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EPISODE 467 IRISH STORIES AGAIN: THE COW IN THE ADIT AND MEMORY OF JOHN FLEMING AND BARNEY DWAN

EPISODE467    IRISH STORIES…THE COW IN THE ADIT…AND MEMORIES OF JOHN FLEMING AND ANDY DWAN


alan skeoch
oct. 2021


RUMOUURS…FOLK TALES….WERE OFTEN BASED ON FACT AS WE PROVED

JUST found a picture I took of the Mystery Adit we excavated in Bunmahon in 1960,
I have told the story earlier but must tell it again if only for Aden Coffey.  The location of this excavation was
north of the main mine shaft, near the home of Rina Casey I believe.

While doing the surface geophysical survey with the Turam we picked up a strong
anomaly some distance inland from Knockmahon.  By pure chance a story was told by
one of our employees about a local farmer who, around 1900, had lost a cow in an adit that he closed with
 landfill surmounted that was now covered by a patch of Gorse.

“The old adit is right under your anomaly.”  said Barney Dwan as he told the story of the lost cow.
“Maybe we could open the adit and see if what we found with the Turam.” I retold the story to Dr. Stam.
“Good idea.  Let’s hire a man to see if the adit even exists.  Won’t cost much…just give
him a pick, shovel, axe and wheelbarrow.”
“Barney, can we pin point the exact location of the adit?”
“The story had been told over and over…I think the adit is under that patch of
gorse in the little valley below us. (I think the Irish term was ‘boreen’ meaning “little valley’/

So we set the man at work. All alone.  After a couple of days digging
his pick or shovel penetrated the old adit which had been filled with
water over the decades. Water under pressure.  Once opened, the water blasted
out in a gush.  That happened So suddenly that the excavator had to run or be engulfed.  Some said
he was terrified.  We had discounted the story…did not expect to succeed.  But the story was true, an
adit was there.   What about the cow?
So much  water escaped that we had to wait a day or so before entering
the place.

Guess what we found?

Right…there was the skeleton of the cow about a hundred feet from the entrance. Maybe her
hips got stuck in the narrow passage.  A  terrible death.  Or maybe her body had been hauled into
the adit already dead.  A grave. 

What really attracted geologist John Hogan and geophysicist Dr. John Stam were the
stains on the walls.  




Ireland made such a deep and lasting impression on me that my 3 months there seem like
only yesterday…but the adventure happened in 1960…61 years ago.   And there seems
to be no end to the memories  which I believe have universal appeal.  Hope so anyway.





You have met Barney Dwan before.  He was my main man.  Always had a grin on his face and told
me stories that were sometimes true and sometimes outlandish.  we had a great time together.
I wish I could have paid him more money…a pound a day was cheap…but I tried to spread
the money over as many men as I could.   All had roles that were necessary.


Bones and bodies of dead animals were often found…especially at bottom of cliff faces.




In places the adit walls were shored with old timbers … crooked timbers.

 
And there she is..the cow…




These stains had meaning to John Hogan.  I had no idea what they were except proof of mineralization.


This patch is proof of the presence of copper.


SHORT NOTE ABOUT ONE MAN IN PARTICULAR

I Think his name was John Fleming.  His name came to me last night.  Seems my brain was going in to overdrive to find the name.
He is the older man with hands on his hips while posing on a very narrow bridge
across the Mahon River.   John was much older than others and regarded as a leader.  A very dignified and friendly
man who kept out staking crew going even when the weather was terrible.  As a matter of fact he even tried to continue
staking after nightfall in a storm.   Working by compass and flashlight was impossible but somehow John kept the line
straight.  

His home was on a small plot of  land where he grew a big garden and was able to keep a few animals…one of which
was a horse as I remember.  Every square inch of his 1 acre (!) lot was in use.  I think he had both children and grand children
…seem to remember that but it was a long time ago.  I do know that all the men respected John and asked advice of him.


Barney is carrying John Fleming on his back as we criss crossed the Mahon River.

This was our trenching crew who dug down to bed rock once I detected a conductor with
the Turam.  We called these high readings ‘anomalies’ because we had no firm idea why
the readings blipped.   


