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When Barrhead was young

Dear Editor, In 1934, when I was three years old, my parents decided to leave their dry prairie farm and head north. Everything was loaded on the train, this included four horses and at least two cows.

Dear Editor,

In 1934, when I was three years old, my parents decided to leave their dry prairie farm and head north. Everything was loaded on the train, this included four horses and at least two cows.

Our new farm was in a perfect location, near to a school and a main road.

The main road was about 50 feet from our yard. Next to that were 160 acres of county owned land with aspen poplars, willows et cetera.

In the spring a basket maker used the willows and we enjoyed the pussy willows.

In fall, there were saskatoons and two kinds of blueberries, our favorites were the ones the Europeans called “bilberries”.

Our father made a swing for my brother and me between two poplar trees. We considered the whole area as our playground.

All this is gone now, replaced by fields of canola and barley.

A good friend kept me in touch with news of Barrhead. We always left her house with a large bundle of Leaders, which she had saved for me. Sadly this has ended.

I’m thankful that I arrived at a time when Barrhead was young and so was I.

Margaret Wirch

Formerly from Barrhead, but now in Parkland County

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