Newspaper accounts provide finther information about fanning inthe district 

‘ 30‘s. Avila St. Godard had brought the first threshing machine into the district in 

A report of 1935 said he was going from farm to farm with his threshing machine, 
custom threshing. By the fall of 1938 there were at least six threshing machines in the ch, . _.

Throughout the 1930’s it would seem that grain yields were very good. In 1938 N.   rted

that he harvested 10,000 bushels of oats from 100 acres. This converts to 100 bushels per   >- V '

if accurate, would surely be quite exceptional. More generally, oat yields were in the 50 to 65 bushels; V
per acre range, while wheat and barley yields were in the range of 40 to 50 bushels per acre. . .; a -. , V, '

Potatoes were the most important vegetable crop. In 1936 it was reported that about 35 fanners grew
potatoes and harvested approximately 12,000 bushels. The three largest producers, Fred Kerr, Frank
Coad and John Jaeger harvested 3,000 bushels, 1,500 bushels and 1,100 bushels respectively. In
1938 one farmer stated that be harvested over 300 bushels of potatoes from half an acre of newly

broken land.

Most of the settlers took up their lands in 1929 and 1930. More joined their ranks across the 1930‘s.
A headline of August 17, 1936 read “Sask Family Treks 400 Miles to Homestead Here, Leave
Breath—Stricken Country in South”. The cross country trek took Charles Kusch, his wife, two
children and brother-in—law two months. Beside settler effects they brought with them eight cattle,
four horses and a sheep. Another story of a cross country trek to settle in the district, that of Otto
Herman, can be found in the volume edited by S.J.Allen, pp.285-286.

By 1939 between 50 and 60 farms were located in the Carrot River district west of town, most of
them along the south bank of the Carrot River to within about 6 miles of the Saskatchewan border.
About 3,000 acres were sown to grain (oats, barley and wheat), with oats being the dominant grain
crop. Vegetable production, dominated by potatoes, was almost as important in the district as grain
production. The number of cattle had increased steadily over the years, and by the late 193 0's the area
had around 3,000 head. Pasture land for grazing was abundant. There was a large area of “native
hay” that could be harvested. The hay, along with locally grown oats, the main feed crop, carried the ,
livestock through the winter. Low water levels during the 30's had extended the area available for
pasture, hay-making and cultivation.

The Carrot River fanning district west of The Pas is part of the upper delta of the Saskatchewan
River. Deltas are prone to flooding. During the drought years across the prairies the Carrot River
district remained flood free, as well as drought flee. As noted by Laine Coad in the volmne edited
by SJ. Allen:
"When we started putting up hay along the Carrot River there was alot of swamps
between the Carrot River and The Pas River. About I 938 and 1939 the whole
country dried up and a person could drive all over the land, befiveen the two rivers,
with a car or truck. 2711': was greatfir the farmers and haymakers. A lot of hay was
stacked where it used to be we: and more land was broken up ”. 627.212)

By 193 8 all available land on the south side of the Carrot River from The Pas to within miles,
the Saskatchewan border was reported to have been taken up for farming. A preliminary