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The Acton Froa Press Wednesday Jan 1978 Old time farmers McEnerys still farm 100 acres by Jennifer Birr Are there any farmers left Not the modernized mechanized food factories laboring under huge mortgages but the contented small farmer with small amounts of mixed stock One who still has lime to smell the flowers and attend the fall fairs there are quite a few such farmers In the area They re mostly near retire ment age and they have often Inherited the farm so have no mortgage problems But they ve been full time farmers all their lives and will probably stay that way if God and the Government get em Two such farmers are Jesse and Grace McEnery who live near Mrs McEnery has helped run the hundred acre farm all her married life and Mr has been there years He he was born down the road and lived In Acton for a year and a half a year and a half too long to live In a town he comments As a still young boy he moved to his great grandfather farm near Balllnafad and has been there ever since The farm was first settled by the McEnery family In Just three years too late for a century farm plaque Hie have made a decent livlngfromlOmllklngcows a few pigs and chickens all their lives I ve enjoyed it and made a living says Mr McEnery just had a few of each Having a small amount of livestock per Jesse McEnery to Indulge himself a gave him the lime to pursue his main interest agricultural fairs He is well known from Peterborough to Lake Huron as a winning driver of show harness horses If Jesse McEnery was driving that horse or team was the one to beat Not only did he drive his own roads tore light commercial horses and Clydesdales but he drove anyone else too harness ponies for Stan Matthews and roadsters Tor Archie Kerr all old time horsemen from the same area Mr says he shown every thing but Clydes 1 shown She Hards fine harness ponies Hackneys roadsters Belgians ve shown them all Now that most of the horsemen Mr used to drive for are retired the successful showman has turned to judging and announcing at fairs and who better to dolt These are his holidays the he visits a fair But they re not the same as they used to be he says Fairs the advertisement tor stock anymore It a rich man hobby not a farmer hobby now He thinks the horse show section of local fairs is bigger now than It was for a while but he says It very expensive now to get Into the show ring Most draft horse breeders have sponsors who pay for the costly harness and show wagon in return for advertising privileges Horse pulling pastime Another former pastime of Jesse was horse pulling contests He used to travel the route with Dan Camp bell of Acton he with his light commercial JESSE McENERY long tune fair exhibitor horse show judge and an nouncer farms near in the quiet relaxed way of an old time fanner cam and Campbell with his heavy weights But there a teamster In them now he comments ruefully There horse set to draw like they used to they should be set to lift not leap into the load like they do now They should have the lines starched so they can push them While Mr McEnery spent his time travelling round the fairs and milking cows Mrs McEnery was far from idle She has been a teacher for many years at Peacock School No l and all small community schools now closed She also was poll clerk at election time in and says there was a time we know everyone now we don Now she Is busy with quilting and needlework having taught quilting in Georgetown and needlework in the Community Hall Mrs McEnery also grows fantastic plants and an intricate array of and ivy plants covering half of the family room and from three small plastic planters In over years although Mr McEnery says its been longer than that trained the limbing vines buck and forth over two walls with little more cart than occasional watering Even with all interests and jobs a house to run and a daughter to raise Mrs MiLniry was very active in farming Never anybody that the hired man over inert says Mr eating his wire Mrs the tractor hauled lends md helped with the harvest They still use binder and thresher stocking the train in AH years we never killed each other Mr The Mel- keep beef cattle now in stead of the milking for the cream contract His stock numbers about cattle at the moment Including his ten brood cows neighbour until six ago now he uses the United Breeders artificial unit The 1j hens an I two roosters keep the farm in eggs the sow Is expecting a litter any diy aw Mr MtFnery likes to keep two or three sows and enjoys the pigs It no use trying to contrary a pig lit used to raise to the chunk stage for but found he was too soft hearted to sell them They around 11 they were old enough to He farms his hundred acres harvesting wood from tin acre bush for the wood stove and bring in what hay he needs The Met nery don t mind the snow but as Mrs Met- puts it Snow didn t mjtttr so much then armors used to hitch up the team Jnd just drive through the fields Which is exactly what thn Met do drive through the field is heir looks like a tain piss in deepest and it easier to blow a long winding path through the pasture A 1 it nerve- wracking for reporters though The McFncrys have no horses now but relied on thtm In the old days Mr Mel- did lot of horse and buggy 20 Years Ago GYP AND BOB draw gravel for Jesse years ago when horses were still a large part of the McEnery farm operation Mr McEnery is a well known horse judge and fair announcer and had shown horses in the area for more years than he can count New Toronto station may bump Buffalo to converters a cable customers could end up losing a Buffalo station unless they nave a con verter The Canadian Radio and Television Commission CBTC which licenses stations and regulates cable firms has given approval In principle to a new mult I Ungual television station for the Toronto area John Cable Systems confirmed this week licensing of a new station could bump one of the three stations from Buffalo from the regular channels to 13 service to converters He explained the new Toronto station would have to e included In the regular able service if it Is included the grade A signal zone group and Is viewed as a priority Canadian station by the CRTC BOWLING Great Fun BOWL or BOWL or Health Acton Bowling Lane A C I WINTER SAVINGS OUTER WEAR CLEARANCE FOR AIL THE FAMILY SIZES TO OPEN SUNDAYS THE OLD GRACE an active participant in the family farm is well known for her needlework and quilting classes as well as for the years she taught public school driving taking the minister from ad to running his wife to her school and doing errands for friends He remembers one day getting ready for church in United The horse was In a bad humour he hit me a little clout in the morning So I said to Grace you d belter be ready and when you come no talking The horse would balk A balking horse becomes stubborn and refuses to move We went over to the Ninth I to visit and t get that horse in the barn He just lay down and it took us from 12 to until he d go in barn When he was Rood and ready he just got up and went t go home with me but the horse was alright then arming crazy Jesse Mcfcnery rolls a cigarette If I it to do over again I farm although there no money in it I- arming is crazy now a young fella has to be crazy to put into a farm he never get it out Mr hod no choice when his father died he had to take over the reins of farm for his mother and younger brothers and sisters He was only 1j I liked what I was doing I hid pleasure and that worth quite a Sale MERCHANDISE IN STORE DRESSESGOWNSSWEATERSPANT SUITS- BLOUSES-SLACKS- HAND BAGS-UNIFORMS- LINGERIEETC EXCEPT BRAS AND PANTY HOSEI Wed Jan 25th til lues Jan 31 incl HELP US CLEAR THE RACKS FOR NEW SPRING ARRIVALS SERVING YOU STREETSVILLE ACTON FERGUS