertising for herbicides

2009-07-09T20:07:00.006-07:00

Farmers face a barrage of advertisements extolling the virtues of this or that herbicide, fertilizers and the equipment to apply them with. I took this photo on the side of the elevator in Birch Hills, Saskatchewan and turned it into a black and white to give the message more clout perhaps. The artwork intrigued me and reminded me of the Soviet style propaganda photos one sees extolling the virtues of the workers in the Motherland, etc.
Herbicides, fertilizers and pesticides are a big industry and farmers have little to say about prices of these products. In order to compete they have to apply these products even though many realize the potential harm to the soil and to people. Farmers can't raise their prices in order to cover the additional costs of applying herbicides, etc., and so are at the mercy of the suppliers.
Organic farmers are working hard to counter this trend and we should support them for it as far as I'm concerned.

Classic Kinley

2009-07-07T10:26:00.004-07:00

I made a "sketch" of the photo I took of the Kinley elevator while a train was passing by. To me, it gives the scene a more "classic" feel adding to the memories of times passing.

Rose Valley, Saskatchewan

2009-06-26T20:52:00.004-07:00

I'm posting this photo of a grain elevator near Rose Valley, Saskatchewan that was sent to me by friends in Regina. Here is the correction to my previous notes as sent to me by a Rose Valley resident: "Rose Valley is a Town. The elevator is owned by a local farmer but is still in it's orginal location, not out in the countryside. This picture just happens to be taken from the Highway, across the school yard so the CP tracks are not evident. The owner of the agricultural land in between the school & elevator does not own the elevator."
My appreciation to the Rose Valley resident who visited my blog and took the time to correct my version of the photo.

Leney, Saskatchewan

2009-05-05T10:59:00.002-07:00

When I took this picture in 2000, all that stood here were these elevators and an abandoned school across the road. These are and continue to be, signs of times past. While I don't want to dwell on the past, I believe we honour ourselves when we honour our past. By taking and posting photos of grain elevators I have chosen to honour part of our history as a province, as a country, and as a people.
I have used a filter to emphasize the colours and and contours of this photo as a way of showing more details. It's easy to forget details in order to remember selectively what we choose to ignore. However, sometimes details must be remembered, not in a vengeful way, but in order to keep ourselves fully informed and able to make clear decisions based on all the information.
I'm not sure where I'm going with that leap, but I do see a connection here.

US Elevator history from 1843-1943

2009-03-21T14:05:00.002-07:00

William J. Brown has written a book about the history of grain elevators in the U.S., and is now selling his book. I'm not promoting his book, per se, however I am letting my readers know about this in case they are interested in pursuing it. Click on the title to link to his blog about this book.
I'm passing this along as I'm glad to see that there are some writers out there who are willing to spend the time and effort to record this information for others to read.

Here's a quote from his book that applies to the Canadian prairies, as well, as far as I'm concerned:

"Frank Gohlke, a photographer of grain elevators, writes,

For me, the essential grain elevator view is obtained through the windshield of a car or truck while traveling on a highway in Kansas or Oklahoma or the Texas Panhandle. It is not a static view, but one that begins just as the elevator becomes visible above the center line, above five miles out of town, and continues until it disappears in the vibration in the rearview mirror. In the minutes that pass as the speck grows to colossal size and then shrinks to rejoin the horizon, many contradictory messages are created: we are powerful, we build for centuries, our monuments rival those of other heroic ages; we are insignificant, our hold on this landscape is tenuous, nature and time erode our greatest creations as if they were dust. What lingers i[n] the memory, though, is the image of a solitary, upright form in the middle distance of an endless plain."

Gull Lake, SK

2009-02-19T22:23:00.003-08:00

While surfing the web about Gull Lake, Saskatchewan where I took this photo, I came across a painting of this elevator by Vickie Emms that portrays this elevator and landscape in another way.
Gull Lake is along the Trans Canada Highway west of Swift Current. The population is about 1,000. The elevator on the photo looks like it's getting on in age. I haven't been back there since I took the photo September, 2006, so it may be torn down by now. In the meantime, we can enjoy the prairie sentinel while it still stands.

Canadian History of grain elevators

2009-01-16T13:55:00.003-08:00

There's always more to read online, and in the libraries, about the old wooden grain elevators. I've linked this blog to the Canadian Encyclopedia that has a great summary of why, how and when these grain elevators were built and what they look like today in their latest versions. It's a good summary and I recommend it to anyone who wants to know just a bit more about our disappearing prairie cathedrals, as they also are called.
I've posted a photo of an elevator I took of Weldon Pool B. It's showing its age and I wonder if it's still standing. Even so, there is beauty in older buildings if one looks carefully.

Holiday Greetings

2008-12-19T20:44:00.004-08:00

I wish everyone the best of the holiday season and may you have much to look forward to in 2009. In spite of the looming difficult economic times, now is the time to tap into the goodness of human nature and do what we can to see each other through the hard times.
Even though we may be losing part of our history as the prairie grain elevators are torn down, we must do like we do when we lose an old friend: Remember the good parts and use those memories to add to the goodness of our own lives.
Happy blogging!

Zenon Park, Saskatchewan

2008-12-01T16:19:00.002-08:00

I've "enriched" this photo of Zenon Park's main street and grain elevator. A link to information about this small town is in the title. Villages and small towns throughout the prairies are losing their landmarks and are disappearing from view as a result. Much business is lost and many stores close after the elevators are gone. While it's a sign of the times, it's also a sad reflection of how progress brings changes that aren't always better. There's less dependency on the immediate neighbours and less friendly conversations and perhaps not-so-friendly gossip that occurs when paths seldom cross due to the longer distances to drive to deliver the grain and to get supplies.
The "small town" atmosphere is slowly shifting to "big box" shopping and big city supply centres.
In the meantime, we can reminisce and commiserate while we fondly recall the "good old days".