Pigs were very curious.  They could also be dangerous…especially the boars.


The job of trenching was dangerous the deeper the trench got as seen here.  If the soil loosened and collapsed how would this
man escape?  Thankfully, WE had no accidents.  Today there would be safety rules such as shoring of the walls.


Our job attracted widespread interest. The Waterford newspaper even sent a reporter and photographer to do an interview
which appeared on the front page.  I have tried to get a copy…seems to be available but have hand no response.
(Note to Aden Coffey: perhaps you can get a reprint from the Waterford newspaper. It is available)


“Do you need help?” asked this sow
“Sure…keep digging.”
“Grunt…grunt…grunt.”
“Is there any truth to the story I was told by Barney about your friends?”
“What story?”
“Barney says a nun disappeared while taking a short cut through your field.  All
that was found of her was a shoe with her foot in it.  Could that be true?”
“Just watch your step, Alan, truth is sometimes stretched a bit but you never 
can tell.”
“Grunt…grunt…grunt.”
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EPISODE 474 OUR FIRST POST PANDEMIC FARM SALE.. NOV. 13, 2021 sale for late John Smith

EPISODE 474     OUR FIRST POST PANDEMIC FARM SALE, Nov. 14,2021 (sale for late John Smith)


alan skeoch
Nov. 15, 2021




Winter weather on  the way but today was crisp and brilliant as Andrew and I 
motored north to our first post pandemic farm sale.

“Live auction sale for the estate of the late john Smith. Emergency #938198 Dufferin County road 18…Airport Road north of  Terra Nova”
Bob Severn,auctioneer”

“Mom didn’t want to come, Dad?”
“No….And I have an idea for her Christmas present this year.”
“What?”
“Wait and see.”


“Well, Dad, what interests you now we got here?””
“I think  the David Brown tractor…British made..not many around.””
“Don’t see it here”
“Must be out behind the barn.”


“Can’t go there right now…Bob Severn is getting revved up.”


“Let’s take a look in the stable…”
“Old style…wood stanchions and looks like this
was a small mixed animal operation….chickens, pigs and a couple of cows.”




“And sure as god made little green apples, here is the David Brown tractor.”
“Seems to need some work.””
“Keep a list…start with a pair of big back tires and smaller front tires…then maybe
a new engine.”
“One thing not needed….guess what that is?”
“This David Brown tractor does not need a new paint job.”
“Great paint!”


“Andrew, let’s get it.””
“Are you nuts, Dad?”
“You already know the answer to that.”


“What did you buy, Andrew?””
“This welding table and two heavy jacks…paint brushes, nails, blow torch…I bought a complete corner
of the workshop….more than we can load.”
“What about the David Brown tractor.?
“Sorry, dad, no space on the truck.”
“Now, that is a real shame…I was considering the tractor as my Christmas present
to Marjorie.”
“Didn’t you give mom a International Tractor for her birthday a few years ago?”
“I did…ran well for couple of years.”
“And this year you gave her a John Deere riding mower.”
“I did.   She will not let me drive it.  Says I will just put it through the weeds in search
of rocks and lumps of hidden cast iron.”
“Let’s hit the road…”


“This is John Smith’s sister, Joan, and family friend.  She was one of the smartest persons at the auction”
“Why?”
“There were more than 100 people at the auction…I only saw three Covid masks.  Joan wore one of them.”
“let’s hope this virus madness will end soon.”
“There are still some clouds on the horizon, Andrew.”

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EPISODE 472 THIS IS OLD DICK, GRANDDAD FREEMAN’S LAST HORSE

EPISODE 472    THIS IS OLD DICK, GRANDDAD FREEMAN’S LAST HORSE


alan skeoch
Nov. 2021



OLD DICK….REMEMBERED

“WHAT IS THAT horse skull doing up on the cross beam in the dining room?”
“That is granddad’s last horse.”
“Sick thing to do”
“Not really because I attach the skull to a touching story.”



