70 Follow us on @PrairieFarming Better Farming | September 2024 In 1890, the railway was the main tool for settlement in the Prairies and provided passage for the labour force required for harvest. With the need for workers, “campaign propaganda” was created to entice workers to come, and eventually settle down. This became known as the Harvest Excursion Train. The first year of the harvest excursions, 2,175 tickets were issued to farm labourers from Eastern Canada. According to the University of Regina, “Harvest Excursion Trains also brought workers from Europe and Great Britain to Western Canada; the peak year was 1908 when about 14,000 workers and immigrants arrived. The railways offered harvest tickets for $15 one way or $20 return from anywhere in Canada. “Regular harvesters were paid about $1.75 to $2.25 for a 10 to 12-hour day, while a threshing crew made $2 to $3.25 a day with board. There were no other benefits, and the work only lasted about 15 days.” Many workers enjoyed life on the Prairies and decided to return permanently to homestead. The Manitoba Department of Agriculture called the harvest excursions the “greatest movement of labouring men witnessed in the Dominion.” Harvesting on the Prairies was predominantly a manual labour-intensive process. Farmers relied heavily on scythes and sickles to cut grain crops. The scythe, a long-handled tool with a curved blade, allowed for efficient cutting of the grain stalks, while the sickle, with its smaller, serrated blade, was used for more confined areas or smaller plots. The work was gruelling and time-consuming, with harvesters working from sunrise to sunset to ensure that crops were gathered before adverse weather could cause damage. As production increased, many grain companies, such as James Richardson & Sons, became established. This further led to the founding of the Winnipeg Grain and Produce Exchange in 1887. The introduction of mechanized harvesting tools was beginning to make an impact during this period. Cyrus McCormick’s reaper, first invented in the 1830s, was becoming more common on the prairies by the 1890s. This machine cut the grain more efficiently than manual methods. The binder, which could cut and bundle grain into sheaves, was also being adopted during this time, further increasing efficiency. According to the Canadian Encyclopedia, “In 1890, there were 103 grain elevators and 192 warehouses at 63 points in Manitoba and the West. By 1899, there were 410 elevators and 116 warehouses at 192 delivery points. “By then, the Prairies became known as the ‘Breadbasket of the Empire.’ “They were easily able to alter wheat production, and not rely on the fur trade as their main resource. “Harvest excursions ended in 1930. The new combine harvester meant crews of manual labourers were no longer needed.” The harvesting practices of 1890 in the Prairies reflect a period of transition and adaptation. Farmers balanced traditional methods with emerging technologies, laying the groundwork for future advancements in agricultural practices. The resilience and ingenuity of these early settlers helped shape the agricultural landscape of the Prairies, and led to the modern farming practices that continue to thrive today. BF RURAL ROOTS The Harvest Excursion Train. Our Miramichi Family Heritage Site photo EARLY HARVESTS ON THE PRAIRIES ‘Railways offered tickets for $20 return from anywhere in Canada.’ By Mary Loggan
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NTc0MDI3