Saving the elevators

2008-10-21T13:46:00.006-07:00

I came across this video done by CBC back in 1996, wherein the town of Inglis, Manitoba wanted to save the 4 elevators as an historical site. They realized that it would cost them $70,000 per elevator and weren't sure where they would get the money. I googled the name, Inglis, Manitoba and they seem to be promoting the four remaining elevators as an historical tourist attraction. Good for them. I would suggest that if any readers are traveling through Manitoba that they make sure to stop in and have a look at what prairie towns used to be like.
Upon further investigation, I've also found some photos from Inglis, calling the elevators, "Inglis Grain Elevators Historic Site". There are two photos including a map. Inglis is just north of Russell, Manitoba, just off Highway 16.
Good for Inglis and Manitoba for keeping history alive like this.

Marengo, SK

2008-09-28T15:50:00.004-07:00

I received a comment on my YouTube site about Marengo. I checked my slideshow-video and realized that Marengo was not included as one of the 100 elevators. I have photos of 110 elevators and decided to limit the video to 100 in commemoration of Saskatchewan's Centennial in 2005.
I'm posting the photo here with a link to the YouTube video (that omits Marengo), in case the video's of interest as well.

A new link

2008-07-20T09:39:00.005-07:00

Please check out My Links in the right hand column. I've posted 115 Saskatchewan Grain Elevator photos on Chris Attrell's web site. He's collected over 7,000 grain elevator photos from across Canada. It appears to be a popular site which speaks well for the interest there is in preserving the memories, at least, of these prairie structures where grain was stored and then transported to feed the rest of the world.

Same elevator, different story

2008-06-30T22:22:00.003-07:00

It seems the Hepburn elevator is a favourite of mine. I found a write-up on this grain elevator and thought I should include it as it shows how a community can save these prairie icons if they have the will and the where-with-all.
A spiral staircase to the top with a tea house? Food for thought. I'm sure they'd appreciate everyone's financial contribution to the idea. It sure would be a good tourist attraction.
And, here's another photo rendition of this elevator.

Nice history of the prairie elevators

2008-05-02T20:59:00.002-07:00

Every once in a while I google "grain elevators" and find some interesting articles. This one presents a short history of the elevators of the prairies and gives one a sense of the sadness in watching the demise of this past century's icons. I guess one can call it progress, but those of us who were raised amongst these prairie giants will miss them and the memories that go with them.

Today's article in the Regina Leader-Post

2008-04-14T07:25:00.004-07:00

I came across this article today and thought I'd share it as it tells the story of one small rural Saskatchewan communities' commitment to keeping the oldest elevator in Canada standing and restored. Good for the Fleming folks!
I took this photo in 2006, not realizing how significant it was that this elevator was still standing. I converted it to black and white to give it a more archival look.

Monday » April 14 » 2008

Fleming is home to an icon

Ron Petrie
The Leader-Post

Monday, April 14, 2008

CREDIT: Courtesy of Kevin Weedmark, The Moosomin World-Spectator
The elevator in Fleming.
FLEMING -- In the blink that it took to erase from the landscape Saskatchewan's single most recognized icon, Fleming might have been excused for not realizing its own wooden grain elevator, a squat, hip-roofed job, was one for the ages.

Philip Hamm admits he wasn't fully aware. And he was mayor at the time. Now, eight years later, Hamm is president of the Fleming Historical Preservation Society, a group striving to restore, dollar by dollar, nail by screw, the oldest remaining grain elevator in Canada, opened by Lake of the Woods Milling Co. in 1895, a full decade before there even was a Saskatchewan.

In 2000, the scene railside at Fleming was one already familiar to hundreds of towns. A demolition crew had arrived to tear down the last two of what were once four elevators buying grain in town. The work commissioned by Agricore United was to begin with its old United Grain Growers structure and then move on to the smaller elevator, by then converted for bulk fertilizer storage.

"A couple of ladies in town raised their hackles and said there was no way they'd allow the little old elevator to be torn down," Hamm says. The women sought municipal help, placing council in something of a predicament, smack between: a) townspeople who might have chained themselves to the elevator (They really would have done that? I ask, to which Hamm gives me a look as if to say, well...thank goodness it never came to that) and, b) the demolition foreman, who warned that if the work was stopped, the town could be on the hook for $30,000 for a tear-down at a later date. Through a timely call to the Saskatchewan Heritage Foundation for advice and guidance, Fleming residents learned that a just-completed list of 60 old elevators rated for historical and architectural significance placed theirs first overall.

At that point, says Hamm, there was no way the elevator was coming down.

"The grain elevator is still an icon in Saskatchewan, and once we knew we had the oldest one, we felt a responsibility to save it, not only for ourselves, but for history. It was really close, though. If the demolition crew had started on it before the other elevator, it would gone today."

And it is special this elevator, novel among all the 3,300 that once served as the town skylines across Saskatchewan. Eight years older than the next most ancient elevators still standing, the 32,000-bushel Fleming station was predated probably only by two long since vanished from Indian Head and Moosomin. Its blockish design, with waffle-stamped tin siding and a large square cupola atop, was common to elevator construction only until 1910 and the advent of the more slender, sloped look. Located at the east end of the town siding, six kilometres from the Manitoba border, the elevator was for years the first encountered by trains entering Saskatchewan on the CPR main line, the last passed when leaving.

