Tag Archives: Prince Edward Island

Flax

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Below is another informative excerpt from the Newsy Farm Notes column, found in The Guardian PEI Newspaper. Flax and “all that the inventor claims”: In 1929, Agricola turned his regular farm column to flax, making him the latest in a chorus of boosters promoting flax to Canadian farmers. The most familiar refrain here was his suggestion that the main barrier to a Canadian flax industry was technical. “A new machine for processing hemp and flax is now being tested in Ontario, and should it prove all that the inventor claims,” he promised, a flax linen industry would surely boom.

Flax flowers have a vibrant and beautiful colour

“I note in a periodical that the revenue from flax production in Canada has increased by 206% in the last five years, and this led me to inquire into the industry. Flax is grown successfully in other parts of Canada, but I have not heard of its being grown commercially here. The chief drawback of the industry is the amount of hand-labour required in preparing the fibre, and that means money nowadays. The flax is spread in the field and “retted”- which means rotted- till the fibres separate easily. Then begins the tedious process of taking the fibre from the body of the plant. It is run through a “breaking machine” which gently breaks up the woody part, and makes it ready for the “scutchers” who hold it to blunt revolving knives which thresh out the wood and leave the fibre in the scutcher’s hands. The retting process is often speeded up by soaking the stems in a pool keeping them submerged by weights. 

Though flax is one of the oldest of cloth materials, no better method than the laborious hand preparation has been devised, if quality of fibre is required. All machines for scutching up to the present, have proved unsatisfactory, producing too much tow (broken stems, etc.) in proportion to the fibre. The “hackling” or combing of the machined fibre, previous to spinning, has not stood the test. 

Linen is made from flax fibres

There has of course been a long, patient and expensive effort to produce machinery without these defects, but without success. A new machine for processing hemp and flax is now being tested in Ontario, and should it prove all that the inventor claims, an impetus will be given to an industry which means much to Canada. Owing to this difficulty, flax has been grown principally for seed, and that it is productive is shown by the fact that in 1925 1,126,100 acres produced 9,297,100 bushels of flax seed valued at $18,462,500; and in 1926 when 733,065 acres were sown, the revenue was $9,613,000.”

Read Flax Americana by Josh MacFadyen to read why flax actually boomed in western Canada. Hint: it was more about paint than linen!

Image result for flax americana
https://www.mqup.ca/flax-americana-products-9780773553477.php


Sources: Agricola. “Newsy Farm Notes.” The Charlottetown Guardian. July 26 1929. Accessed July 4 2019.

June 20, 1949

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Potato planting on PEI usually runs from April to May. Ellen’s Diary from June 20, 1949 talks about set-cutting, a process in which potatoes are cut into smaller pieces to be planted. It also refers to a change in variety of potato that year. Nowadays on PEI, the most common varieties of potato grown are russets, whites and reds.

“We commenced the set-cutting this morning, while a June wind blew about the eaves and tossed the branches of the old white birch playfully and carried to us in the garage the sunshine and bird-song and fragrance with which this day has been replete. This building was the scene of our work, which our husbands term ‘only a pleasant pastime- especially if one has time on her hands!’ There the farmers had carried the potatoes intended for our seed, untreated this year, a strange feature at Alderlea but having been first subjected to long spells out of doors in the sunlight.

We are using new seed, having discarded those of a pioneer strain we had grown with marked success and continuously for close to a quarter of a century. From a doorway James remarked sceptically: ‘We’ll see if these will be as good!’ as our sharp knives bit into these- also of ‘the four hundred.’ ‘Make good sets now’ he reminded us, and Jeanie and I laughed over his apparent lack of confidence in our ability after our years spent apprenticed to him.”

Ellen’s Diary, June 20, 1949


“Cultivating Potatoes on Lewis Farm. Earl Blanchard on tractor George Lewis on Cultivator at Freetown area of Prince Edward Island” from Earle’s Picture Restoration Prince Edward Island.

May 23rd, 1955

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Ellen’s Diary on May 23rd, 1955 talked about letting animals out for the spring, but, more crucially, the love that some Island farmers maintained for horses, even though more efficient options (i.e. tractors) were available to help complete farm tasks.

