While thrashing his wheat crop of 1927, John Skeoch hired a photographer to capture just how
much he had invested in his enterprise…Steam Tractor, Threshing machine, hay wagons, hired help (and neighbours).
This was no small venture. While the home farm was in Fergus, Ontario, the Skeoch brothers also had sections (640 acre sections)
near Riverhurst, Saskatchewan. John and his wife Anne lived in the west … built a stone house as was the custom with Scottish
farmers. That proved to be an error as large numbers of Garter snakes also like the stone foundations. Eventually the house had
to be abandoned. No matter…the wheat crops were terrific. (P.S. I like the word thrashing better than threshing…as in “I will give you
a good thrashing”…That’s what they did to the wheat tassels.)
Re:Photo…a little lobsided …had to do this to avoid glare.
alan skeoch
Feb. 2019
When Marjorie, Kevin, Andrew and I visited the Keillor farm (village nearest to the Skeoch farms)… the ruins of these machine were part of uncle John”s graveyard for vintage implements. We did not have much
time to appreciate them though because a big windstorm blew up and we had a hell of a time holding down our tent. My pants disappeared in that windstorm. Next morning we had
breakfast with Aunt Anne and Uncle John in the stone farm house. Yes, the snakes were there…peeping at us through cracks in the stone wall…and curled up in the coffee cups. You are probably wondering
about my pants. Maybe you think I had breakfast in my underwear. Let me leave that tough in your head.
alan skeoch
Feb. 2019