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Taking a Look Back in Time at the

Huron Pioneer Hobby & Thresher Reunion

Celebrating Generations of Tradition

2020 Citizen Edition

PAGE 2. THE HURON PIONEER THRESHER & HOBBY ASSOCIATION, 2020.

Nearly 60 years of Thresher Association history After another planning meeting in July, followed by further preparation in the months leading up to the reunion, the event went forward, drawing a large crowd, benefitting from “fine” weather. The Blyth Standard reported that an estimated 5,000 people were in attendance at the first-ever reunion. However, in the association’s Heritage Book produced for the reunion’s 50th anniversary in 2011, some who were there estimated that there were as few as 500 people there. An official attendance has never been published. President Harold Turner welcomed Huron County Warden George McCutcheon and local MP Elston Cardiff to the opening ceremonies for the event. Cardiff officially opened the reunion and was “greeted with a chorus of whistles from the many steam

engines” upon opening the show on the Saturday afternoon of the reunion. The two dignitaries even hung around and each pitched a load of sheaves into a separator. The first reunion’s parade was led by the Belgrave Pipe Band, followed then by a 25-horsepower SawyerMassey steam engine. The machine was owned by Stewart Muir of Paisley, it was driven by Alex Gilbertson of Eden Mills and manned by Simon Hallahan, George McCutcheon and Elston Cardiff. The engine was pulling an Imperial separator built by Robert Bell Industries Ltd. in Seaforth and was owned by Simon Hallahan and his son Maurice. Hallahan and Turner presented a special award that day to James Martin of RR1, Lucknow, who was Continued on page 7

THRESHER SUPPLEMENT CATCHING UP — While it may sound simple, one of the most enjoyable aspects of a reunion of the Huron Pioneer Thresher and Hobby Association is catching up with those you haven’t seen for a year. Catching familiar faces and having a conversation, slowing things down for a few minutes, is at the heart the annual reunion and those who enjoy it. Above, a group of attendees does just that in 1988 for the 27th reunion of the association. The reunion, which is enjoyed by thousands every year, came as a result of a small meeting of a handful of men around the kitchen table of Simon Hallahan in the early 1960s. (File photo)

By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen The next reunion the Huron Pioneer Thresher and Hobby Association will host will be its 60th anniversary event. The first reunion was held in September of 1962, and now, with the 2020 reunion cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all eyes are on the milestone 60th year of the event in 2021. The seeds that would grow into the Huron Pioneer Thresher and Hobby Association were sown around the kitchen table of Simon Hallahan in

East Wawanosh Township. It was a special meeting among a handful of men that would set the table for the first-ever reunion to be held in Blyth that September. The first step was the creation of the charter committee. Harold Turner was elected the president and Hallahan was the secretary. Hugh Chisholm of Sarnia, Jack Scott of Formosa, Stuart Muir of Paisley and Willie Joe Hallahan of Blyth were all named directors of the committee. Once the committee was established, the next order of business was creating a program for

the event. The next meeting was set for June 20 at the Blyth Orange Hall with a call going out to all local threshers seeking their input. The committee’s hope was that by reaching out to the public, at least four steam engines could be procured for the show, which had tentatively been scheduled for Sept. 14-15. At the June 20 meeting, members of the committee were officially named to their positions. Turner was unanimously supported as the group’s president and a motion was passed confirming Simon Hallahan as the secretary. Through considerable discussion at the meeting between Robert Beatty, one of the oldest threshers at the meeting, and Willie Joe Hallahan, the group decided to officially form an organization called the Huron Pioneer Thresher and Hobby Association. At the meeting the group decided to move forward with the reunion on Sept. 78. Also at that first meeting, Ron Marks of Walton displayed a steam engine that he had built himself. The committees established at the first meeting were: steam engine committee, grounds committee, entertainment committee, transportation committee and advertising committee.

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Central Huron welcomes you to experience our Bounty A CHANCE MEETING — Local teacher Jeff Gole impressed his students by taking part in a birds of prey demonstration at the 50th anniversary reunion of the Huron Pioneer Thresher and Hobby Association in 2011. The year marked a milestone for the organization, hosting reunions for a half-century. (File photo)

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THE HURON PIONEER THRESHER & HOBBY ASSOCIATION, 2020. PAGE 3.

The ’20 Huron Pioneer Thresher & Hobby Association

JUDY SLOAN PRESIDENT

COLE MCDONALD VICE-PRESIDENT

LAURA MCDONALD SECOND VICEPRESIDENT

JACKIE LANTINGA SECRETARY

MARILYN MILTENBURG TREASURER

RAY HALLAHAN DIRECTOR

KEVIN WHITWORTH DIRECTOR

KODY REID DIRECTOR

GREG COOK DIRECTOR

ALICHA HALLAHAN PAST TREASURER

ABSENT

JIM SLOAN DIRECTOR

KEITH MOFFATT DIRECTOR

KIM TIMM DIRECTOR

DOUG MCCANN PASTPRESIDENT ~ ADAM HENDERSON DIRECTOR ~ BRAD MCBRIDE DIRECTOR

Sloan just second female president in HPTHA history By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen

MAKING HISTORY — Judy Sloan, left, officially took the reins of the Huron Pioneer Thresher and Hobby Association late last year, taking over for Doug McCann, right. After Bea Houston, Sloan is just the second woman to lead the organization. Little did she know what she was signing up for at last year’s reunion, above, as the COVID-19 pandemic would cause the first-ever cancellation of the event. However, she and the rest of the association are now looking forward to the 60th anniversary reunion in 2021. (File photo)