"Exceptional" is the word you could use, and you might as well, because exception appears to be the rule here in Fleming. For years of population decline town council refused to revert its municipal status back to a village. Now, with an official 2006 census population of 75 (albeit growing of late, like most rural communities), Fleming proudly boasts the legal distinction of being the smallest incorporated town in Canada. From 1929-33, Fleming had its own radio station, CJRW, broadcasting local programs between relays from Winnipeg. The town ballpark is not only one of the Saskatchewan's oldest, built in the early 1900s, but also, today, as home of fastball's Fleming Jets, with its fencing, groomed grass, spectator seating and a red crushed-gravel infield, a diamond that's Field of Dreams pretty, among the province's finest. What's more, the ballpark's new towered lights make for one of the more exceptional political arguments I've ever heard -- wouldn't be needed, they say, if Saskatchewan had Daylight Saving Time. (And here is probably as good a place as any to mention that the town itself was named after Sandford Fleming, the Canadian inventor of 24 global times zones, cause in the first place of all this infernal clock bickering between the east and west sides of Saskatchewan.)

All this, and more, I learn across the street from the 113-year-old elevator, at the 115-year-old Windsor Hotel, where, if you have any notion to shoot breeze on coffee row, you had best bring your A game.

Fleming stakes claim to being the distant Saskatchewan village of the wheatfield horizon that was depicted on the back of the Canadian $1 bill from 1954 to 1974.

So do other communities, but only Fleming has printed its own postcard for proclamation and proof. If you look closely, they tell me, at the town on the dollar, very closely -- that's right -- and you wave out the front door of the Windsor, you can see yourself.

Folks in Fleming do have fun.

And good humour can be a valuable asset in the complicated, sometimes frustrating process of an elevator restoration, a learning process that began with an application to protect the elevator as a provincial heritage property.

Then came negotiations for acquiring the building from Agricore and the land from the CPR, both of which companies, says committee member Les Freeman, have been co-operative and generous.

Guided by the provincial heritage foundation and project manager Allan Sawchuk, a driving force behind the Inglis Elevators National Historic Site in Manitoba, the committee so far has cleaned the elevator of leftover fertilizer, which had caked in the pit and the bins, making for a nasty job, shored up the foundation and replaced on two sides the rusted, faded colors of the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool _ owners from 1959 until the 1990s _ with the replicated brown tin siding of Lake of the Woods.

To do a restoration properly, true to history, is no small order, says Freeman. Sending a sample of an old board, long sheltered from the elements, to Benjamin Moore is only one example, for paint analysis and a bang-on match to the original color of the tin siding. Finding screws with the same colored heads is another. "It seems like there's always something new, something we maybe hadn't anticipated." Two century-old grain wagons, donated by farmers, are stationed at the scales to give visitors a feel for horse- and ox-driven wheat delivery in 1885, and plans include the eventual return of the elevator's flour shed, now in a nearby farmer's yard, to be refurbished as a tourist welcome office and gift shop. The CPR has donated a vintage boxcar and negotiations are also underway with the railway for annexing the entire real estate of the abandoned siding. "You find you get lots of offers from people with vintage agricultural machinery they want to give us, so we could really use the land for a display," says Freeman.

So far the restoration has cost about $50,000 in materials and $40,000 in labour, leaving the project with a debt of $30,000 and $20,000 more in expected costs, which, as with the price of construction anywhere, are rising. To balance the books, to secure matching provincial grants, Fleming has taken on all every manners of fundraising, from selling lunch at farm auctions to raffling a side of beef. On June 14, Saskatchewan's own Elvis tribute artist, Rory Allen, will perform a benefit at the Moosomin Communiplex. An application to have the elevator named a national historic site, if approved, would help considerably with the long-term fiscal stability, perhaps luring corporate support.

"That's the critical part right now," says Hamm. "We need donations and we need donations from outside our area to get it done."

Eight years later, though, Canada's smallest town is finally in a position to see what it started. As twinning of the TransCanada Highway continues on the east of the province, it is no stretch of imagination now for the elevator to be the first stop in Saskatchewan of eastbound tourists, a welcome, a museum, a place of learning, a living monument to what this province was for so very much of its history, and what, in many hearts, it will always be.

"Every year we have people come in and take pictures," says Hamm.

"Some even paint pictures. And it's especially good to see the young people. Some people believe that young people don't value history or don't care about anything unless it's on a computer, but you'd be surprised at how many of them take a real interest in what we have here."

© The Leader-Post (Regina) 2008

Copyright © 2008 CanWest Interactive, a division of CanWest MediaWorks Publications, Inc.. All rights reserved.
CanWest Interactive, a division of CanWest MediaWorks Publications, Inc.. All rights reserved.

Meacham, Saskatchewan

2008-04-10T22:23:00.003-07:00

A village of about 90 residents has, or at least had, an elevator and an implement dealer. I had some fun turning this colorful photo into an "inverted" black and white, giving it a "new" look. Sometimes changing the color and look of a subject can make it more interesting and show things not noticed before. Since these elevators are considered part of our history, we often associate old with black and white photos. Does it work? I'm not sure.

History of prairie grain elevators

2008-02-25T09:00:00.004-08:00

I came across this excellent summary and history of western Canadian grain elevators on the web (click on title) that's put out by "Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan". It also shows how elevators function and why they're being replaced by larger, much different-looking buildings. It's of interest, also, that the farmers organized themselves in the early 1900's to form their own co-operatives and take over from the control of the private companies that prevailed at the time.
My photo of the Hagen elevator on this blog is an example of a Pool(ed) elevator that was owned by the farmers for many years.

Celebrating snow in Kenaston

2008-02-22T08:49:00.004-08:00

I've posted this photo previously (See November 2006) but I "messed" with it in Photoshop to dress it up a bit and as a way of helping Kenaston, Saskatchewan celebrate their long, snowy winters. It's not too many places that would choose a permanent snowman as their town symbol.

