FALL 2010 VOLUME 24, ISSUE 2 IN THIS ISSUE: ANOTHER Vernon Recalls Growing Up on the Farm- pg. 2 Execu ve Updates- pg. 4 Erban Profi les- pg. 13 News from our Terminals- pg. 17 Health and Safety- pg. 30 COOL MOVE Recent Awards- pg. 32 Recent News- pg. 33 Your Photos- pg. 34 Erb Inspira on- pg. 36 Erb Ex-Cells Update- pg. 37 Erb Anniversaries- pg. 38 Good Cheer Club- pg. 39 Racing Update- pg. 40 K-DAC GETS A NEW HOME In November, K-DAC moved their dispatch from Petersburg to Sandhills Rd. See more pictures on page 9. ERB SAYS THANKS TO ITS HEALTH & SAFETY COMMITTEES More and more we hear about another employee being rewarded with a Safe Worker Award or a terminal is awarded for No Lost Time Due to Injury. A large part of these accomplishments are because our commi ees who help control safety and health issues in our workplace. This group of individuals meet once a month to ensure that we have a safe working environment. Meet your commi ee on pg. 30 and give them your thanks. Erban Report President’s Message VERNON ERB ping and we would end up at the ice cream parlour for fi ve or President & Chairman of the Board ten cent ice cream cones. As most of you may know, our edi- Times were tough on the farm and my father shared a McCor- tor Patty Attwell has left our compa- mick 10-20 tractor with my Grandpa and Uncle John. In 1947, ny to pursue other interests. She did the International dealer delivered a new Farmall M on rubber an excellent job and I’m sure we will tires to our farm, a day I will never forget. We were the envy miss her and wish her all the best in of our neighbors with this “big, 47 H.P. tractor”. We then had her new position. She would kindly to buy larger ploughs and machinery to utilize all the power remind me about a month before of this big tractor. Th ese were the days before Combines, For- the deadline to have my message age Harvesters, Hay Bailers and other time and labour saving ready so that I would not be respon- equipment was available. So I remember the hot summer days sible for delaying this publication. well as a young boy levelling hay on a wagon that was trailed closely behind by a hay-loader. Th ings haven’t changed... we now have another young lady who gently reminds me to please get my message written before it ...Or the days of using a Grain Binder to cut the grain... Th e needs to go to the printer. We are pleased to welcome Julie as sheaves of grain had to be bundled or shooked in neat rows to our new editor and Communications and Advertising Manager. be further dried for several weeks. We would come to the fi eld I am sure she comes well qualifi ed and trust she will fi t into the with horses or a tractor and wagons and pitch the sheaves on “Erb Culture”. I look forward to her contribution, new thoughts the wagon with a fork, haul them to the barn and lastly, toss and ideas that I am sure will benefi t the publication and all the them, one by one into the threshing machine to separate the other responsibilities she will be assigned. grain from the straw, blowing the straw into the straw shed and the grain into the granary (a very dusty job!) Several weeks ago I was asked to be the speaker at the Waterloo Federation of Agriculture’s Annual Banquet, speaking about my Our farm was blessed with a lot of rocks and stones which years growing up on the farm, my almost life-long career in es- seemed to appear every year at grain seeding time. Our whole tablishing our trucking company and in recent years, returning family would spend days in May and June hand picking stones, to my rural roots or second career of farming. So I decided to tossing them into a wagon or trailer and then throwing them ride on the coattail of that speech for this article. one by one into our bush. Th ere were also the weeds and thistles that wanted to grow in the new grain fi elds... our fam- Many of you know my background and our humble begin- ily would spend hours walking through the fi elds with thistle nings, but for the interest of those who have joined our compa- hooks, cutting them off . Wild mustard also appeared and these ny in recent years and are not from the Baden or New Hamburg weeds had to be hand pulled. terminals, our brief history may be of interest to you. I believe the Fall 2004 issue, our 45th anniversary, may include some of Our family also had a large fruit and apple orchard and early the history of our company’s early beginnings. I trust you will in the spring, we needed to prune the unwanted growth of not be bored by reading some of those stories. branches and then clean up the mess under every tree. We also had to spray the trees regularly come fall, when all the other In 1935, I was born on a farm in Wellesley to a loving and car- farmers were doing all their fun activities, like ploughing, etc., ing Mother and Father, with one brother and two sisters and I we were stuck in our orchard picking, grading and selling ap- have many good memories of our family time together at work ples and trying to do farm work at night. and play. In my estimation, growing up on a family farm is the ultimate dream any child could wish for. ...And then every night and morning several days a week, those wonderful, pure-bred Holstein cows had to be milked. Growing up shortly aft er the great depression in the early thir- As a young teenager this oft en confl icted with any dates I may ties was very tough. Our family was, by no means wealthy but have had... ball games and hockey games were very important we always had suffi cient food and although there were things we to me! would have enjoyed having, there oft en was not enough money for them unless they were really needed. What a treat it was I remember one fall when my Dad and two of my uncles when our dad would come home from Wellesley on a hot sum- bought a new I.H. Combine with a loader attached. Th is ma- mer day with a few bricks of ice cream and a few bottles of Soda chine would cut the corn stalks and actually throw them right Pop or take us into town on a Saturday night for grocery shop- onto a wagon running beside it. Th e wagon was pulled to the Page 2 Erban Report President’s Message Cont. ensilage cutter and someone would throw the heavier sheaves with a new determination and her support, we haven’t looked into the cutter to fi ll the silo. Th is was a real back-breaking back. I thank the Lord for that day. If that would not have labour-saver and I really enjoyed silo-fi lling time. Th e Forage occurred, I am sure there would not have been an Erb Trans- Harvesters appeared a little later in our area, which drastically port. So if you enjoy your employment at our company, please reduced the need for man power. give Viola the credit that she deserves for helping me to not be a quitter and for her always being a source of encouragement Although I enjoyed life on the farm, despite the hard work and throughout the life of our company. dependency on the weather for harvesting, etc., I feel it was a wonderful way to work with family and learn about nature and Many of the stories that have appeared in my past articles are God’s wonderful creation. of experiences that I have had in the past and I intend on con- tinuing in the future to relate to things I am sure you enjoy However, despite my experiences growing up on the farm, I felt knowing. there may be an easier way to make a living and as I watched the dump truck go past our school and our farm, I would Fast forwarding to the year 2000... It was about 10 years ago think, “Hey, these guys are sitting in their cabs driving around when Wendell became our General Manager. I was pleased the country earning a living and not working very hard...” with his leadership abilities and the wonderful group of man- agement people with him. I felt too young to retire but knew I Th e noise from the exhaust of the International KB7, a GMC, should step aside and allow the younger generation to manage really intrigued me and I decided someday that I would be a the day to day aff airs. Vacationing in Florida for a few months driver, despite the fact that my father thought that if I didn’t in the winter is okay but I felt I needed to do something want to be a farmer, then I should be a carpenter, mechanic, worthwhile and be more active physically. Well, the Lord had electrician or something worthwhile! the perfect plan and in 2004 we were led to a 96 acre farm that needed a lot of attention.