Judy Sloan is the second woman to serve as president of the Huron Pioneer Thresher and Hobby Association. She and her husband Jim are also the second couple to both serve as president of the organization, following in the footsteps of Wayne and Bea Houston. Sloan is the current president of the association and will remain in the position through next year, which will serve as the 60th anniversary reunion after this year’s event was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. After first visiting the reunion in 1973, Sloan said she was hooked immediately. Working her first nursing job in Wingham and engaged to Jim, the pair made their way to Blyth for the reunion and while Jim was interested in the tractors, threshing machines and steam engines, it was the crafting display that entranced Sloan. Jim had been attending the

reunion since it was first held when he was a teenager. She says she’s always been crafty, learning to sew at a very young age through both family members and as a 4-H Club member. “I didn’t expect to see anything for ladies,” Sloan said. “I thought it would be all about the tractors and steam engines.” In addition to the crafting display, Sloan says she really remembers the music from that first reunion she attended. After that, she and Jim would continue to attend every year they could until they eventually found themselves involved in the goings-on of the association. The couple would attend the reunion every year into the 1980s and one of the highlights was the cross-sawing competition, part of the special events portion of the reunion, which they always made a point to attend. Soon enough they were helping with the special events, they attended a meeting and before they knew it they were members of the associations and taking on bigger Continued on page 4

PAGE 4. THE HURON PIONEER THRESHER & HOBBY ASSOCIATION, 2020.

Sloan hopes for something special for 60th reunion Sloan thinks the Threshers are in good shape. Since Peter Hendriks was elected the youngest-ever president in the organization’s history in 2016 and

2017, Sloan says there has been an influx of younger directors and volunteers that certainly contributes to a hopeful future for the organization and the annual event.

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WORTH CELEBRATING — Anniversaries are always a big deal with the Huron Pioneer Thresher and Hobby Association – and they should be. It’s not every day that a volunteer-run organization persists for decades. Next year’s reunion will be the 60th and President Judy Sloan hopes to make it a special one for the organization. One event she often thinks back to for inspiration was the 30th annual reunion in 1991, above, which included a special Barn Dance show. Local musician Wayne McClinchey, above, was among those who performed that year, as part of a reunion that has lived on in the minds of many involved with the association. (File photo) Continued from page 3 jobs every year. Jim would go on to serve as the association’s president in 1990 and 1991. For years, the pair would work on memberships for the association, which was a hard, stressful job, Sloan said. She and her husband would be working at the membership booth all weekend long during the reunion, so not only were they run off their feet, but every year the reunion would pass and they were only able to take in small parts of it here and there. They worked on that station for at least 20 years before passing it along to another member of the association. Sloan’s path to becoming just the second female president in the history of the organization began about four or five years ago, she said, when long-time member and three-time president Ray Hallahan began working to convince her to step up to the organization’s top position. She had been a director for a number of years and wasn’t sure she wanted to take the great leap into the president’s position, so she sat on it for a few years. However, when the organization was looking for its next president, she said she looked around the room and it was full of

people who had good reasons as to why they couldn’t take on the responsibility or who had already served as president. It was then that she began giving the top spot some serious consideration. She felt it was time to step up, so she did, but she couldn’t have known she was signing up to see the organization through the worst pandemic the world has seen in generations. Before the decision to cancel the 2020 reunion was finalized, Sloan was preparing to get to work. She said she was lucky to have such a great level of support from directors, members and volunteers, which all really served to make her job feel easy, she said. Not only was it nice to have Hallahan, who proved to be an excellent resource and the man who was the president for the association’s 30th reunion, but being married to another past president has been convenient for kicking around ideas. However, it didn’t take long for directors to engage in some serious discussions about the future of the 2020 reunion. Sloan said it began with cancelling one meeting of the directors, and then another. Soon enough there was some talk about whether the reunion would

move forward this year or not. Some members were in favour of cancelling the event early on in the pandemic, Sloan said, while others were more inclined to wait. She says they used Lucknow’s Music in the Fields concert as an unofficial barometer, waiting to see what organizers of the concert would do. However, the decision was eventually made to cancel the reunion and Sloan says it was the right thing to do. In fact, the vote to cancel this year’s event would eventually be unanimous. Now, looking ahead to 2021 and the 60th anniversary reunion, Sloan and directors hope to return with a bigger and better event that will mark the anniversary properly. Sloan said that in the past, there would be elevated programs or presentations. There was an anniversary year, she said, when the association partnered with the Barn Dance Historical Society to produce a special show at the reunion. While no official plans have been made, Sloan hopes to incorporate something special into next year’s program. And while she’s excited to be the president for such an important year in the association’s history, Sloan admits it’s a little scary as well with the pressure that comes with it. Looking ahead for the association,

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Twilight Serenaders entertain for over 15 years performed as part of the Goderich Laketown Band and the Bayfield Winds. She received a tenor saxophone for Christmas in her Grade 9 year and she still plays that instrument to this day. Van Egmond still performs at nursing homes, churches and social gatherings in addition to her time spent with the Twilight Serenaders. Harvey Kuntz has been playing the accordion with the Twilight Serenaders for the last two years. He has been playing the accordion since he was eight years old. The

RR4, Wingham resident has been married to his wife Dianne for 53 years. They have five children and 10 grandchildren. Ron McBurney has been a part of the Twilight Serenaders for years, though he can’t recall exactly when he joined. When he first joined, he played tenor banjo, but has since played a number of stringed instruments for the band, including mandolin and dobro, which is all he plays now. Ron has been married to his wife Continued on page 6

Remembering the past

TWILIGHT TUNES — The Twilight Serenaders have been around the annual reunion of the Huron Pioneer Thresher and Hobby Association for over 15 years featuring a rotating roster of very talented musicians. Above, Jim Scott, left, takes a break from performing while Gladys Van Egmond tickles the (faux) ivories at the 2019 reunion. (File photo)

