Historic Bell Barn Welcomes the Public
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Õ}ÕÃÌÊÓä£äÊÊUÊÊ6ÕiÊÎ]Ê ÕLiÀÊn ÃÌÀVÊ iÊ >ÀÊÜiViÃÊÌ iÊ«ÕLV BY MONIQUE MCKAY The Bell Barn is owned by the The Indian Head Bell Barn Town of Indian Head and man- opened offi cially to the public July aged by the Bell Barn Society. 24. “It’s not just for or from the The historic barn is a replica town of Indian Head—it really of the original round stable that is the whole region. Fundraising was built in 1882 as part of the was regional, local, and national. Qu’Appelle Valley Farming Com- “The project has had signifi - pany. cant impact on heritage as related The corporate farm was a fed- to agriculture in Canada,” said eral experiment when Sir John A. Delage. McDonald was prime minister. The opening, held July 24, was Now recognized as the fi rst witnessed by 600 people. The large corporate farm in present- speeches were well attended and day Saskatchewan, the farm once the ribbon cutting attracted sev- included over 100 buildings on eral members of the media. 332 quarter sections. One of those “It was a remarkable day,” said buildings was Saskatchewan’s Delage. “People came for the fi rst round barn. opening but stayed for the after- The Qu’Appelle Valley Farming noon.” Company was more affectionately Over a dozen people dressed known as the Bell Farm, so named up in period costumes for the for the general manager, Major event. Ladies served iced tea and William R. Bell. cookies, and there was a team and In addition to managing the am- wagon to tour people around the bitious agriculture project, Major site. Bell was deeply involved in the Twenty-one members of the community of Indian Head. He Bell family were on hand, includ- arrived a year before the railroad, The ribbon is cut and the Bell Barn is offi cially opened, with the Hon. Dr. Lynda Hav- ing one who had traveled from and in two years oversaw the con- erstock, former Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan presiding. England. struction of the huge farm. Much Monique McKay photos “They’ve given the Bell Barn of the materials were brought by Society a number of artifacts,” ox-cart from eastern Canada or the northern Delage said of the family. “Including the reg- U.S. istry of the people who visited the original Between 1882 and 1889 the company set- farm house. The family was also very sup- tled over 100 tenant farmers on 53,000 acres. portive from a fi nancial point of view. Farming was attempted on such a large scale “I think it was very emotional for them,” that 45 binders were sometimes seen harvest- Delage said of the Bell family coming togeth- ing a single fi eld. er for this event. “Some of them hadn’t seen The corporate farm didn’t last a decade. In each other in a long time. It was like a family 1884 severe drought and frost crippled the reunion, and they got to learn a lot about their operation, and in 1885 so many horses were great-grandfather that they didn’t know.” requisitioned in the name of the Métis upris- Since the Bell Barn is a replica and not an ing that it was impossible to seed; only one original building, it can’t qualify for national thousand acres were seeded. or provincial heritage status, although there “It was the modern-day equivalent of the are people lobbying to change the legislation. government showing up at the farm and tak- For now, it must sustain itself. ing the tractor away,” said Maurice Delage, Currently, according to Delage, approxi- Chairperson of the Bell Barn Society. mately 200 people a day are stopping to visit The farm never recovered, and in 1889 the round stone building, with adults paying 40,000 acres were sold off. The Indian Head $5 a head and school-aged children paying Experimental Farm and the PFRA Shelterbelt $3. Centre are established on land that was once Delage is confi dent that the real revenue part of the original corporate farm. will be generated by renting out the second Although the farm may have failed from fl oor loft, which is already booked for a wed- one point of view, “It was really the fi rst time ding and an art show this month. dry-land agriculture had been attempted in The historical landmark is currently staffed this geography,” explained Delage, who is a by volunteers, but the society hopes to hire farmer near Indian Head. Frank Korvermaker, chairperson with the Bell Barn Society, was thrilled someone full time next year. The bitter cold, the shortened growing sea- to see the four-year long project fi nally open to the public. The Bell Barn is open for the season from