THOSE WINTER EVENINGS ARE UNFORGETTABLE

“My brother Eric and I heard the story on a winter night when
we were all huddled around the wood stove while the night wind
howled and snow filtered through The window gaps.  We heard lots
of stories that way but the  tale of old Dick was so touching…so unforgettable…so revealing….”
“So what?”
“So, when spring came,  Eric and I walked though the bush to the burying ground and found Old Dick.”
“Your grandparents allowed you to put that skull up there?”
“No, that was my idea long after grandma and grandpa were gone…we gutted the old farm house….renovated
the place complete  with exposed hand hewn beams….which seemed a good place to put Old Dick as a reminder
of that winter story.”



WHAT STORY?   

This is the way I would like to tell the story.  The bare bones are true…the flesh of the story is mine.

“AS the Freemans got older, they reduced the farm livestock until the only living creature in the barn
was Old Dick.  He wasn’t used anymore but he was kept around because they loved him.  Or, at least,
I assumed that was the case.

Then Old Dick reached some kind of crisis where he could no longer function properly…perhaps he went lame,
or his teeth failed, …whatever.  Granddad had  to face a tough decision… he had to take action.  Miserable time.
Edward Freeman called up Angus Mcechern, a close neighbour and  they both walked Old Dick east to the
very back field…the burying ground. Angus led Old Dick by his halter.  Granddad carried the gun.  When they
got to the place granddad asked the dreaded question.  “Where should I shoot him, Angus?”   And Angus
pointed to a place somewhere on the skull.  Angus used his finger …”right here”

At the very moment granddad fired the gun.  Angus’s finger was still in place.
“Why did you do that..you could have blown my finger off.”

And granddad looked at Angus and said,  “If I didn’t fire then, I would not be able to fire at all.”

“You see my point?  You see why Old Dick is up there on the beam?”
“No, I don’t really understand.”
“Think about it…think long and hard…think about the old times when horses were an integral part of farm life…think
about the tough decisions that had to be made…think about Old Dick…and think what granddad Freemn meant
when he said ‘if I did not pull the  trigger then, I am not sure I would ever be able to do so.’

Empathy is necessary to understand.  You either have it or you don’t have it.  Empathy.


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EPISODE 471 “ICE IN THE BUCKET, ALAN, …YOU WILL NEED HELP.” “THEN J.R. ARRIVED” (CARTS) NOV.5,2021

EPISODE 471   “ICE IN THE BUCKET, ALAN….YOU WILL NEED HELP.” “THEN J. R.. ARRIVED”


alan skeoch
Nove. 5, 2021




“There is ice in the bucket, Alan.”
“So what.”

“Alan, this could be a bad day.”
“Why?”
“Sky is threatening…look at the cloud bank sweeping in like a tidal wave.”
“Seems a little dramatic.”
“How are WE ever going to get 4 Hawker’s carts from the barn to the road all by ourselves.”
“Tough job but ….”
“You need help.”

And then J.R. Grassby arrived…and the day turned out to be glorious.

(WHO IS J.R. GRASSBY?  ANSWER COMING BUT FIRST LOOK AT THE CLOUD…SINISTER)


“Sinister looking, Marjorie…like the end of the world was coming.”


WHO IS J.R. GRASSBY?  …THE ANSWER IS COMING.”

“Alan, just how are you going to get those carts to the road for the movie.  By the way what is
the name of the move?”
“Movie making is a secretive business Marjorie…they never tell me much.”


WHO IS J. R. GRASSBY?

“J.R. What are you doing here?  Your truck and loaders won’t get here until noon?”
“I came to give you a hand…I know you and Marjorie would have to get the carts to
the road alone.  …Thought you could use another pair of hands.”
“Great… And so we began moving the Hawker’s carts from the field and barn to 
the road.  Actually J.R. did most of the work while I took pictures and Marjorie got
tea and croissants ready.

J. R. GRASSBY IS A SET DRESSER…A SET BUYER…A SET DESIGNER.  VERY CREATIVE PERSON WITH
IMAGINATION.  J.R. ALONG WITH A HOST
OF PEOPLE HAVE TO MAKE A MOVIE BELIEVABLE.  THEY BUILD WHATEVER IS NECESSARY.
IN THIS CASE THEY NEED THINGS THAT ARE FRIGHTENING…NO, I CANNOT TELL YOU  THE FILM
TITLE.  I DO NOT KNOW IT MYSELF.  (we are at the rock bottom of the film industry)






  SO J.R. HELPED GET THE CARTS TO THE ROAD.

