Long tractor parade for Canada Day

Ken Martle made short work of this log, cutting it in just 12 seconds. Perfect technique is needed to complete the job in so short a time.

Mac Olsen
South Peace News

The Pioneer Threshermen’s Association knows how to throw a Canada Day party! Smiles were abound at Triangle July 1 as people enjoyed events such as tractor parades and sawing contests. “It’s a great opportunity for families to get together and see what their ancestors did long ago,” says vice-president Fred Korol. “We’re always open to different ideas.” Hundreds of people attended the event, which began with a jamboree and dance June 30. The next morning, events began with a Double Toonie Dollar breakfast and a hamburger barbecue in the afternoon. The meals are fundraisers for the Threshermen’s Association. Two tractor parades were held, the first during lunch and the other late in the afternoon. The Threshermen’s steam engine is still in Edmonton for repairs, so it could not be part of this year’s Canada Day celebrations. Children also had fun, including the pedal tractor pull for those ages 4-7. Many of them received Canadian flag tattoos on their arms and faces. Some children even operated the tractors under adult supervision. Then there was Johann Hanselbauer’s wagon rides, as he took families around the association’s property. The sawing contest was held early in the afternoon, as teams of four used chainsaws, handsaws and hacksaws to cut through logs in the shortest time possible. The teams taking longer were winners in the audience’s eyes, as they received applause, too. It can be quite a task to use some of the saws. In the case of the handsaw, the secret is to push it rather than pull. During the hacksaw contest, sometimes one or two people would sit on the log to keep it stable while teams sawed the log. Another contest held was the lumberjack demonstration, whereby a log is set up vertically in a container, and screws are used to keep it in place. Some contestants made short work of their logs, while others found it took them a little longer to get the job done. The Threshermen’s other Canada Day activities include demonstrations of their old equipment, such as the threshing machine, the flour mill and sawmill, and a seed-cleaning unit. Many people gathered around these machines to see how they worked and asked questions.

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