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Agriculture

Crop Information 1916-1938

Early mechanized harvest equipment, Montmartre SK, 1927.

Crop District No. 2, Regina-Weyburn (Including Montmartre):

Early records indicate that popular crops grown in the Montmartre area from 1916-1938 included wheat, oats, and barley, and flax. Also grown, but to a lesser extent, were various varieties of rye grains.

Wheat production saw a surge in production numbers throughout the 1920’s, hitting a peak in 1926 with over 35 million bushels produced on record. Oats saw peak production in 1925, with production in excess of 21 million bushels. 1928 was a high producing year for barley, showing production of more than 6 million bushels from an acreage of 220,552, which is significant considering the average production for the next 10 years was below two million bushels per year with an average acreage of 185,109. Flax saw varying degrees of popularity and success in the area, although 1916 is the only year in the period where production was greater than 1 million bushels. An average of flax production from 1929-1938 is 138,250 bushels per year.

File:Bennet Buggy, Montmartre SK, 1930.jpg

A "Bennet Buggy" depicts the economic hardships of the Dirty Thirties, Montmartre SK, 1930.

1931 and 1937 were particularly bad years for farming in the Montmartre area, showing drastically reduced yield and crop production throughout all principle crops grown in Crop District No 2.

Crop Information 1938-Present

Although the Montmartre area has continued to see the production of wheat, oats, barley, and flax throughout this period, the amount of crops grown in the area has increased drastically as farming practices have changed and seeding options have become more diverse. Government of Saskatchewan reports indicate that canola, mustard, sunflowers, lentils, peas, and canary seed have all been grown, to varying degrees of success, in the R.M. of Montmartre throughout this period of time.

Most recently, difficult farming years include 1988 and 1989, wherein all crop yields in the Montmartre area suffered. In 1988, a widespread drought affected crop yields throughout Saskatchewan.

Livestock

Raising chickens, Montmartre SK, 1920.

The Montmartre area, like much of Saskatchewan’s farmland, sees diversity in its economy. Many farms in the R.M. of Montmartre raise livestock. According to the 2011 Census of Agriculture, 84 farms in the R.M. of Montmartre reported a collective total of 11,192 cattle and calves. Four farms reported a collective total of 418 sheep and lambs. Twenty-seven farms reported a collective total of 636 horses and ponies. Seven farms reported a collective total of 536 hens and chickens. To a lesser extent, farms in the Montmartre area also reported 17 goats, 22 llamas and alpacas, and 31 rabbits.

Historical Farming in Montmartre

Settlers began to arrive in the Montmartre area in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. Each farmer started out with a quarter section of land.

Horses pulling early farming equipment, Montmartre SK, 1928.

In early years, horses were incredibly important to farmers in the Montmartre area, as they were the primary work animals on a farm. As farms became larger, more land was broken for raising crops. Horses were instrumental in the breaking of the land, as well as the subsequent farming activities. Steel plows were used by farmers, and required the strength of horses to pull them as they turned up the soil for planting. As plows became larger and more complex, more horses were required. Horses were also required to pull seeding and harvest equipment.

Slowly but surely, horses were phased out by machines, as farming equipment became larger and heavier. The first tractors introduced in the Montmartre area were powered by steam.

Apart from horses, early farmers in the Montmartre area kept many other livestock animals. Cows were used for both milk products and meat. Chickens, ducks, turkeys, and geese supplied not only meat and eggs, but also feathers for pillows and comforters. Pigs supplied meat and lard, which was used for cooking, as well as in the production of soap.

Early harvests were loaded on to wagons and pulled north by horses to the nearest rail line. In 1908, a rail line was put through the Montmartre R.M. Following the arrival of the rail line, grain elevators were built to handle local harvests.

Agriculture practices in the Montmartre area have advanced along with those used in the rest of the province and now reflect the modern techniques used throughout the Canadian prairies.