“Did you say helped Alan?”
“Yes.”
“What did you do?”
“I pushed a bit…and took pictures…”
“As usual.”
“Someone has to document this secretive business.”
“Do you think anyone ever reads your episodes?
“I hope so…this is Episode 471.  Means we have done 471 stories since the Pandemic began.”
“Why do it…why do the stories?””
“I have no answer that makes sense…except taking pictures is an excuse from pushing this cart.”
“I see your gloves are going for a ride.”
“Very perceptive…



“What kind of movie is it?””
“Horror movie…most things happen at night in a nearly dark decrepit market…that’s where the
carts come in…they will be “dressed” to look sinister.”  said J. R.


“You want a sinister look, how about a few skulls?”
“Possibly…but I like all those hanging plants best…dried, dead and hanging.”
“Anything else?”
“We’ll send a truck next week for a load….15 sacks with fake filling, maybe a barrel or two…lots of stuff. I already have around ten coffins.”
“Coffins?”
“Not a joyful movie, Alan…Dark, dark, dark”


“Nothing very dark in the house…unless a stuffed porcupine or spotted hobby horse makes the grade.”


“How about the boys up there on  the beam?
“Sorry.”


“Sorry, J.R. but ur Elephant Ear is not going with you.  It took us an hour or two to get it in here before
the frost hit.   It will spend the winter at the window.”


“Too bad Woody, the dog, is such a friendly animal…we need a dog who snarls and shows his teeth.”


“The truck arrived…and the carts were loaded in about 20 minutes and then the whole
entourage was gone.


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EPISODE 470 SPEAD THE WORD…STARTLING VISITOR TO THE UNITED NATIONS



EPISODE 470     SPREAD THE WORD….A SRANGE VISITOR TO THE UNITED NATIONS

alan skeoch
november 2021
(thanks to Thom Norris…and whoever created this warning)

Once again Thom Norris has sent a video that is startling.  Last time is was a
s steam tractor pulling 44 plows across the prairie.  This time you will be frozen
to your seat as a strange visitor arrives.



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EPISODE 469 DID WE REALLY TRADE 50 MOOSE FOR 274 WILD TURKEYS? (YES, WE DID IN 1984)

EPISODE  469     DID WE TRADE 50  MOOSE FOR 274 WILD TURKEYS?  (Yes,,,did so in 1984)


Alan skeoch
nov. 2021

alan skeoch
november 2021

MARJORIE SPOTTED THE FLOCK…BUT THEY SPOTTED HER FIRST

“Alan, quick get your camera…whole flock of wild  turkeys in the south field.”, as Marjorie got the
window down on a rainy Oct. morning.  The flock was immediately alert.
“They see us slowing down…they are moving away…FAST.”
“They have great eyes…better than ours.”
“And they have 360 degree vision…neck can swivel… hard to fool them.””
“How many are out there?”
“Maybe a dozen.”
“Can you spot the big Tom turkey…the male?”
“No, and in a few seconds they will be gone…they know we are not as quick.”
“They can run at 25 mph and fly at 55 mph.  Not many people know that.  They
think turkeys are toO fat to run and too big to fly.  Wrong on both counts.
“Strange how we see these flockS so often these days.  They were extinct in Ontario
for much of the 20 th century…Now they are almost common.”
“How many are there in Ontario do you think?”
“Professionals estimate 100,000…common.”
“How come?  How did wild turkeys get re-established while so many other
birds and animals are in decline?



HOW DID WILD TURKEYS GET REESTABLISHED IN ONTARIO?

“Was the return  of the wild turkeys natural?”
“Natural?”
“Yes, did they swim or fly across the river from Detroit or across the St. Lawrence River to Brockville?”
“No.  They got here in 1984 due to Dr. David Ankney, a retired biology professor at Western University…he
argued for a trade with American states that wanted some of our wild animals.. The trade took some time
but in 1984 it happened.   We got 274 wild turkeys.

