Two area families were recognized for their long presence in the farming community.
The Neish family from Naicam and the Farber family from Fosston received Century Family Farm Awards from Information Services Corporation. They’re among the nearly 4,000 families who have been recognized since the program started in 2007.
The Neish Family
The century-old land owned by Glen Neish was homesteaded by his great-uncle, Lott Cabe Smith.
Smith came to Saskatchewan from Kansas a few years after some other family members moved up.
“It appeared they kind of travelled, getting a homestead, grooming it up, selling it, moving on to another place and then doing it again,” explained Neish.
“I think [Saskatchewan] was the last place that was open for homesteading,” he said of the choice to come to the province.
Cabe, as he was called by family, worked at farming until 1972, at the age of 77.
“There was nothing really tying him to farming. He didn’t have to stay and farm. He could have done other things,” said Neish, who noted that his great-uncle worked for a lumber company and a blacksmith’s shop for some time.
Lott Cabe Smith saw farming change drastically during his years in the business, starting with a horse and ending with a diesel tractor. Neish took over the farm after studying agriculture at the University of Saskatchewan.
He reflected on the changes that have occurred since the farm was homesteaded.
“[There were] closer markets. You weren’t sending a load of grain 50 or 100 miles, [but it] was probably an all day trip to the elevator though, just the same,” he said. “In those days too, a farmer had a little bit of grain, a little bit of livestock and made it that way. Now, farms are so big.”
There are no buildings on the century-old farm, but some old machinery has been left in the bush from the family’s earlier days.
The Farber Family
Richard Farber, who received the century family farm award for his land in Fosston, is a third-generation farmer.
His grandfather Manzel immigrated from Ukraine as a young adult.
“There was nothing left, nothing in Ukraine,” said Farber. “I guess he cleared a few acres and he would work out in the winter. He stayed with neighbours.”
Manzel married a woman named Annie and they had four children. Farber’s father, Paul, took over when Manzel died at 63, and Richard took over after that.
“I’m proud of the fact that we made it 100 years,” said Farber. “It probably won’t [make another 100 years].
“I hope the kids do it, but they probably won’t farm. I’d like to keep it in the family, but…”
Manzel had seven quarters, one of which still holds an old farmhouse.
Next year’s awards
The ISC will accept applications until March 2017 for the next round of awards. The organization does much of the legwork in conjunction with the Saskatchewan Archives Board to research historical documentation.
In 2016, almost a dozen families received the award in the Northeast, with farms from Wakaw, Fulda, Jansen, Drake and Lanigan being recognized.