By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen The Twilight Serenaders have been a staple of the annual reunion of the Huron Pioneer Thresher and Hobby Association for over 15 years and this dedicated group of volunteer musicians has become a must-see attraction for many who attend year after year. The group has welcomed new members over the years, while others have moved on, but the Serenaders are always present for the reunion, performing as the evening turns into night for those in the tent over the weekend. The members come from far and wide, but they congregate to bring classic music to the masses every September in Blyth. Jim Flanagan plays alto saxophone in the group and has been a member for over five years. The London man has two daughters and five grandchildren and says it’s been a true honour to be part of the group, playing his Selmer saxophone. Emily Goodchild, a Clinton native, has been playing with the Serenaders since 2016, though her

first performance at the reunion was in 2013. Goodchild plays the piano. She began playing when she was young, performing with her father, uncle and Gladys Van Egmond, a longtime member of the Threshers. When she was 15, Goodchild began playing with Mary Elliott and her group. A year later, she began playing in a group with Elgin Fisher from Goderich, Jim Pierce from Blyth and Lorne Baird of Brucefield. Goodchild now performs often in nursing homes and long-term care facilities, giving back to the community she says gave so much to her. Susan Van Egmond is also a part of the Serenaders and her musical journey began when she was only five years old. The daughter of Jack and Gladys Van Egmond, music was always destined to be in Susan’s blood. She wanted to play the saxophone in high school, but was bumped out due to so many other students wanting to play it. She settled on the tuba, but would eventually adopt her father’s saxophone and learn how to play it. After high school, Van Egmond

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WORKING DISPLAY — One of the major priorities of the Huron Pioneer Thresher and Hobby Association is to show how things used to be done. From threshing to steam-powered engines to manual devices like the corn huskers being experimented with above, the association’s annual reunion is a great place to learn the history of agriculture. (File photo)

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Serenaders roster full of unique, varied talents Band, the Seaforth/Dashwood Band and the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry Military Band,

as well as a number of dance bands. Toll passed away in October of 2019, in his 87th year.

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LOCAL TALENT — Brussels’ Don Chesher, playing the saxophone here, is a long-time member of the Twilight Serenaders, a group that performs at the annual reunion of the Huron Pioneer Thresher and Hobby Association every year in the Lifestyles Tent. (File photo) Continued from page 5 Jean for over 40 years. They have three sons and four grandchildren. Jim Scott of Goderich has been with the Twilight Serenaders for over 16 years. His late wife Elaine had also been with the group for over a decade. She played the piano and the accordion, while Jim plays a four-string banjo and sings. He also used to play the fiddle, but has since retired from that instrument. John McDowell of RR1, Belgrave has been with the Twilight Serenaders since they first began performing at the reunion, dating back to the “old tents” on the baseball diamond on the grounds. Growing up in East Wawanosh, McDowell said there were numerous musical instruments always lying around the house and with the help of his father and a local piano teacher he soon learned how to play a few of them. McDowell would go on to play in a number of Huron County-based groups over the years, but now focuses on playing the keyboard and the jazz electric guitar. Lynn Lowry lives at RR1, Kincardine and plays both banjo and saxophone for the band. Lowry has played the saxophone for 62 years, 50 of which have been spent with Boyd’s Orchestra. Leona Konings of Gowanstown has been with the Twilight Serenaders for four years as a multiinstrumentalist. Konings can play the accordion, the fiddle, the harmonica, the keyboard and the ukelele. She also performs with two other groups, The Awesome Grandmas and the Serenaders. She and her husband Bert have four children, 10 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Cal Gadsby of Durham has been performing with the Twilight Serenaders for eight years, playing a Le Blanc-made clarinet. He has been playing the classic instrument for 65 years, since he left school. Jack Falls has played with the Twilight Serenaders for six years, but has performed as part of fiddle classes at the reunion for two decades. Glenn Boyd has been playing the saxophone for over 10 years with the

Twilight Serenaders, adding some fiddle in for good measure when necessary. He has performed in his own band, Boyd’s Orchestra, for approximately 50 years. Jim Algie has played fiddle with the Serenaders for over five years. He lives in London and has two daughters and five grandchildren. Doug Jebb has played saxophone with the Twilight Serenaders for a number of years. There was one year in his career when, for 80 nights, he and his wife Joan and son Barry played with Graham Clowes. Don Chesher of Brussels has been performing as part of the Twilight Serenaders for 15 years. He has been playing music since the late 1950s and most recently cocreated the Brussels musical group, Sing Sing Sing. Chesher and his wife Dale have been performing locally for decades, though he began with the clarinet. Keith Wilbee is one of the most distinguished musicians in the Twilight Serenaders, having played the alto and tenor saxophone and drums with his parents’ band, Wilbee’s Orchestra, since he was in Grade 9. He has been playing music for nearly his whole life, but has only been performing with the Twilight Serenaders for the last two years. Gladys Van Egmond has been the entertainment chair for the reunion

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for a number of years, putting her heart and soul into the musical program of the event. Van Egmond, however, is musically inclined herself, playing piano in a number of groups in years past, and now she plays the bass accordion. The late F. Stewart Toll spent over a decade as a member of the saxophone section of the group when it was first formed, only taking a step back from the group in 2015. Over the years, Toll played the piano, violin, guitar, mouth-organ, fife, trumpet, saxophone, clarinet and bagpipes. He had been a member of numerous bands, including the Goderich Bluewater

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Over 50 years of tradition continues in Blyth Council, saying the association was prepared to foot half of the bill in the hopes that the remaining half would be covered by a grant from the village. In 1995, the Threshers added a new steam-powered sawmill to the list of attractions at the annual reunion. Wilbert Phillipi of Chepstow was to thank for the new attraction, pulling it out of storage and working with other volunteers to assemble it and ensure it was in good working order for the reunion. In 1998, the reunion added a kids’ tractor pull to the slate of events, including yet another activity for the youngest attendees. In recent years, the Threshers

would go on to add a new log cabin and the Memorial Building to honour members who have passed away over the years. In 2010, the reunion was honoured with a Cultural Award from the Huron Arts and Heritage Network as the best organization or event of the year. The following year the association marked its 50th anniversary, a milestone worth celebrating for any volunteer organization. Despite not hosting the 59th event this year, the association will mark its 60th reunion next year, which organizers hope will be special for those who attend with added attractions and celebrations.