A new look at old buildings

2008-01-20T15:34:00.000-08:00

There are times when I wish I could paint well, but so far I've been too lazy to try it seriously. But, I'm not afraid to try different special effects in Photoshop. Maybe it's because if I don't like it I can always delete it or redo parts without having to throw everything away. Lately I've been "painting" some of my elevator photos. Here's one.

Enjoy the holidays

2007-12-21T22:33:00.000-08:00

At this time of year I wish all the very merriest of the Christmas season and a wonderful New Year!
May grain elevators brighten your path during the coming year.

2007-11-09T14:20:00.002-08:00

Young Saskatchewan

2007-10-10T19:03:00.000-07:00

I purposefully left the apostrophe out of the title to make a sentence out of the name of the place where this elevator photo was taken. It was near sunset and the sun was reflecting off the metal siding of the elevator closest to the camera. Again, using photoshop, I changed the original to cast a different light on the elevator, so to speak. Perhaps it makes the elevator look old rather than young. (Pun fully intended.)

Elevator "art"

2007-10-09T19:24:00.000-07:00

Sometimes there is hidden beauty in things old. With Photoshop colours can be highlighted using various filters to make the ordinary look, well, not so ordinary. Here's my photo of Tessier that I've brightened up to show off its innate beauty.

More of barns

2007-09-30T17:14:00.000-07:00

My brother-in-law and my sister live on a farm in Saskatchewan which still has the original wooden windmill. The windmill was used to draw water from a well to provide water for the livestock on the early farms in Saskatchewan. Not many wooden windmills are still standing, so this is a rare sight. Unfortunately, like the wooden grain elevators they are being taken down never to be seen again.
The one-horse buggy is also a rare sight these days. I'm old enough to remember going to school in a buggy. This buggy is a fancier one than we had as it has a cover to protect the occupants from the rain.
The hip-roofed barn was a common structure for the early settlers. Hay could be stored on the second floor and easily dropped down as needed for feed.
The mixed farm provided the farm families with enough food to live on, and they could sell milk and grain to make a living. Of course, in keeping with the theme of this blog, the grain would be hauled to the local elevator for grading and shipping.

Saskatchewan turned 100 in 2005

2007-08-17T09:23:00.000-07:00

I realize that's old news, but after I gathered 100 Saskatchewan grain elevator photos I made up a "slideshow-movie" and put it on YouTube. Since Saskatchewan (and Alberta) just celebrated their centennial two years ago, I thought the number 100 was an appropriate way of representing that milestone in our "European" history of the Canadian west.
If you would like to see it go here.
The slides go by rather quickly but I wanted to give the impression of quantity and a sense of their fading glory. I dedicated the slideshow to the many farmers and elevator agents, along with their families, who work so tirelessly so that we can eat.

Round Barns

2007-08-05T15:46:00.001-07:00

The hip-roofed barn is probably the most common sight on the prairies, but the round barns also were built. If you click on the title you'll be directed to a web site that has many photos of round barns in North America. I don't see the one that I'm showing here, so it must be rare. It's located west of Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan.
Farmers built barns to keep their livestock warm and dry, especially in winter. The hayloft (upper storey) was used to store the hay which could be lowered to the ground floor as needed during the long cold winter months.
I really don't know the advantage of round barns. Perhaps someone has researched the rationale for building round barns. All I know is they are more difficult to build and make a great photo.
Farmers grew crops not just to sell but also to feed and bed their livestock. The grain elevator was a common storage place for their "exported" grain and their barns were the storage places for the feed for their animals. Different architecture for different purposes--perhaps these also should be candidates for the wonders of North America.

What's a Bladworth?

2007-07-27T19:15:00.000-07:00

Okay, that's a bad joke, but maybe messing with the photo of their elevator is also a bad joke. See what you think.
Bladworth is a hamlet of about 67 persons, so the elevator has reason to look lonely. I've "prettied" it up to make it somewhat amusing.

Fiske, SK elevator

2007-07-19T19:05:00.000-07:00

Fiske, Saskatchewan is a hamlet west of Saskatoon. This photo shows the openness of the prairies surrounding the elevator. The wide open spaces of Saskatchewan are perfect for growing grain as large machines can work and harvest the fields very easily and quickly. The photo was taken this past June.

Tessier, SK

2007-07-04T22:09:00.000-07:00

Seeing the same grain elevators again allows for a different viewpoint. I hadn't noticed the older farm buildings the last time I took photos of this elevator. I believe that by including them in the photo of the elevator it adds to the character of the setting and creates a context that better reflects the aging of a prairie icon.

The Last Spike

2007-06-24T13:34:00.000-07:00

The completion of the railway across Canada meant that the farmer's grain could be transported to the west coast and shipped overseas. This was a great boon to the prairie grain farmers, although the Crow's Nest pass was so expensive to build that the government levied a fee on all grain transported through the mountains.
Today there stands a special commemorative marker where the last spike was driven to mark the completion of the railroad. (Click on the heading for more details.)
It's a little known secret that the location of the last spike in Craigellachie, BC contains more than the marker and gift shop. For a privileged few, it's possible to go back in time and stand where Smith stood, grab the hammer and pound on the last spike, while at the same time, having your picture taken. We happened to time it right when we drove through there this month. For a fee, which I'm not allowed to divulge, I entered the time machine and was transported back to the very moment when Donald A. Smith was posing with the hammer over the last spike. For those of you who've gone back in time, you realize how important it is not to mess with the moment, or the future could turn out quite differently. So, with modern technology transferred to 1885, the moment was frozen and I was able to walk into the scene, replace Smith, grab the hammer and wait till the camera clicked. Then I was transported back to the Gift Shop. It all happened so quickly that I assume the people back then didn't know the better.
It's an experience I'll never forget. Luckily, a photo of me in Smith's place was transported back with me. I'm sharing it with you knowing I can trust you to keep this a secret.
Okay, I do have one confession to make. I didn't really hit the "last spike". I just pretended to. It makes for a better photo op.