son, the nature of the ground; the challenges 10 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. daily. stimulated the development of practical ag- “It’s been a wonderful experience pulling riculture for this area. New varieties, agron- and in the twenties the distinctive building $700,000. The federal and provincial govern- it together, seeing so many people pulling omy, and tools were born of the Bell Farm was converted into a dairy. The dairy ceased ments made up the difference of the $1.5 mil- together. It’s wonderful to see it all come to experiment, and paved the way for the area operations in the fi fties and the round stone lion needed to reconstruct the architectural fruition, seeing people pull off the highway to become a leader in agriculture innovation, barn fell into disrepair. and agricultural landmark. and their imagination be stimulated by this as it still is today. “It was the oldest stone building in the Delage explained why the barn was recon- compelling story,” said Delage of the project. When the corporation was dissolved Major North-West Territories. The farm itself was a structed instead of restored. “We knew from “It just kind of gets you right here,” said Bell bought a signifi cant portion of the farm, major historical landmark for agriculture in the beginning that the barn itself would have Connie Bell MacCrimmon, Major Bell’s including the round barn, and continued to Western Canada,” said Delage when asked to be rebuilt because it had essentially fallen granddaughter, as she touched her heart. “It farm it for several years. In 1889 Major Bell why the Bell Barn Society was formed in 2006. in on itself.” gets you thinking . we come from pretty left, but the farm’s trademark round stable “We recognized that the government was not “It’s on same yard site but it’s on public hardy stock, from great visionaries.” She never lost its moniker; it was forever the Bell going initialize saving the barn,” he said. land, not private property, so it’s protected turned and gazed at the huge stone building. Barn. Over three years the society raised about into perpetuity,” he continued. “It makes you so proud.” The Holden family purchased the farm See page 3 No Tax on CREASY HOT TUBS & BILLIARDS Jacuzzi hot 2500 PARK AVENUE, BRANDON, MB. tubs. TOLL FREE: 1.877.241.9580 $8,000 Hot Tubs PHONE: 204.729.8827 Up to www.creasys.ca off www.jacuzzi.com 2 Plain and Valley August 2010 Indian Head’s historic Bell Barn Right: A woman in period costume gazes out of the uppermost window in the historic building. Top left: The view of the grounds from the second floor loft. Left: The wagon driver toured people around the grounds. Bottom Right: Coal McKay of Fleming makes his way down the stairs to the main floor of the fieldstone building. Beautiful day in Indian Head . Bottom left: Frank Korvemaker, a chairperson with Indian Head’s Bell Barn Society, converses with Con- nie Bell MacCrimmon, who is one of Major William R. Bell’s granddaughters. Twenty-one members of the Bell family traveled to be present for the opening. Bottom right: A visitor adds his name to the reg- ister; over 600 people visited the Bell Barn for its inaugural opening July 24. Monique McKay photos August 2010 Plain and Valley 3 X SALE NO TA Sale ends August 31, 2010! Additional Accessory Savings on all models! Up to $8,000 in savings on select hot tubs! FREE SERVICE AND DELIVERY WITHIN 200 KMS SERVING YOUR LOCAL AREA FOR OVER 11 YEARS! NO PAYMENTS FOR 6 MONTHS* *SEE STORE FOR DETAILS Hot Tubs Creasy Hot Tub & Billiards 2500 Park Avenue, Brandon, MB 4OLL&REEs0HONE www.creasys.ca 4 Plain and Valley August 2010 Day one an adventure for newborn calf Imagine the bewilderment—a newborn calf staggers to its probably strayed over an embankment and out of reach. feet, suckles against its mother and shortly thereafter finds it- On behalf of Hazel Morris and one happy and robust calf, self alone, on the wrong side of the fence, belly-deep in a fast Plain and Valley congratulates Cole Hawkins, Jessica Nor- moving river. Time passes and, in the next instance, the calf gaard, Mandy Bengert, Sheridan Hensler, Karlee Devine, is scooped up, lowered into a canoe and carried downstream Helen Solmes Eric Kakakaway, Stephanie LeRuy et Loziak, Laura Schaan, to a waiting vehicle that, for all intents and purposes, seems Oden Juba, and Jamie Deis for a job well done. to be carrying the calf further away from where it wants to be—that being back with its mother and the nourishment Turn to page 25 to see a photo accompanying this column. that it so desperately needs.