From the Desk of Murray Lincoln: Gentle Giants Passing

As I stood watching the Gentle Giants pass – time was frozen. It was a boyhood dream for all the boys in the crowd. We watched with wonder the magic of generations pass in front of us.

Tractor after tractor of all ages and kinds slowly passed through the Lang Village lead by a 1921 Giant – a 1921 Sawyer Massey Steam Engine – manufactured in Hamilton, Ontario. This gentle giant generates up to 17 horsepower!

Tractors of all kinds passed us as if we were royalty on a reviewing stand. They were saluting as they passed.

Even more important were the men that were guiding the giants along the solemn procession. They were young men, middle aged men and some much older men. Most of the men had spent millions of hours on restoring the gentle giants – making it possible for the gentle giants to work again. Even if it was to only drive down the streets of a very old village on its dirt road – that was good enough.

I was caught up in the special moment as I stood outside the 1856 Hastie Carpenter’s Shop in the Lang Pioneer Village. In my role of the carpenter of 1856 I stood looking into the future of farming in Canada. As an 1856 Carpenter I could only dream of the possibilities.

In the 1850s steam power on farms was restricted to stationary work. The machine didn’t move – the work came to the machine.

A Long Time Ago…
I think it was probably about 1954 or so that my Grandpa Kirkpatrick came into the City of Regina that one day. He was on his way to the Saskatchewan Provincial Exhibition held each year in Regina. Somehow I was included in the trip to the fair with my Grandpa. I am not sure how it happened or why it happened… I just remember that it was very exciting and a very big deal to be included with his plans that day.

The Exhibition had rides and fun of all kinds. I knew that. I had not been that often – but knew something about it. It was a magical place to say the least with the smell of popcorn and the sound of the carnies yelling out the great merits of their stalls.

We didn’t go on any rides but rather walked through the farm exhibits inside of really old buildings. The murals on the walls had been painted eons ago. The baked goods, the quilts hanging and the different kinds of farm competitions were all on display. At 10 years old it made little sense – but I followed grandpa anyway.

We exited the hot building and headed across the road. There in front of us were brand new tractors and farm machinery of all kinds. The bright red ones stood beside bright green ones. Shiny new implements of all kinds were arranged among the new tractors and combines. Streamers fluttered on twine strung between the farm machinery giving it all a party feeling.

I followed Grandpa Charles Simon Kirkpatrick around the machines saying nothing. Grandpa didn’t say much either but it was his actions that gave the interpretation. If he was impressed we stopped and he looked longer than if he wasn’t. He would look hard and long at the motor area. He would feel the huge tires with his hand. He walked around the tractor looking at every area if he liked it. The other tractors that were not his favourites he simply gave a summary glance and a little “Humph…’ meaning I supposed that it wasn’t as good as the first one that he had led me to see.

We walked back to the first red tractor and looked again. I asked if I could sit on the tractor and “drive it”? He agreed and helped me climb on board. The smell of new paint, the feel of the giant below me sitting so still and waiting for someone to start it up – was simply amazing. I remember placing my hands around the black steering wheel and trying to turn it a little bit…. Moving it every so little was not possible as my strength was not that of my uncle’s. There was no power steering on that beast – just muscle power and the steering wheel could be turned a little while sitting still. But a 10 year old could not budge it.

I was happy sitting their “driving it” imagining that I was in control of the beast... the gentle giant below me.

I remember looking at Grandpa Kirk and he was smiling. I wasn’t sure why he was enjoying watching his oldest grandson “drive it”. I just knew he smiled at me.

A Long, Long Time ago…
In the early 1900s he had arrived with his father and family from Iowa to the south part of Saskatchewan by train. On board the train was all the equipment that they needed to farm the 4 farms that my Great Grandpa Kirkpatrick had bought. With him were his two sons, Charles and Roy Kirkpatrick and his daughter Effie. He would have one of the farms for himself and the kids would each get one of the three farms. Each would have their own land.

One of the implements was a giant steam tractor.

Later on Charles’ would buy his own tractor, a McCormich Deering (1920 something I think), steel lugged wheel, gasoline powered tractor. Taking the lugs off he drove the tractor in the soft ditch from Regina to Truax Saskatchewan… very slowly… breaking in his new prized possession… all the way back to the farm. I may not remember this part of the story perfectly well… but I think that it took him 8 hours to drive the 60 miles.

Why so long to drive that far? Well my guess is that he was grinning all the way… and it was plain fun to drive by other farms on the way showing off what he had been able to buy from his profits on his farm.

In Lang Village yesterday…
As I watched from the sideline with the Gentle Giants passing me… there was no McCormich Deering Tractor… nothing like Grandpa Kirk’s old tractor. I wonder… could it be possible… every… maybe if I could rent a trailer… maybe if we went on a holiday to Regina and then drove south to Truax… I wonder how many hour it would take to restore that old Gentle Giant that rests in a quiet field west of the town… with quiet grass blowing and bending in the prairie winds.. I wonder…

~ Murray Lincoln ~
www.murraylincoln.com