Kinley, SK

2007-05-28T21:50:00.000-07:00

One of my favourite scenes in Saskatchewan is the combination of telephone lines and grain elevators. This photo taken of the Kinley elevator depicts this view nicely.

Saskatoon-Floral

2007-05-26T09:10:00.000-07:00

Did you know that the great hockey legend, Gordie Howe, was born in Floral, Saskatchewan? Floral used to be a hamlet just east of Saskatoon. As Saskatoon grew, Floral slowly disappeared. I'm surprised there's not a marker to show where Gordie Howe was born. It would make a great tourist draw, don't you think?
Now even the lone elevator that survived over the years has disappeared. Here's a photo of the elevator at Floral that stood until 2003.

Chaplin, SK

2007-05-13T21:46:00.000-07:00

When I was taking photos of elevators I tried to find different situations to make the photos more interesting and contextual. Most of the time nothing was going on at or near the elevators. This past fall was during harvest season, so this photo in Chaplin, SK was of interest--trucks are lined up to unload their loads of grain.

2007-04-27T14:58:00.001-07:00

Fleming, SK

2007-04-19T18:29:00.000-07:00

The oldest standing elevator in Saskatchewan is in Fleming. It was built in the late 1800's. I manipulated the photo to make it antique grayscale in order to give it a look that, I think, better suits the age of the elevator.

Elevator Outlines

2007-04-14T10:26:00.000-07:00

This photo of the elevators in Kinistino, SK has been altered, via Photoshop, to pick out the outlines of the elevators. By concentrating on the shapes, one's impression of the elevators takes on a different meaning. There are fewer distractions and the inherent beauty of the design of the buildings is emphasized and celebrated. It's more like a sketch and leaves the eye to fill in the details, allowing room for imagination.

Town of Cudworth, SK

2007-04-05T13:21:00.000-07:00

Cudworth lies south of Saskatoon, nestled in the gently rolling country-side, with trees few and far between--perfect for grain-growing. We took this photo of Cudworth on a warm summer's day. There was a blackbird sitting on the railway as I took the photo and managed to include it, adding life to an otherwise somewhat stark environment. The clouds make for an interesting backdrop.
I've linked a web site put out by the town of Cudworth, so that those interested can get a pictorial view of Cudworth and area (click on the heading). Enjoy your trip to rural Saskatchewan.

Broderick, Sask

2007-03-24T23:50:00.000-07:00

We took this photo of the Broderick elevator in 2001 in late summer. The colours are often muted at midday, so I purposefully over-saturated this photo to highlight the beautiful colours in the photo. This elevator is reflected in a small "dugout". Dugouts are common in Saskatchewan. Holes are dug out in the ground in order to trap rain water and any Spring run-off to collect water for cattle and irrigation.

Saskatchewan Grain Elevator cards

2007-03-22T13:34:00.000-07:00

We've taken over 3,000 photos of grain elevators in Saskatchewan, covering 110 different locations. Some places, like Saskatoon, used to have 4 elevators. Now only the one on the U of S campus is still standing. Carrot River had quite a few still standing when we went through there. Rosetown had two sets of elevators, including a row down main street.
We've made many of these photos into Photo Greeting Cards, and have sold them at Craft Sales while we still lived in Saskatoon. We brought the left-overs with us when we moved to Vancouver Island, and still have over 350 cards that we'd be happy to sell to interested people. We charge $4 a card, plus postage.
The cards are blank with a paper insert that can removed if the person receiving the card wishes to reuse it.
If anyone's interested please contact us by using the Comment option on these blogs.
The photo above is an example of one of our cards; this one of Rosetown, SK.
We also make prints of elevators upon request.
If you're curious as to whether we have a photo of an elevator you may be interested in, you can go to the link of the right panel that says, "My Elevator Photos".

Kinistino

2007-03-19T20:21:00.000-07:00

Only three elevators remained in Kinistino when we took photos of the elevator there in 2003. Originally there were at least five or six. That's typical of small centres. The elevators have been taken down one by one, until none or maybe one remains. The cement behemoths called inland grain terminals are taking their place but are spaced much further apart, requiring large trucks to transport the farmer's grain.
For some background on Kinistino, click on the title.

Dinsmore elevators

2007-03-17T12:14:00.000-07:00

Dinsmore, Saskatchewan, is located south of Saskatoon and had a population of 377 a while back. If it's typical small-town Saskatchewan a large percentage of Dinsmore and area will have moved to Saskatoon, one of the fastest growing cities in the country right now. Unfortunately the population of the province is decreasing. Soon all the rural folks will be living in Saskatoon and Regina and some other cities and commute to their farmland.
The bright orange-red elevator gives it a presence on the wide open prairies that offers some relief from the other-wise mundane countryside. Mundane to those that prefer hills and mountains, that is. We took this photo in 2001 while touring the countryside for still-standing prairie giants, called grain elevators.

Bladworth elevator

2007-03-16T15:25:00.000-07:00

I was digging through some more elevator photos and came across this one which I thought I'd post. If you want to see where it is, click on the title. Oftentimes the small village elevators make the best photos, at least if you like the rural, open prairie setting.

Prairie Grain Elevator Sites

2007-03-14T18:40:00.000-07:00

I just came across another resource for people to go to to see more photos and information re prairie grain elevators. Click on the heading and enjoy the trip.