1) traded 18 river otters to Missouri for wild turkeys
2) traded 120 Hungarian partridge to New York for wild turkeys
3) traded 50 moose from Alginqin Park To Michigan for wild turkeys

“That moose trade was expensive…50 moose for a few wild turkeys…Yuk!”

Then we released them in small groups in southern Ontario.  Only real wild turkeys…no  mixtures or domesticated turkeys.
The wild TOM TURKEYS Would not accept domesticated females as wives so those 274 had to be trapped in the forests of the USA.

“Let me see…you say 274 wild turkeys came to Ontario in 1984 and there are more than 100,000 here today.”
“That’s right.”
“Sounds untrue.”
“Not so.  Look around…easy to spot them if you look hard enough.  Some have even moved
to Muskoka and North Bay…northern places that had never had populations ever before.
They are here to stay.”
“What happened to our 50 moose and those river otters.?
“I have no idea…we could find out though.”

Wild Turkeys were worshipped by the Inca and Aztec people; 

In no time the whole flock melded into the fall field colours.  We never got close. 




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EPISODE 468 Power EYOND BELIEF FOR1905…STEAM TRACTOR AND 40 PLOWS



EPISODE 468    POWER BEYOND BELIEF FOR 1905…STEAM TRACTOR AND 40 PLOWS

alan skeoch

oct. 2021
(courtesy of friend Thom Norris)


 This is a departure from my regular Episodes in that I did not make the video but

I think readers will be impressed.   Congering the prairie was done by three steps.

Two of the steps were quite disturbing to any thoughtful person.  The third step
is the subject of this episode … POWER !

1)
First the land
was cleared of its rightful owners…the indigenous peoples

2) Then The great herds of buffalo Were slaughtered…THEIR bones sacked like chordwood. They had provided food for those indigenous people.
But they also got in the way of railway construction.

3) And only then could The prairie soils be turned over and harrowed….and that
is where this story takes off.





Subject:  Powerful Steam Tractor
 

 

 
  
  
  
 


 

 
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EPISODE 465 BLACK WALNUTS…WHAT CAN WE DO WITH THEM?

EPISODE 465    BLACK WALNUTS…WHAT CAN WE DO WITH THEM?


alan skeoch
oct. 2021



Every year someone gets conked with a falling black walnut.  Like getting hit with a world series hardball.
This year it was Marjorie’s turn.  She got wopped on the bare upper arm as she diligently tried to gather
the walnuts before the cursed red squirrels got hem hidden away in the barns.  

Now we differ on black walnuts.  I like them and have planted a number of trees on our farm.  Marjorie does 
not like them at all.   A subject of some tension each year as the walnuts fall.   they are edible but getting to
the walnut meat requires a sledge hammer and careful hand picking the walnut meat from the tooth breaking
shards.   Red squirrel teeth are better at this than human teeth.  A walnut shard is capable of breaking the
best of human teeth.  So walnuts are just wasted.   We race to get as many as we can before
the red squirrels.  Then what should we do with the baskets of nuts?   There was a time when I 
pitch walnuts along the Ontario side roads like Johny Appleseed did.   Now I take credit for a lot of walnut
trees in full growth with their progeny ‘whopping’ a few cars no doubt.




what to do with this year’s crop?   “Let’s put them in Andrew Skeoch’s fire it.”  “Not far enough away, the red
squirrels will find them and bring them back.”   “What should we do with the red squirrels.?” “Call Jackson Skeoch, he
may have an answer.”

In short black walnut season is a troubled time.





Yes, black walnuts float.  Ghastly site each year on our small pond nearest the house.

Black walnuts are killers.  Their root system is toxic to other trees.  I made the mistake of planting a hickory tree
within 20 feet of a walnut tree.  For three decades the two have been sparring beneath the ground.  This year
the hickory died and the black walnut celebrated by filling the pond with nuts.   I hope the floating nuts do not
hurt our snapping turtle as he or she sleeps for the winter at the bottom of the pond.



Marjorie is smiling.  A forced smile as she made me look at her bruised arm.



Math problem for you…what speed can a falling walnut reach before it hits the ground…or before it got Marjoie?


Here is one cache of the red squirrel…we got them