april 27, 2014
Bitter cold day when Doug Donaldson held a auction on the old BIRD FAMILY FARM, fifth line, Halton Twp.
alan skeoch
April 27, 2019
“Hi there, young fellow, what’s new?”, greeted Bill Brooks the other day.
“Not much…pulled hamstring…too much rain…too bloody cold.”
“Are you going to the Donaldson auction on Saturday?”
“Where?”
“Down the fifth line by the railroad tracks…”
“Do you mean the Bird family farm?”
“Yes, but operated by the Brecon family now….did you know the Birds?”
“Never met them but my mother and Elsie Bird were friends long long ago.”
“How long?”
“Perhaps 1920…”
“Meet you there…”
And so Marjorie and I drove up the lane and parked in the field on an absolutely freezing
day…April 27, 2019…Spring flowers could not peep above the ground…tree leaves wanted
to burst but were afraid to do so lest winter frost bite them to death.
And so the Brecon family auction began
Doug Davidson as auctioneer
His wife as the record keeper and his daughter as the marker of things sold and displayer
of things to sold. It was a family affair.
A small farm auction that would last two and a half hours. Most of the crowd were men…some
dressed in rather bizarre garb.
Bill Brooks wore a new pair of gloves as he stood shivering beside Marjorie who was
dressed for the occasion. Our dog, Woody, was the only animal present. In earlier times
the Bird farm had a full range of domestic animals but none today. All gone.
Behind the barn were the ghosts of agriculture technology festooned in the cobwebs
of time.
No bids on this machine…probably because no one knew wha it was.
The 1966 John Deere tractor brought $7,700.00
The little Allis Chalmers brought $800.00 and was last used to cultivate a field of garlic.
Now pay attention. the most unusual object on the farm never got a bid. There were likely some people who never even noticed it.
“Marjorie, come over here…I want my picture taken with this tree.”
“Why?”
“It is the oldest black Walnut tree I have ever seen in my live…must be 8 feet wide or more at the base. This tree may bee as much as 200 years old.
The historians said that pioneers looking for good land always looked for black walnuts. And here is the proof. The Bird family may have planted this
tree but I bet it precedes them…maybe it was a sapling in the 1820’s.”
“Seems to be valued by squirrels.
“Marjorie, take a picture of my arm…I can reach right into the guts of the tree…hollow.”
“What’s inside?”
“Ghosts…let me take a flash picture…looks like an ancient cave with stalagmites…”
“Wonder it can stand?”
“Perhaps it will go down someday.”
“Alan, we better get back to the auction…the harness is coming up.”
“Harness is perfect…obviously the Brecon’s loved horses.”
Two chain saws sold for $10…neither of them working.
English saddle sold for $35…and may some day be used in a fancy movie…at least we hope so.
Horse collar sold for $50 as did the cast iron implement seat.
The square hay bailer sold for $2,700.00…in perfect shape.
“Alan, what is this machine?”
“picks up bails of hay or star in the field and shoves them to a man or woman on a hay wagon…replaces
human beings.”
“Who bought it?”
“Bill Brooks…I spoke to him about it and he said he would deliver it to our farm…
are you interested? Might look good in the garden…or a trellis for pole beans.
Bill had an eye for things of value.”
The two furrow drag plow got active bidding and sold for around $200
to a man who does competitive plowing with an old drag tractor…
“The buzz saw sold for $5.00”
“Who bought it?”
“You are looking at him right now”
“How will you get it in the ruck?”
“I’ll get Andrew to pick it up.”
“Don’t you think our son has better things to do with his time?”
“Payback for the cost of food and lodging for 20 years.”
This is Mr. Brecon…the owner of everything sold today.
“Marjorie, I bought this stove…”
:”You didn’t!!”
“Did”
Joe Brooks bought this heavy four furrow plow…somewhere around $20
“Been a long time since anyone sat on this seat…moss taken over.”
“How much did you pay for the harness, Alan?”
“Rather not say.”
“More than a tank full of gas?”
“yep.”
“Why not say?”
“Plan to rent the harness to a movie…best price not be public.”
“In shore, you paid more for this harness that some of the men
paid for those useful machines “
“Horses are useful.”
“What all we remember most about this auction?”
“The walnut tree…a living creature like this aged tree cannot be forgotten.”