Historical Society honours country grain elevators

2007-03-10T14:41:00.000-08:00

The Country Grain Elevator Historical Society has a website you might want to check out. It's great to see so much interest in elevators. My guess is that they've touched the lives of more people than we realize. (Just click on the title to go 'traveling'.)

More about elevators

2007-03-04T10:23:00.000-08:00

The Canadian Encyclopedia has a series of articles about Canadian grain elevators that may be of interest. I've linked it to the heading for you to go to. How elevators were constructed and how they work and some history about the building of them is included. Enjoy reading about how our past has shaped our present.

Elevators in Alberta

2007-02-27T08:24:00.000-08:00

I received an email from a man in Alberta who's collected about 1,700 elevator photos in that province as well as a few from BC and Ontario. He has a web page that has many links and interesting facts and illustrations. Just click on the title to get to it. The more of us who attempt to preserve our rich heritage, the better, I say.

Sky high

2007-02-14T18:12:00.000-08:00

Elevators are about 80 feet high. Getting to the top requires ladders and lifts. This ladder on the outside of an elevator in Carrot River, Saskatchewan, provides an interesting perspective on how tall these elevators really are. Enjoy the climb!

Alberta's next to Saskatchewan

2007-02-09T08:17:00.000-08:00

Okay, the title states the obvious, but to the residents of Saskatchewan the province of Alberta is like a rich cousin that lives next door who keeps promising a better life if you only move in with him/her. Just check the license plates on the cars in Saskatoon or Regina during any holidays and you'll see a lot of them saying, "Rose Country", instead of "Land of Living Skies". These are the children or siblings of Saskatchewan residents who have joined the "madding crowd" in resource-rich Alberta.
I'm going to break the trend and include a photo of combines in Alberta. It was taken near Pincher Creek, Alberta. Comments?

Grain Elevator Museum

2007-02-01T15:24:00.000-08:00

Probably due to the costs, Hepburn has the only town elevator museum in the province of Saskatchewan. That's unfortunate as there's a lot of history that will be lost over the years. There's a nice write-up on their web page that I've linked to the heading.

This is my 100th blog. I'm running out of photos and ideas as to how to keep the topic of Saskatchewan elevators front and centre. I'm going to take a break for a while and allow my faithful readers a chance to catch up on all one hundred blogs and links. If you have any comments or suggestions for further blogs on this topic, please let me know.
Stay tuned! And, take care.

Sunset in Allan

2007-01-30T09:19:00.000-08:00

The sunset always makes for interesting light. This photo of Allan, Saskatchewan is an example. There's a big sky on the prairies and the sunrises and sunsets last a long time leaving the opportunity to take in the sights and colours of the slowly-changing sunlight.

Children's Stories about Elevators

2007-01-29T14:43:00.000-08:00

The Prince of Wales Elementary school in Alberta was given the assignment of writing about the disappearing prairie elevators. I've linked the title to the part of the web page that has their stories. It's a good story about how young people are encouraged to remember the past.

The other towers on the prairies

2007-01-28T08:08:00.000-08:00

Windmills used to be common on the prairies. They used wind power to bring water from the wells to the surface in order to water the livestock or to supply water for the farms. Many are still standing but most are down by now. Here's a photo of one in Saskatchewan that looks like it served the farm back when. It still has the wooden slats that caught the wind. Because they were made of wood they were not able to withstand the weather as well as the metal ones that came along later. So, that makes this one rather rare.

The "Midway" Town

2007-01-27T09:16:00.000-08:00

The town of Davidson, SK is about midway between Saskatoon and Regina, so it's a common stopping place for travelers between the two major Saskatchewan cities. We used to hold meetings in Davidson when there was a need for a face-to-face meeting with people from both cities. It made for less travel and expense.
We took this photo early one morning in the summer of 2001. The sun was barely up and the lighting was still colourful enough to cast an interesting light on the town's sentinels.

A long winter

2007-01-26T13:37:00.000-08:00

In Saskatchewan leaves are on trees only 5 months of the year. That means that the norm on the prairies is bare-branched trees. That makes for a stark, rather colourless environment. What the snow does is brighten up the nights and the days as the snow acts as a reflector of any available light. That helps make up for the long, dreary season. Grain elevators act as a guide in the relatively flat landscape and add some structure to the empty nothingness that seems to be prevalent. One has to look at details and marvel at the colours and textures that somehow survive such a cold climate.
Here's another "cold" elevator to warm your heart.

Winter on the prairies

2007-01-25T12:16:00.000-08:00

It's often a difficult time during winter on the prairies. The upside is that farmers can take a break from the working of the soil and go curling or on vacation, if they don't have cattle to feed or milk. Often the elevators open to take grain in the winter months, allowing the farmers to sell some of their stored grain.
But, it's very cold during winter on the prairies. "At least it's a dry cold", say prairie-dwellers. So, my question is: Do you prefer to be freeze-dried?

Ever Swam in a Wheat Pool?

2007-01-24T09:31:00.000-08:00

There's got to be some humour out there about grain elevators and farming, etc. I came across this humorous story of a family in Alberta that has their own wheat pool to swim in. It's right next to a grain elevator so that they can enjoy being washed over by the wheat. It's a fun read. I've linked it to the heading and I've included the photo from their web page to show the pool.

Old Time Elevator Articles

2007-01-23T08:41:00.000-08:00

I found another website that has a number of articles written by people who have stories about grain elevators, many in Saskatchewan. (Click on title.) Your home town might just be included.
It's nice to know that these stories are available. When we sold elevator cards and pictures we'd hear many stories from people about their connection with the grain elevators. I wish I would have written them down. Are there more stories about Saskatchewan grain elevators out there?