Blyth Laundromat Phone for info 519-523-9687 191 Westmoreland St., Blyth - Always Open Taking care of your laundry since 2007 ONGOING HISTORY — While some members have come and gone and others have grown a bit older, the tradition of the annual reunion of the Huron Pioneer Thresher and Hobby Association endures in Blyth, even in the face of this year’s unprecedented event cancellation due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Above, threshing was the order of the day, as it always is, at the 2019 reunion, drawing large crowds to learn about the farming practices of yesteryear. (File photo) Continued from page 2 the oldest thresher in attendance. The 87-year-old said he had threshed for 50 years. His award was a pair of tickets to the 1963 reunion, the planning for which was already underway. The first-ever reunion included five steam engines, two separators and a tented saw mill. The following year’s event indeed went ahead in 1963 with The Blyth Standard declaring “Largest local crowd in years attended Thresher’s Reunion”. The parade for the second reunion was said to be over a mile long, led down the street by the Mitchell Legion Brass Band. Cardiff was on hand once again to officially open the show, while Rev. William Morritt of Blyth welcomed those attending to the village. After the 1963 reunion, association Treasurer Alex Manning said the admissions totalled over $1,400, accounting for a “sizeable” balance after the reunion’s expenses for the year were paid. This successful year paved the way for a third reunion. Turner was re-elected to the president’s position and the group also voted to host the reunion in Blyth once again. The Blyth Standard reported that local author Harry J. Boyle would be on hand to perform the opening ceremony at the third annual reunion. It was Boyle’s work, specifically Mostly In Clover, that would lay the foundation for the Blyth Festival just a few years later.

For the fourth reunion, held at the Blyth Recreational Center, the event had its first brush with inclement weather, with just about everything scheduled for the Friday of the reunion being rained out with the exception of the Friday night dance at Memorial Hall. Saturday brought clear, sunny skies and a large number of people to the village. The Blyth Standard reported that people travelled to the reunion in Blyth from as far away as Michigan, Quebec and remote areas of Ontario. Turner would be the longestserving president in the organization’s history, staying on in the top spot from 1962 to 1970. (This is an impressive stretch, considering that Ray Hallahan would eventually serve three terms as the organization’s president: 1984-1985, 1992-1993 and 20082009.) In 1972, the reunion expanded to become a three-day event, more reminiscent of the event reuniongoers know and love today. The decision proved to be a wise one with an estimated 6,600 people attending the reunion over the course of the three days. The momentum continued to build, as in 1973, the 12th annual reunion proved to be the biggest yet with well over 7,000 people attending. For the 20th annual reunion, held in 1981, entertainment included a fiddling competition, a step dancing competition and performances by the Bannockburn Pipe Band and the

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Seaforth Community Band. An estimated 11,000 people attended the 20th annual reunion. In 1990, the Huron Pioneer Thresher and Hobby Association announced plans to improve Blyth’s fairgrounds, which played host to the reunion year after year. The Citizen reported that, the association had earmarked $25,000 to improve the grounds. Association President Jim Sloan presented the plans to Blyth Village

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Father-son team the first to both be presidents increased the insurance necessary for events and increased costs. Larger trailers are also something that the group has been working with. What used to be smaller trailers with a few appliances have been replaced by 50’ trailers that require higher capacity electrical hook-ups. “People are showing up with longer, bigger, air-conditioned trailers, or heated trailers if it’s cold, and they want to be able to use everything they have in them,” Henry said. “We’ve had to try and

work that in since the older electrical won’t always handle it and the spaces were originally designed for smaller trailers.” Regardless of the changes, both past presidents see the event as a time for people to get together and rekindle old friendships. Among the music, the farm machinery and the exhibits, there is something to draw people of all ages out and proof of that is found with Peter, who still keeps in touch with friends from south of Huron County while at the event.

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A DECADE BETWEEN THEM — Peter Hendriks, left, and his father Henry were the first and, thus far, only father-son team to have both been named president of the Huron Pioneer Thresher and Hobby Association. Peter was named president in 2016, at which point he was the youngest president in the association’s history. Henry was named president in 2006. (File photo)

By Denny Scott The Citizen

The 10 years between the first father/son Huron Pioneer Thresher and Hobby Association presidential duo of Henry (2006) and Peter Hendriks (2016) marked a lot of changes for the organization. When Henry took over the organization last in 2006, it was a time of turmoil for the association, not because of any kind of strife but because changes in the lives of some of the executive members had led Henry to jump several positions to become president. One member of the executive leaving to pursue a career and another leaving for medical reasons left Henry as president and, as he explains it, some of the changes he made were a result of realizing that being president and being involved in committees was a difficult thing to ask of anyone. “One of the things that I implemented was that the president would give some of the responsibilities with committees away,” he said. “We found that being president made one person too busy to be handling the issues that arise there day-to-day.” Peter said it was a good change, given his first year of experience as president. “There are a lot of things to handle and being able to hand off some of the responsibilities with committees is a good idea.” Henry said that many of his changes revolved around people being able to handle and solve problems more effectively, saying that some of the changes didn’t even have to be implemented to be effective. “One thing I implemented was a 7 a.m. meeting each day of the reunion,” he said. “We meet, people can deal with the executive directly and decisions get made.” Henry said there is very little that can do as much damage around the grounds during the reunion as rumours, so having everyone involved in face-to-face meetings once a day helps to quell any problems and ensures that everyone is on the same page. Another change he implemented that has never actually been used, but has been effective nonetheless, is the incident report book.

