A dying heritage

On a cloudy Saturday afternoon an increasingly rare occurrence happened in a farm field northwest of Ebenezer; a threshing demonstration using a steam engine as the power source.

"It's the only steam engine left (operating) in the Yorkton area," explained owner Clarence Hoffman.

Hoffman noted when safety tested more and more steam engines fail and are decommissioned.

"They rust a little every year inside," he said, adding when ultrasound tests show the boiler wall at 50 per cent of its original thickness "they shut you down."

Hoffman's old steamer was built in 1917, ninety-four years ago, explained Harley Hoffman. The 50 horsepower George White is a Canadian made steamer, with the company factory located in London, Ont., nine decades ago.

"Dad bought it from a guy at Whitewood when I was about 12-years old," said Harley, adding the steamer was in running order when acquired.

The threshing machine is a John Deere, built back in 1939, said Clarence, adding they were manufactured up until the 1950s.

Clarence, 80, said steam threshing was something he fondly recalled from his own childhood, so buying the machines was some which he said simply interested him.

"When I was growing up they were still using them back in the '30s," he said. "I was interested in what they were doing.

Harley, who has steam operation certification as does his father, said fewer steam engines are in operation every year.

"They get safetied every year," he explained.

For Harley, 44, becoming involved with operating the stream engine and threshing machine was a natural.

"Dad took it to shows all over Saskatchewan," he said, adding "I always got to go along as a kid."

So it was a rather easy step for Harley to get his steam operator papers when he was in his early 20s.

The threshing demonstration has become an annual event, happening the same weekend every fall.

Harley said as long as the steam engine is operational "the family will keep doing it."

Saturday afternoon Clarence Hoffman and son Harley held their annual threshing demonstration on their farm northwest of Ebenezer highlighting the Canadian built George White steam engine which is nearing a century of operation. The event was a chance to see how grain was threshed on the Canadian Prairies decades ago.