Story of our elevators

2007-01-22T08:33:00.000-08:00

The Canadian Encylopedia does a nice job of providing an overview of Canadian elevators, looking at the history, the architecture of elevators and the present situation. It's a great addition to information that's available on the 'net. (Click on title to see for yourself.)

Fleming, SK

2007-01-21T08:22:00.000-08:00

The elevator that still stands in Fleming, SK (Fleming is located near the Manitoba border east of Moosomin. See map.) was built in 1895, according to the information that I've found. That means it's been standing during three centuries in time. Perhaps it should be made into an historical site for people from all over to appreciate. Hopefully, the community will see fit to keep it.

Anatomy of the grain elevator

2007-01-20T08:38:00.000-08:00

I came across a light-hearted, yet detailed description of the insides of a prairie grain elevator and how it works. The link will appear when you click on the title of this blog. I totally agree with the statement that the new "inland prairie terminals" just aren't photogenic. The author also wonders what symbol will replace the elevator once there'll all gone. He suggests the bald eagle, which is already taken by our neighbour to the south. I would suggest the gopher be given serious consideration. ("Richardson Ground Squirrel".) Here's the scoop on this cute little rascal: http://people.uleth.ca/~michener/main.htm
Other ideas?

University of Saskatchewan archives

2007-01-18T08:32:00.000-08:00

The U of S has an archive of 184 elevator photos dating back to 1979. Most seem to have been taken in the 1980's. There's even one of Wolseley taken in 1902. I've added it here for everyone to see. At the end of the file is a Special Section showing the construction of one elevator and the demolition of another. This link (Click on title of this blog) gives enough information to satisfy anyone looking for information about their hometown elevator that may be lost by now. It's exciting to see websites like this that are helping to preserve the history of the prairie grain elevators.

King Wheat

2007-01-17T22:15:00.000-08:00

As the web site I've linked to the heading states, wheat was king in Saskatchewan for many years. The hockey team in my home town was called "Wheat Kings" to recognize the size and importance of wheat to the local grain farmers.
Wheat is no longer the primary grain crop on the prairies but it still is one of the main grains that supplies the world with flour for breads and pastries.
Maybe wheat is still the king of grains!
I've uploaded the photo of a wheat field I posted earlier, but I thought it was a good time to include it to help the reader to visualize the size and breadth (no pun intended) of wheat fields.

Decline of grain elevators

2007-01-16T08:33:00.000-08:00

I came across a site that lists of the number of Primary Grain Elevators on the prairies over the years. (Click on title if you'd like to read it all.) In 1933, there were 3,047 elevators in Saskatchewan. By 1986 there were only 994; by 1996, 656 and in 2006 there were only 179 licensed grain elevators left in Saskatchewan. That means there are only about 6% of these elevators left to see and enjoy. Amazing!

85

2007-01-15T08:15:00.000-08:00

This is my 85th consecutive daily posting. I'm running out of photos, so I will be scanning and collecting some more elevator-related photos over the next few days. In the meantime enjoy looking at elevator photos by going to the links on this page. I have 118 elevator photos on "My Elevator Photo Albums" link, plus I have 115 on the Prairie Elevators site.
And, or let me know if you would like to see something in particular related to Saskatchewan elevators. I might just have it.

Vancouver-Saskatoon connection

2007-01-14T08:29:00.000-08:00

A few years ago I was glancing at my photos of our walk through Stanley Park and noticed the shape of Siwash rock. (Click on title for more info.) It reminded me of the shape of the grain elevators in Saskatchewan. So, with the help of Photoshop I overlaid the Saskatoon C (Sea?) elevator on the Rock. I know that there's at least a 20 foot difference in actual height--the grain elevator being 80 feet high and Siwash rock almost 60. But it seemed to make for an interesting comparison, however far-fetched it may seem to the viewer.
That's the fun of playing with photos--imagining what else could be. Painters can include/exclude what they like in their final product. Why not photographers?

Young again

2007-01-13T08:15:00.000-08:00

One would think that this village was named after the eternal quest for youth. It turns out it was named after a land agent. (Click on title for the link.) Aside from the interesting name the elevator itself seemed to be well looked after and made for some great late day shots as the sun cast its longer shadows. I recall someone telling me that this elevator no longer stands. Can anyone confirm that? Perhaps just the older one in the background was destroyed?

One of my favourites

2007-01-12T09:33:00.000-08:00

This photo of the elevator in Leney, SK is one of my favourites. Why? Because it typifies rural Saskatchewan at harvest. Ripened wheat growing near the grain elevators that will store the grain once harvested. The wide open prairies surrounding the elevator. What is missing is a village. The abandoning of villages is also typical, unfortunately. The urbanization of the world is happening on the prairies, as well. The small farm is a thing of the past. As they disappear so do the many grain elevators that used to dot the landscape. It's almost as if part of our inner being is getting lost in the process. Will the replacement, i.e., large farms and urban living, be okay? Only time will tell.

Elevator Reflections

2007-01-11T09:19:00.000-08:00

These elevators in Richlea, SK are reflected in the water standing beside the road nearby. The wide open spaces with people few and far between make for a different lifestyle. To use a pun, being alone and so far away from others leaves much time for reflection.

Red River carts

2007-01-10T08:28:00.000-08:00

Before grain elevators became necessary farmers and their families had to settle the prairies. They came via the wooden carts that were often named, "Red River" carts, because they followed the Red River through Manitoba and into Saskatchewan and Alberta. They followed the same trail making for a rutted road, much like inverted railway tracks. At least that's the way I remember the history of early settlers and explorers arriving in the prairies. The Northwest Mounted Police didn't arrive until the Metis Rebellion in 1885. History is always written after the fact and with facts as remembered by the writers (much like I'm doing in this blog). I've added a link to one account of the Metis Rebellion in Batoche, Saskatchewan where Louis Riel made his "last stand". (To go to it click on the title of this blog.)
This photo is of the wheel of a Red River cart on display at the Batoche Historical Site.