“It really ended a lot of bickering,” he said. The book, which is a typical triplicate form book, requires anyone making a complaint about someone else on the grounds to fill out the form and sign their name. A copy of the complaint goes to the executive and to the person being complained about and the plaintiff keeps their own copy. “The idea is, if you’ve got a problem, you sign your name to it,” Henry said, adding that, after 10 years, no one had ever filled one out. In talking about the changes, Henry realized that most of them were dealing with people and the problems that arise there. While Peter’s challenges have to do with people, they are a far cry from the situations Henry found himself in. For one, Peter doesn’t have people complaining about each other as much, partly because of the work of Henry and the other presidents but also partly because people are becoming hard to find. One of his biggest challenges is trying to find young people and get them involved with the organization. “Bringing in youth is an issue,” he said. “We have to start them young to see if they’re interested and, if they are here and have something to do, they will naturally realize that they want to be a part of it and eventually work their way up to leading the organization.” To that end, Peter has enlisted the help of a group of which he was a member, the Perth County Junior Farmers and their Huron County counterparts. “They fit what we’re looking for, which is people interested in history and interested in the way things come to the table,” he said. “They don’t mind working and keep things interesting so it’s fun.” Both the Huron and Perth Junior Farmers, which have since

amalgamated, were brought into the 2016 event, covering various spaces on the grounds including the petting zoo. While both have faced unique problems, the biggest opportunity or change they have seen is the way that technology has helped the Threshers. “We’ve had to drag some people kicking and screaming into the future,” Henry said. “I remember we used to have 800, 900 or 1,000 campers coming in and we did them all on paper. Now we have a computer for campers and we have membership, registration and preregistration online.” Henry said that in years past the association had trouble getting a phone line installed at the grounds to allow people to stay in contact, but now everyone carries a cell phone in their pocket. “Everything has been streamlined from the organization’s point of view by technology,” Henry said. Peter agreed, saying that, with his phone, he can vote on issues, plan meetings and, on all but the biggest issues, have resolutions prepared almost immediately. “The day-to-day has definitely been made easier by technology,” Henry said. Some of the other changes both have noticed over the years aren’t necessarily as positive. With increasing costs of maintenance and insurance, fewer steam engines are showing up. The same can be said for bigger tractors. “Even [in 2016], we... had to look at rules for golf carts and side-bysides,” Peter said. “Everything is down to liability.” That increase in liability concern has been a steadily growing issue Henry said, but he did point to one year when a steam engine exploded in Ohio and several people were injured. He believes that incident

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THE HURON PIONEER THRESHER & HOBBY ASSOCIATION, 2020. PAGE 9.

Antique cider press should be ready for 2021 so with the reunion not moving ahead, a lot of volunteers had time on their hands, so they were willing to help.

Look for the restored, operational cider press in the Memorial Building next year at the 60th anniversary reunion.

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WORK TO BE DONE — Brad Foxton is leading the charge on bringing this antique cider press into operation for the 2021 reunion of the Huron Pioneer Thresher and Hobby Association, which will be its 60th. It was donated to the association over a decade ago and Foxton said this year was the perfect opportunity to get some work done on it and hopefully have it ready for next year’s reunion. A work bee was scheduled this week to make some progress. (Shawn Loughlin photo)

By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen After years of anticipation, the Huron Pioneer Thresher and Hobby Association has made significant progress on its antique cider press with plans to unveil it next year. With no reunion this year, volunteers have had some time on their hands and have pulled together to make the cider press a priority. Large wooden pillars are now in place in the association’s Memorial Building to hold up the large structure with more work still to be done. Brad Foxton and Brad McBride have taken the lead on the project and they led a team of volunteers who worked on installing the press and getting it fully operational earlier this week. The press was first donated to the association over a decade ago, coming to Blyth by way of Ingersoll. The association took possession of the cider press before the Memorial Building was constructed, but once the new building was added, many volunteers felt it would be the perfect location for the artifact. Edgar Daer, a long-time member of the association and a pastpresident, was involved with the donation when it was first made. He said the concept of bringing an antique cider press into the fold with the association fell perfectly in line with the work being done every year

at the log cabin during the reunion. It’s one more educational tool for the association, he said, whether it be with the students on elementary student activity day or adults who have never seen an antique cider press at work. Cider presses were common decades ago, Daer says, and every farm had one and would make its own cider in the days before it had to be pasteurized. Daer said the cider press will be another way to educate children in the way the Threshers encourage: hands-on education. With a complicated job ahead, however, and the interruption due to 2017’s International Plowing Match in Walton, the assembly and erection of the artifact took a while to make some progress. Those working on it now still have some ground to cover, but their hope is that it will be ready and operational for the 60th anniversary reunion, scheduled for 2021. Much of the recent progress has been thanks to Foxton and McBride stepping up and taking charge with the cider press in recent months. In an interview with The Citizen, Foxton said late last year that he volunteered to take on the job. He said he wasn’t overly qualified to restore the cider press, but that he’s always been interested in breathing new life into antique artifacts and he felt it would be a shame if it sat in storage much longer.

Foxton and McBride began working and, with the help of Henry Hendriks, who had taken the press apart and worked to put it back together again, visible progress was being made. After this week’s period of work on the press, Foxton said it should get the association one step closer to having the press operational for next year’s reunion. He said he took vacation time from work for the reunion, as do many other members,

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PAGE 10. THE HURON PIONEER THRESHER & HOBBY ASSOCIATION, 2020.

Locals part of world threshing record in 2019 While threshing is something that Daer is keenly interested in, he also had a personal stake in the event, having lost his first wife to breast cancer. The world-record attempt was a sight to behold, both Daer and Hallahan said, with Hallahan noting that, as the threshing machines were all pointing inwards in long lines, it made for a surreal scene as straw filled the air. Most of the threshing was done by machines that would look completely at home in the live threshing demonstrations held at the

DRESSED FOR SUCCESS — Joe Hallahan, left, alongside Renske and Edgar Daer were three parts of a local foursome who travelled to St. Albert in eastern Ontario last year to take part in an attempt to break the Guinness World Record for most active threshing machines at the same time. The attempt was successful, with 243 threshers operating. The event was also a fundraiser for breast cancer initiatives, so the wardrobe of the day included special pink shirts and hats, which the three modelled when they returned from the trip. (File photo)

By Denny Scott The Citizen Francois Latour, sometimes known as the Threshing King, made good on his drive to reclaim the Guinness Book of World Records title for having the most threshing machines operating together in one

location on Aug. 11 of 2019, and several locals were there to play their part. Joe Hallahan and Edgar Daer, alongside their significant others, made the trip to St. Albert, Ontario, near Ottawa, where 250 threshers from all over the country were scheduled to operate at the same

annual reunion of the Huron Pioneer Thresher and Hobby Association, but some were a bit more unique. “Mostly it was large threshers powered by tractors, but there were some steam engines, and one horse on a treadmill,” Daer said, with Hallahan saying the horse had a bright pink tail, in honour of breast cancer awareness. “It looked nice, with all the blower pipes facing each other and there were Canadian flags as far as the eye could see.” For 15 minutes, the engines ran and for five consecutive minutes, Continued on page 12

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time, reclaiming a title that Latour had held until a group in Manitoba had 139 running simultaneously in 2016. Latour’s drive was not only to earn the world record, but also to raise money for breast cancer after he lost his wife to it years earlier. The event raised more than $100,000.