“After months of confinement, some of the cattle-kind were let today to a spell of pasturing. And Sara, youngest mare of all, friend but not playmate of the children also saw blue sky above and felt again barnyard clay under-foot. It was a new experience for her, after long stabling, this spell in the open and the Family came to watch while in a fine play of spirits she tried out her paces.

‘Watch out! She may go over that fence,’ we called to the children in their door-yard. 

‘Isn’t she pretty!’ Granddaughter replied, quite lost in admiration for the moment.

“Elmer Gauthier 1950” from the personal collection of Marie Howatt

‘She has plenty of action’ James, nearer us, offered. ‘And I wouldn’t doubt,’ he nooded [sic] ‘a fair-good bit of speed!… There was a time in my life, Ellen, when to own the like of her, in the shape she’s in and idle, would be in the nature of a dream. But now, a driver on a farm is little more than a toy- there isn’t even time to break them! I’m sure ‘his thrift was coming uppermost now’ I don’t see why we keep so many. Still,’ he smiled, ‘I wouldn’t consider we were farming at all without them.’”

Ellen’s Diary, May 23, 1955.

Source: islandnewspapers.ca

May 16th, 1957

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“Now all smiles and beguiling the May month scatters her favors- days warm and summery, skies clear-blue and sun-spread. 

‘Any day now we’ll hear of farmers being on the land’ Mr. C. from the house on the hill visiting at Alderlea this evening commented to James. 

‘Aye,’ James nodded, ‘if this weather keeps! Not,’ he added, ‘that a warm rain wouldn’t help considerably to brighten the fields.’

From the personal collection of Marie Howatt, South Freetown 1951

On this farm by day now and a company on them through the night, ewes and young are on the pasture. With Granddaughter, we helped James round up today’s new-born and their mothers and bring them down the rise of field behind the barn to their overnight shelter. How plaintive the new cries, and warm the bodies when carried- and fond the parent attending ones steps.”

Source

Ellen’s Diary, May 16, 1957

May 9th, 1957

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“The April issue of the Royal Bank of Canda’s [sic] monthly letter, which treats “Using Soil Wisely” reached this farm today by way of a Doctor- friend of the family with this quite startling comment relative to this interest of his heart: “Apparently future generations will die of deficiency diseases or starvation unless some way is found to prevent soil erosion.”

“Through millions of years” the interesting article states “Nature built up a balance between animal, vegetable and mineral life. She tied the mixture in place on the earth’s surface by the interlacing of grass roots on our prairies and tree roots in our forests. The leaves she discarded in autumn became part of the soil that produced them”.

“But we humans came and broke up the prairies and cleared away the forests. We upset the balance of nature. Today our earth is sick…”

Soil erosion is a continuing issue on Prince Edward Island to this day.

“Just what in plain terms does this deterioration of land mean to us? One result of lack of conservation is a lowered level of living and the development of human erosion to be seen in the various deficiency diseases and hidden hunger. It is conceivable that if wastage of land continues, we shall be faced not with a struggle for markets but with a struggle for food.”

“Health is so important to us that we should be well advised to spend relatively more on knowing our soils and seeing that they are healthy, and relatively less on our illnesses, which are merely the outward sign of an often unrealized soil deficiency.”

“In considering health it is misleading to separate men, animals, plants. All are part and parcel of the same nutrition cycle which governs all living cells. The earth’s green carpet is the source of the food consumed by livestock and mankind.”

“We have passed the stage looking upon plants and vegetation as inexhaustible resources, but we do not yet fully realize how perishable the earth’s goodness can be..”

Photo Credit: NRCAN

“What we seek from the land is that it provide the base of the highest possible standard of living for the people of Canada…” And we who farm for future generations recognize that the term “soil erosion” includes a number of things. It takes in not only the more and less depletion left in the wake of the wintry seasons and rains, but any careless mining of the fields without thought of much restoration which is some instances, with help scarce and time at a premium has to pass for farming today. And how shall conditions be bettered?

It is likely the 26 man committee set up by the Senate early this year charged with a “widespread study of land use in Canada” in a job described in the Chamber as one of the “most important the Senate has ever undertaken” will find some answers to the question. It may be that sooner or later, to work toward the benefit of all, that soil survey and regulation of arming to some extent will be out lot on farms. 

Tonight the Maytime fields rest, quietly beneath a damp Spring-blanket of snow. 

Until tomorrow – – – Diary – Goodnight…….”

Ellen’s Diary, May 9th, 1957.