Bar U haying in the pioneering days

With the growing season underway, a ranch south of Longview is giving the public a glimpse into haying in the pioneering days. The Bar U Ranch National Historic Site is celebrating Historic Places Day, a national initiative that teaches the public about Canada’s history in a way that hasn’t been taught in classrooms, said Mike McLean, acting site manager. The event takes place July 7 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., admission is free. “We’re going along with our theme of having people come out to experience the rhythm of the land – things that are happening in the agricultural community at a certain time of the year,” he said. “Summertime is haying time so we’re going to be presenting a historical haying demonstration.” Several early 20th century haying equipment will be provided by Heritage Acres Farm Museum near Pincher Creek to show what haying looked like in the early years. These will include a 1916 John Deere hay press powered by a 1917 Waterloo Boy tractor, horse-drawn mowers, rakes and a hay sweep, said McLean. The demonstrations are from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and again from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. on the site just below the visitors’ centre. “Some of the things that Heritage Acres is bringing is very unique and it will be a wonderful opportunity to see them,” he said. “With Historic Places Day it’s a wonderful opportunity to enjoy all the things that Bar U offers like a blacksmith making horse shoes, a saddle-maker preparing a harness, horse-drawn wagon rides and learning how to rope.” McLean said it’s important that people learn about Canadian history. “It’s amazing the amount of time and labour it took to get the feed put up so you could keep your animals fed throughout the winter,” he said. “The amazing thing is this equipment is over 100 years old, but there will be a lot of people that recognize things that are still done today when we’re putting up the hay.”