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NEAR-ANTIQUE TREASURE — Two men from the London area recently made a welcome donation to the Huron Pioneer Thresher and Hobby Association of a miniature threshing machine. They felt it would be at home with the association for its annual reunion in Blyth. From left: Bev DeKay, Joe Hallahan, Edgar Daer, Don Benson and Barry Young. (File photo)

By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen The Huron Pioneer Thresher and Hobby Association is now the proud owner of a new threshing machine artifact, thanks to the generosity of two men from London. Don Benson and Bev DeKay reached out to the association via long-time member Joe Hallahan about contributing a miniature threshing machine to the organization to be displayed at future reunions, despite the fact that neither man had ever attended one of the association’s reunions. Benson said the machine came into his possession in the early 1990s when the miniatures were being sold in Grey County to celebrate the International Plowing

Match being held in Walkerton at the Johnston family farm. He then passed it along to his friend DeKay and when he no longer had room for it in his house, he looked up the association in Blyth and was soon in touch with Hallahan who was happy to accept the donation. DeKay said that seeing the machine return to the area makes for a bit of a homecoming and he felt it paid tribute to the community by sending it back to the part of the world from which it originally hailed. Benson said he doesn’t know how collectible the machine is, but they are numbered. His is numbered as 65, meaning at least that many were made, so he wonders how many others are out there.

Hallahan said he was “overjoyed” to receive the call and bring something new into the association to be displayed. The initial plans are to display the small machine in the display case in Shed 3 at the Blyth Campground, but it could be moved in subsequent years as well with a plaque indicating its history and who donated it to the association. This year’s reunion of the Huron Pioneer Thresher and Hobby Association has been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but next year the association hopes the event will return for what will be its 60th anniversary year. For more information, visit the association’s website online at blythsteamshow.com.

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THE HURON PIONEER THRESHER & HOBBY ASSOCIATION, 2020. PAGE 11.

Memorial Building honours those who’ve passed The concept of housing the antique cider press, Daer says, is one that falls in line with the work that’s done every year at the log cabin. It’s one more educational tool for the association, whether it be with the students on elementary student activity day or adults who have never seen an antique cider press at work. Cider presses were common decades ago, Daer says, and farm families would make their own cider in the days before it had to be pasteurized. The cider press will be another way to educate children in the way the Threshers encourage: hands-on education. With a complicated job ahead, however, and the interruption due to

2017’s International Plowing Match in Walton, the artifact is still a work in progress, while still a sight to behold. The association, however, has since made significant progress on the press, with hopes of it being ready for next year’s reunion. In addition to the cider press, Henry Hendriks has been involved in bringing a number of other working displays to the building since its opening. From a practical standpoint, Hendriks also said that the building has been instrumental for association members in storing items indoors overnight during the reunion. Storage is a commodity for which association members are always on the lookout at the Blyth campground.

See you at the 60th Thresher Reunion next year HISTORY — The Memorial Building, the newest addition to the Blyth campground for the annual reunion of the Huron Pioneer Thresher and Hobby Association, is home to a number of exhibits every year, as well as a wall honouring instrumental members who have passed away over the years. Above, the Huron-Perth Trapper’s Association has found a home in the building in recent years. In the coming years, it will house an antique cider press. (File photo)

By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen After the successful construction and grand opening of the new Memorial Building in 2016, it has since become a full-fledged member of the Huron Pioneer Thresher and Hobby Association’s inventory of structures, hosting can’t-miss exhibits and attracting thousands over the course of every reunion. The building took years of planning and construction, but the association finally had it built in 2016 with the help of Blyth-based contractor Mike Boven. That year the building had been framed and the trusses erected with just weeks to go before the reunion. It was complete in time for the reunion and was part of a grand opening ceremony that year with Huron-Bruce MP Ben Lobb, Huron-Bruce MPP Lisa Thompson, then-President Peter Hendriks and a number of other long-time members who had been instrumental in the building’s success like Edgar Daer and the late Paul Josling. The seed for the idea was planted several years ago, long-time

Secretary Marian Hallahan said, when money being left to the association began to accumulate. She said that money began to accumulate when long-time members of the Threshers passed away and left money to the association or when funeral donations in lieu of flowers for members were directed to the association. The building also plays host to an antique cider press that was donated to the association a decade ago from someone near Ingersoll who felt the reunion would be a good home for the artifact. In addition, it has become the defacto home to a number of other exhibits, including the Huron-Perth Trappers Association, which is Ontario’s oldest, and an artisan canoe maker, among others. The decision to go ahead with the new building, says Edgar Daer, one of the driving forces behind the building, was made in 2015 when members decided to finally break ground on the project. The hope for the building, Daer said, is to create one more covered space for exhibits on the grounds,

but to also remember those who have passed away. A special memorial wall will honour those who were so instrumental in the success of the Threshers over the years. The building now serves as an important location for the organization, says Daer, who adds that without many of these people who have passed on, there would be no association and no reunion, so they certainly deserve to be honoured and remembered. The Citizen first reported on the concept of the building in 2015, but plans had been in the works for a number of years in one form or another, Hallahan said.

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Blyth • 519-523-4554 WHAT AN HONOUR — The Memorial Building is now home to a donor tree to honour those who have assisted the Huron Pioneer Thresher and Hobby Association over the years, as well as a wall of past presidents of the organization. The building has been growing in prominence in recent years with displays and artifacts filling it every year. (Photo submitted)

PAGE 12. THE HURON PIONEER THRESHER & HOBBY ASSOCIATION, 2020.

