The History of Agriculture

It took a revolution in the 13 British Colonies on the Atlantic seaboard to settle "THE COUNTY". Almost overnight it was settled. Within a generation the entire 250,000 acres was surveyed and occupied. Farms were cleared, towns and villages established, roads built, wharves ran into the lake beside bulging warehouses. The county became the hub of agricultural commerce on Lake Ontario.

The county has no frontier, no back country. It is an island. There was a limit to the number of families it would support, a limit to the amount of produce its land would yield. 1871 census listed 20,336 population. 1965 census was 20,950.

Barley Days - 1860 to 1890 - were the years when barley meant money and money meant spacious farm homes, fine furniture, machinery for cultivation, sleek horses and fat dairy herds. Barley also meant ships built here - scores of them both large and small - to carry the grain to the market. In 1890 a 12,000 to 13,000 bushel schooner could easily be loaded in a day at the price of a dollar a bushel. The county had several 50 acre hop yards. Producers shipped out three times as many hops as any other county in the country.

Wheat was a big cash crop particularly during the US civil war (1861-1865) when the price at the wharf reached $2.40 a bushel. Beans and seed peas were important crops. During the barley years about one third of the land, 40,000 acres was into barley. American tariffs spelled doom for the grain trade. Overnight in 1890 barley dropped from 90 cents to 50 cents; wheat dropped to one cent a pound.

The railway came to Prince Edward in 1878. The railway never did become a dominant force in transporting agricultural products. Shipping by boat and later by trucks was easier and cheaper. The railway did serve as a viable transportation mode for iron ore both at the beginning and end of its era.

Fruit and vegetable production started to flourish with the collapse of the grain trade to the U.S. Peas, sweet corn, tomatoes and tree fruits were canned and shipped both domestically and over seas. Apple, cherry and pear orchards sprang up. Macintosh and russet apples were shipped both fresh and dried. Sour cherries, Columbia raspberries were canned and processed into jams. With the advent of freezer plants these crops could be kept longer .Many farmers started home canning of everything from chicken spreads, to jams, tomatoes,maple syrup, etc. Other farmers became successful livestock farmers - dairy ,beef , sheep , swine. Most farms became mixed farms. The hogs paid off the mortgages. They milked a few cows by hand - sold the milk in summer for cheese, and cream in winter for butter production. The "Hen Money " [the ladies sale of eggs] often kept bread on the table .

Prince Edward's farmers always could adapt to change. Forward thinking farmers, Ag leaders, and business men have shaped our county. In 1882, Wellington Boulter opened the first canning factory in the county. In that first year he shipped out 25,000 cases of peas, corn, tomatoes and fruit. As long as water was the chief means of transportation, Prince Edward farmers were in an advantageous position. For many years Prince Edward was the centre of the canning industry in Canada. Gradually the competition from western Ontario and U.S. and the distance to the large markets spelled ruin for this industry.

Prince Edward's first Agricultural Representative, Fred Webster was largely responsible for making the county dairy industry what it has become. He initiated better breeding, better crops such as alfalfa, and better feeding. Many of our best cattle and production comes from his promotions.

Dunham Foster gained world recognition for his sales of superior breeding stock world wide. Successful dairying really came with the adoption of the Ontario Milk Marketing Board in 1965. Gradually all milk producers had an opportunity to compete on a more equitable playing field. Before that milk had many markets in the county. Most small producers sold to a number of cheddar cheese factories. They sold milk at the lowest price. Another group sold to Quinte Milk Products for a more favourable price. They were at the mercy of big businessmen with questionable practices - weights could vary day by day, tests could change radically, if supply was plentiful milk could be turned down for the simplest of reasons. Milk for the bottled trade was shipped in bulk with more stringent inspection. Often to land these contracts under the table kick backs were necessary. 

Orderly marketing has changed our dairy scene. Farms that had 5-6 cows may have up to 100+. The number of dairy farmers has decreased from over a 1000 to less than 100. The number of cows has remained relatively stable, but production far exceeds that produced before. Black River cheese factory is the only local processor of milk. New multi-million dollar barns for dairy cattle, poultry and swine are now being built. Modern equipment, sanitation, comfortable environment, waste management are the buzz words of modern Prince Edward farmers.

Fruit growing developed in the mid 1800's and by 1911,10,407 acres were in to apple orchards with nearly half a million trees. Since then the industry has declined, although the replanting of dwarf varieties and varieties with more consumer appeal are fostering some renewed interest. 

The Prince Edward Fruit Growers Co-operative and Sunnyside Apple Outlet are starting to specialize in the consumer fresh fruit trade. Juices prices spelt the doom of many orchard .

Large custom farm operations are increasing in Prince Edward. Townline Farms grows and freezer processes more peas, sweet corn and snap beans on a volume basis than was ever processed before. Large machines, less labour, more attention to rotations varieties and plantings, forward marketing create economies of scale that can't be achieved by the smaller grower.

Smaller producers often are turning to niche or specialty markets. Roadside stands become highly successful avenues for merchandising small acreage. Pick-your-own strawberries, raspberries, apples, pumpkin, etc. are becoming successful.

The exotic -- such as elk, wild boar, emu, ostrich have found a place either as sources of alternate meats or tourist attractions for the imaginative farmer. Bed and Breakfast on a farm or farm vacations has generated good business ventures for some families. Of course, there is still room for the horseman who can offer trail rides, carriage rides, etc. Much of Prince Edward's agricultural land is held by the so-called hobby farmers. They farm part or all of their land, have a place to recreate, have a more affordable home to live in, and are still within commuting distance of the full-time job.

Will agriculture in Prince Edward survive? Yes it will. The more serious farmers are becoming better business men in their approach to farming. They must be confident to continue. A number of new dairy, hog and poultry barns are up or being planned. There is a renewed interest in some crops that were grown here and then disappeared, including grapes, hemp, apples, etc. There is a renewed interest in valued added enterprises on existing farms. New purchasers bring new ideas, new visions. The future is only as bright as their imagination.

Thank you to Ken Wright P.Ag. for providing this article.
March 2000