Swaths as art?

2007-01-09T08:06:00.000-08:00

The straight lines of these canola swaths on the side of a sloping field make for an interesting photo. Looking at these swaths as art allows the viewer to see more than just swaths waiting to be combined. Do you agree?

A Guessing Game

2007-01-08T08:49:00.000-08:00

Now that the New Year is here, grain farmers begin to tally last year's earnings and take stock of their machinery. One of the major items to consider is the combine. Sometimes it's more economical to sell the old one and get a good used one or even buy a new one. While taking pictures of elevators it was interesting to see the harvest equipment lined up near the elevators--perhaps enticing the farmers to consider spending some money? For the photographer, placing a combine in the picture with an elevator connects the two quite nicely. This photo was taken in Bladworth in August 2001.

Crooked River, SK

2007-01-07T08:49:00.000-08:00

While sorting out some old slides I came across a picture I'd taken in 1968 of the village of Crooked River. The elevator on the photo is no longer standing today so it was a nice find. The scene is a typical one of north central Saskatchewan with the rolling plains and green terrain. I worked in this area at the time and always admired this scenic spot every time I drove by it.

A Sign of Hope

2007-01-06T08:12:00.000-08:00

Farmers operate on a hope and a prayer. They hope for good weather and pray for a good harvest. The rainbow is seen as a sign of hope. When we saw this rainbow over the canola field I quickly pulled over to take a picture.

Hip-roofed barn

2007-01-05T09:23:00.000-08:00

While the wooden grain elevators are icons on the prairies, there are other structures that could also qualify. The windmills and the hip-roofed barns are two others that come to mind. These, too, are disappearing from the landscape as they deteriorate and crumble. For those of us old enough to remember the many farms with these items it's also sad to see them going away. From time to time I'll include photos of these barns and windmills. There's a definite connection with them and grain elevators as the barns housed the animals and stored hay and straw from the fields that grew the grain that was hauled to the elevators. The windmills provided power to the pumps in the wells to water the livestock. Maybe the title of my blog be changed to, "Icons on the Prairies"?

Finally-From the bins to the grain elevator

2007-01-04T09:38:00.000-08:00

Farmers are given quotas as to how much grain they can sell. When the quotas are open to do so the farmer must somehow transport the grain to the elevators. Many hire large trucks to move the grain as the smaller farm trucks just aren't big enough to make the long trip that may be necessary worthwhile. Now that the grain elevators are far and few between this is often true. I took this photo of a line-up of grain trucks at a wooden grain elevator this past September (2006).

V-Back to the combine

2007-01-03T13:49:00.000-08:00

As evening approaches and the sun goes down in the West, the combine keeps on going until it's too damp to continue or the field is done. In this photo the grain is very dry and the wind is not blowing, leaving a long trail of dust. When I was on the combine back in the '60's we didn't have a cab. Going with wind was very uncomfortable as the dust made it difficult to breathe. The dust was also very itchy. So, enjoy the photograph without having to experience the dust and the itch.

IV- From auger to bin

2007-01-02T08:41:00.000-08:00

The wheat is transported into the grain bins with augers such as this one. The sun was getting low when I took this photo, so the sun's casting a strong light on the top part of the picture. It may be symbolic of a "bright future" for the harvest.

III-From the truck to the bins

2007-01-01T08:56:00.000-08:00

Once the truck is filled with wheat the trucker drives the load to the farmyard where the grain bins are and backs up to the grain auger to unload the grain. Here's a photo of where the wheat and the auger meet.

Happy New Year to all

2006-12-31T08:47:00.000-08:00

All the best in 2007 and may your grain elevator photo hunts go well!

II - From combine to truck

2006-12-30T08:35:00.000-08:00

Once the hopper in the combine is filled with grain (wheat, in this case) the combine operator notifies the truck driver that he/she can come and pick up the load. The trucker pulls alongside the combine and the grain is loaded onto the truck.

From the field to the elevator

2006-12-29T08:40:00.000-08:00

Without the farmer seeding the field and harvesting the grain there obviously wouldn't be a need for the prairie grain elevators. I came across some slides I took of harvesting that I've decided to include in the next few blogs--a short series of photos. The first one is of the combine picking up the wheat swath, a common sight in Saskatchewan every Fall.

You can't get there from here

2006-12-28T08:40:00.000-08:00

There's an old story of a farmer who was asked for directions by a city slicker. After careful thought the farmer told the man that he couldn't get there from where he was. Sometimes the wide open spaces on the prairies make it seem like one is getting nowhere because the scenery changes so slowly. Here's a photo of a typical straight gravel road with canola and flax fields beside it. Where does the road lead to? Keep driving till you get there.

Reflected elevator

2006-12-27T11:40:00.000-08:00

Water and grain don't mix. Rain during harvest is always unwelcome as the grain that's lying in swaths is subject to rot and mold. So, although it makes for nicer photos, this reflection of the Bjorkdale elevator probably doesn't sit well with grain farmers.

Surprise find

2006-12-26T08:15:00.000-08:00

While going through some old slides (1996) I came across a photo of an elevator. It turns out to be the Bremen elevator. For some reason we don't have a close up of this elevator. The reflection of the lake and the yellow of the harvested fields makes for an interesting long view of this particular part of Saskatchewan east of Saskatoon.
Happy Boxing Day!