Corn meal a treasured family tradition for ‘Kernel’ attributing its quality to the fact that the corn is brought in fresh every day before it gets cooked in his unique way. Traditionally, the corn has come from the Pullen family farm near Clinton. Whatever the rest of the ingredients are (beyond the more than one dozen pounds of butter and half a dozen boxes of salt) must be the best ingredients available

because, not only has it continued to bring crowds back year after year to line up and wait for their turn at the corn, it has also netted Courtney a nickname: Kernel Courtney. “The Kernel” has been attending the reunion since the early 1970s after he was invited to go (and declined) by his then-boss Alex Manning. Eventually he would become president of the organization in 1988/1989.

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By Denny Scott The Citizen For over 30 years Gary Courtney has been responsible for what diners call one of the most delicious and memorable meals at the annual reunion of the Huron Pioneer Thresher and Hobby Association. The annual corn roast, typically held on the Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights of the reunion, marks years of tradition and getting things just right according to Courtney and his wife Chris. Corn

is typically available near dusk. The corn roast has been a consistent part of the reunion for over three decades, according to Gary, who said that in the first year they went through about 130 dozen cobs of corn, the same amount they continue to cook. “People say that you just can’t get corn that tastes so good anywhere else,” Chris said in a recent interview. “They say there is just nothing like it anywhere.” Preparing the meal is really a family affair for the Courtneys. Gary and Chris’s grandchildren are

involved and, as Gary explains, his son Nick is his go-to for help with the event. Part of what makes the corn so unforgettable, they say, is the time Gary spent finalizing the recipe. In previous interviews, he pointed to the fact that he didn’t know right away how to cook the corn, so it took a few years to get the recipe and the process just right. He said he would be passing that knowledge on to whoever eventually takes over for him. Part of that recipe is having the freshest corn he could find, he said,

250 attempt world record Continued from page 10 243 of the 250 engines operated, setting the new world record. Some, Hallahan said, ran into problems. One engine stuck out, however, as it was painted pink in honour of breast cancer awareness. It made for a poignant reminder, Daer said, as it had names of people like his first wife who had been lost to breast cancer as well as some survivors. He said that it was pointed out to him that the survivors outnumbered those who were lost, showing that fundraisers like the event do make a difference. The sound was impressive, they both said, as hundreds of engines and some hand-fed threshers performed, though nothing could drown out the cheering, Daer said. Daer and Hallahan said they saw a lot of familiar faces at the event including two members of the Huron Pioneer Thresher and Hobby Association with machines at the event. As they helped out, Hallahan and Daer, alongside their significant others, received commemorative pink shirts and Hallahan and Daer both received a specialized pitchfork, which they used to help feed hay that day. Latour first claimed the world record in 2015 with 111 operating threshers before the group in Manitoba bested that mark a year later. Prior to Latour’s initial drive, the record was held by a Saskatchewan group which had 41 threshing machines operating simultaneously. The event was somewhat of a reunion, according to reports, with large tents, entertainment, beverages and a dinner offered, as well as farm machinery displays. Both Daer and Hallahan were able

to visit the St. Albert Cheese Factory Co-op when they were at the site, and had fond memories of it. Hallahan said it reminded him of when such an operation was in Blyth, and how impressive it was to watch vats of cheese be stirred. Aside from the threshers, another world record was attempted at the site on Aug. 11, with Marie-Claire Ivanski trying to create the largest human chain, in the shape of a pinkribbon motif for breast cancer awareness. Unfortunately, that attempt fell short of making the record books.

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THE HURON PIONEER THRESHER & HOBBY ASSOCIATION, 2020. PAGE 13.

2019 winners to be featured at 2021 reunion Stratford, Mika McCairley of Guelph, Sophia Rosedale of Ilderton, Anna Tigani of Stratford, Clara Roth of Tavistock and Ailsa McCairley of Guelph. • 12 years and under: Savannah Leahy of Orangeville, Julie McEvoy of Stratford, Kensington Ische of Stratford, Ethan Rosedale of Ilderton, Mariah Leahy of Orangeville and Luke Misek of London. • Nine years and under: Julayna Leahy of Orangeville, Claire

Jardine, London, Seth McIntosh of London, Sadie McIntosh of London, Bridgette Faria of Brampton and Michael Jardine of London. • Open class: Katie Paradis of Milverton and Charlotte Clare of Orangeville. • Junior group: ElectriCALL StoRM of the Stratford area. • Open Group: ElectriCALL StoRM of the Stratford area and UnReel of the Orangeville area. The youngest step-dancer was Siobheann Faria.

Congratulations Huron Pioneer Thresher and Hobby Association

TILE DRAINAGE PAYS! WORTH CELEBRATING — Lorne and Bonnie Glanville of Walton were honoured at the 2019 reunion of the Huron Pioneer Thresher and Hobby Association with the Billy Joe Hallahan Memorial Trophy for the best restored tractor from 1951 and up. The Glanvilles turned judges’ heads with their 1963 John Deere 2010. They, along with several other award winners from 2019, will be featured at the 2021 reunion, the 60th in the organization’s history. (File photo) While awards won’t be handed out this year, with the annual reunion of the Huron Pioneer Thresher and Hobby Association cancelled, there are still competitors to be recognized who would have had their vehicles featured in this year’s show. Last year’s Wayne Houston Memorial Trophy, which is the best in show steam engine, went to Rob Repko of Kingsville for his 25horsepower, 1916 George White general purpose engine. The award for the 2019 best feature tractor was an Allis B 1948, owned by Edgar Daer of Blyth. The John Ellacott Trophy for 2019 for best restored tractor from 19311950 went to Mike Clark of Clinton for his 1946 John Deere A. The 2019 Billy Joe Hallahan Memorial Trophy for best restored tractor from 1951 and up went to Lorne Glanville of Walton for his 1963 John Deere 2010. The decision wasn’t an easy one, Secretary Jackie Lantinga suspects, as there were over 200 tractors and 54 lawn and garden tractors on the grounds. The feature car for 2020 was to be a 1950 Buick Super owned by Jack Durnin of New Hamburg. Allan Reath of Stratford won the 2019 prize for best antique vehicle for the Saturday award with his 1962 GT Hawk Studebaker. The fiddle competition in 2019 brought 25 participants and the winners were, in order of finishing:

