Farm History

We recently were fortunate enough to learn more about the history of our farm and obtain some photos of the farm from the "old days".  Our thanks and gratitude goes out to Doris  (Hood) Lemon, one of the children from the owners who started farming here at the turn of the century.

       

   

 

 

 Early 1900's prior to construction of Driving Shed.  Note the Straw Stack is taller than the barn!

                                   

 

    Building the stack with straw blown from the pipe.

 

 

 

During Harvest time, the grain was cut with the binder which formed it into sheaves which were tied with binder twine.  The sheaves were stooked to dry and later were pitched up onto wagons which were drwan by the horses up the ramp and right into the barn.  The sheaves were pitched off into the huge mows.  Then, on threashing day, the sheaves were thrown by the men into the threashing machine and the grain was poured into the bins in the grainary and the straw was blown outside onto the stack or inside into the straw mow.  In all, the sheaves were handled four times.  It was alot of hard work!

 

When the new house was built, the original Hood farmhouse was converted into kitchen, pantry, and washroom, and later a veranda was added on the front and a sunroom on the back.

 

 

 

 

 

    

 

 

On the west side of the house; Robina with her children Mabel and Arthur ca 1912.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Here is George and Robina (Lees) Hood in front of the house ca 1919.

 

 

  

 

    

George and Robina (Lees) Hood with a top buggy ca 1919.

 

 

 

    

 

Harvesting grain with binder and 3 horse hitch.  George with helper ca 1914

 

 

 

  

 

Harvesting - Arthur Hood ca 1940.

 

 

 

 

 

George's son Arthur took over the farm and married Alice.

Here is Alice with their children Douglas and Doris.  Note the barns in the background.

 

 

 

 

            

Rumley Tractor

 

 

  

 

 

 

                                     Arthur at the wheel of his first car

 

 

 

 Changing Technology -

Haying in 1942; Arthur atop a perfect load, with Douglas and hired man Nick Asapopolus with dog Skippy.

 Haying in 1946 with wagon, hay rack.  Allis Chalmers tractor.  Ross Taylor, Douglas Hood, Arthur Hood with wagon, brother-in-law Arthur Waldeck and son Barry on tractor.

  

 

                                    Arthur on his horse "Prince"

 

 

 

 

 

Here is the house in 1994.  Present owners Bert and Willy bought the farm in 1995 and have made many changes - starting with removing the horse paddocks and clearing and preparing land for fruit crop production.  To read more about Bert and Willy see About Us and to learn about our crops see Frootogo Crops page.