Kensington in Prince County, Prince Edward Island — The Atlantic Provinces (North America)
The Early Days of Farm Equipment
Les premiers balbutiements due matériel agricole
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, July 17, 2019
1. The Early Days of Farm Equipment Marker
For early farmers, insect control was not a complicated process. The first widely used pesticide, Paris Green, battled the Colorado Potato Beetle, and had to be applied to the potato plants manually. A sprayer was developed consisting of a wooden cask on wheels, and a spraying pump was driven by a bicycle-style chain attached to the axle.
Before potatoes are harvested, the plant is killed. Most farmers today use herbicides, but in the past, many relied on fall frosts for this. After World War II, the widespread use of chemicals replaced traditional means of weed and insect control.
Early farmers cut their fields of grain using scythes and sickles. “Threshing,” separating the kernels of wheat from the chaff, was done by beating the grain until the wheat fell from the stalk. Later, a horse-driven machine was adopted, where a team rode on a treadmill to drive the threshing action.
Harvesting by hand was extremely labour intensive and replaced with potato diggers and combines, much to the relief of weary farm families.
Pour les premiers agriculteurs,
this page online
Avant la récolte des pommes de terre, la plante est éliminée. De nos jours, la plupart des agriculteurs ont recours aux herbicides, mais par le passé bon nombre s'en remettaient aux gelées de l'automne. Après la Seconde Guerre mondiale, l'utilisation répandue des produits chimiques a remplacé les méthodes traditionnelles de lutte contre les mauvaises herbes et les insectes.
Les premiers agriculteurs fauchaient leurs champs à l'aide de faux et de faucilles. Le « battage », l'action de séparer le grain de blé de la balle, consiste à battre le grain jusqu'à ce que le blé tombe de la tige. Plus tard, une machine mue par des chevaux a été adoptée. Une trépigneuse servait à actionner la batteuse.
La cueillette à la main était une activité à haute intensité de main-d'œuvre et a cédé la place aux moissonneuses-batteuses et aux cueilleurs de pommes de terre, au grand soulagement des familles agricoles lasses de ce dur labeur.
Erected by
2. Marker detail: Early Farm Equipment
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Agriculture.
Location. 46° 26.19′ N, 63° 38.453′ W. Marker is in Kensington, Prince Edward Island, in Prince County. Marker can be reached from Imperial Street just north of Commercial Street, on the left when traveling north. Marker is located along the Confederation Trail, about 1 block west of the former Kensington Railroad Depot. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 29 Commercial Street, Kensington PE C0B 1M0, Canada. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. A World Leader in Silver Foxes (a few steps from this marker); Farming Groups in Kensington (a few steps from this marker); The Seven Year Rotation (a few steps from this marker); Business and Agriculture (within shouting distance of this marker); Original Meaning of Horsepower (within shouting distance of this marker); Engine 1762 relocated to Kensington (within shouting distance of this marker); A Woman's Work is Never Done (within shouting distance of this marker); Preserving Locomotive 1762 (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Kensington.
Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker. Prince Edward Island Agriculture
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, July 17, 2019
3. The Early Days of Farm Equipment Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on May 18, 2020. It was originally submitted on May 14, 2020, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 72 times since then and 5 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on May 17, 2020, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. 3. submitted on May 18, 2020, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