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Mooy’s potato planting benefits local food bank people to see the inner workings of the picking machine. Mooy said, when the reunion is able to happen again after the pandemic, he welcomes young people to come out and grab a few potatoes and put them in a basket to help with the project. As a reward, the children will get to take some home. Mooy takes what he needs for the season from the potato harvest and

then donates the rest to a local food bank. In his first year, for example, he gave much of the harvest to the Salvation Army in Wingham. This year he will be repeating that. Mooy had planted 600 potato plants this year and, as of last week, 550 had sprouted and will soon be ready to harvest. He said he intends to donate the crop again to the Wingham branch of the Salvation Army to help support the local food bank.

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HOW IT WAS — Herman Mooy, left, has created a potato picking demonstration at the annual reunion with his 1928 McCormick Deering vintage potato picker. (File photo) For the past several years, Blyth’s Herman Mooy has shown how potatoes used to be harvested as part of the annual reunion of the Huron Pioneer Thresher and Hobby Association. In 2016, Mooy took a plot of land at the northeastern corner of the Blyth Campground and turned it into a demonstration space for his 1928 McCormick Deering vintage potato picker. The story of how the demonstration came to be, however, starts a little earlier. Mooy originally started farming potatoes with the Michigan-built vintage potato picker several years earlier on the home of Gary and Chris Courtney, just outside of Blyth. He and Chris spent two seasons planting, maintaining and harvesting crops before the picker first appeared at the plowing match. “Coming from Alliston originally, getting into potatoes made sense,” he said. “It’s a big-time thing up there.”

It wasn’t long before Mooy realized that what he had been doing with the Courtneys fit nicely with the demonstrations and models that were on display throughout the annual reunion of the Huron Pioneer Threshing and Hobby Association. “I approached the executive and asked if a demonstration would work out,” he said. “I made it clear, from the beginning, that this was a nonprofit venture and asked who would be interested in seeing it.” The potato picker was actually designed to be pulled by horses and has been modified to hook on to a tractor, however Mooy’s Ford 1953 Golden Jubilee Tractor couldn’t be used for the project. “It went too fast,” Mooy explained. “Even in first gear, it was just going too fast and would be done shortly after it started.” He used a tractor provided by fellow association member Barry Young in the demonstration’s first year, and, by the time the 2017 reunion rolled around, he had

Children’s activities a welcome change Last year, Sydney Otten and Shalena Reid decided that there needed to be more of a focus on young children at the annual reunion of the Huron Pioneer Thresher and Hobby Association. After visiting the reunion Otten and Reid decided to take action to address the limited activities for the youth by opening a tent for activities at the 2019 reunion. “I have children, and Sydney comes with her nieces and nephews,” Reid said. “Really, the only activity for children was facepainting and we thought we could manage some other activities.” Both Otten and Reid are youth workers, so they hoped they could make changes to engage more children, in turn increasing membership and the number of people who attend the reunion. Face-painting was still part of the event, but the main thrust of the new activities was located in a tent on the concrete pad just east of the sawmill. “The hope is that every year we’ll have a special event,” Reid said, adding that last year, the duo had many different activities to see what would succeed. “One year, we could have a miniature corn maze, and

another, a climbable structure made out of straw bales. It will be something new every year, and, long-term, we hope that brings in more kids every year.” Last year, the site featured a rideon toy obstacle course, as well as pioneer games for children, a craft table and a large corn box. Straw bales were erected to cordon off the area, which included a section for even younger children to make sure there was something for children of all ages. The hay bales also provided a place for parents to sit and watch their children. “A huge part of the program [last year was] the passports,” Reid said. Any younger people entering the grounds were to receive a passport that served as a grounds-wide activity. She said the passports encouraged families to visit the entire grounds, rather than just what they can see when they first come in. After completing the passports, families could turn them in for a prize at the children’s activity tent and driving more traffic to the site, Reid said. According to reports, the first year of the event was a success and future years are being planned.

purchased his own 1948 Model M John Deere which pulled a little slower than the Ford, allowing

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THE HURON PIONEER THRESHER & HOBBY ASSOCIATION, 2020. PAGE 15.

Marking six decades of reunion history in Blyth

LOOKING BACK — The Huron Pioneer Thresher and Hobby Association, approaching the 60th anniversary of its first reunion in 2021, have a long history in Blyth. Clockwise from top-left: Steppers perform during the 1999 reunion; Bonnie Stewart, in 1988, finds a toy rocking horse; Jessie Connolly of Clinton performs during the step-dancing competition in 1991, the 30th anniversary of the reunion; a shingle saw is demonstrated at the 1991 reunion; then-91-year-old Bert McDonald was the oldest fiddler at the 1991 reunion during the fiddle contest and specialevents co-ordinator Ray Hallahan, centre, keeps the log steady during a sawing competition in 1991. (File photos)

PAGE 16. THE HURON PIONEER THRESHER & HOBBY ASSOCIATION, 2020.

The Executive and Directors of the

HURON PIONEER THRESHER & HOBBY ASSOCIATION INC. look forward to seeing you in 2021 to celebrate our th

60 Reunion 2019 Winners

Rob Repko ~ Kingsville Best Steam Engine Wayne Houston Memorial Trophy 25 hp Geo White General Purpose Engine

Edgar Daer ~ Blyth Best Feature Tractor 1948 Allis B

Lorne & Bonnie Glanville ~ Walton Best Restored Tractor from 1951 & up Billy Joe Hallahan Memorial Trophy 1963 John Deere 2010

Jack Durnin & Persida ~ New Hamburg Feature Car 1950 Buick Super Riviera 2 Door Hard Top

Celebrating Generations of Tradition