by CONNIE TABBERT
Editor
RENFREW — Five farmers were inducted into the Renfrew County Agricultural Wall of Fame Friday evening at the Renfrew Armouries.
Allan James of Foresters Falls, Welland and Margaret Crozier of Cobden and Lynn and Ian Clelland of Admaston-Bromley Township were each presented with a Certificate of Recognition. A laminated photo of each of them will be placed on the Renfrew County Agricultural Wall of Fame in the Galbraith Room at the Renfrew Armouries.
Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke MP John Yakabuski, who was the emcee for the evening, acknowledged he has learned more about farming since elected to the House of Commons in 2003. He kept the evening light and fun with “some farming information” he found on the internet.
Allan James
Allan James was nominated by the Soil and Crop Association and Larry Reaburn had the honour of introducing this long-time, well-known farmer to the audience.
Allan was born in Almonte in 1933 and had two older sisters. He skipped school so he could do the more exciting things on the farm.
When Allan was 13, his father broke his back and it was at that time that he went into full time farming, milking Holstein cows and looking after chickens. The family churned cream and sold eggs and firewood in Carleton Place.
Allan was involved in 4-H and Junior Farmers “and somewhere along the line met Thelma Thompson. They were married in 1956.” They knew the family farm could not support two families so began searching for their own property.
“After much looking and deliberation, they decided on 158 acres at the end of Queens Line and Foresters Falls Road, where they still reside today,” Mr. Reaburn said.
They moved absolutely everything from that Almonte farm, including a prized Massey Harris 44 tractor. Within a year, a new barn was built, complete with a new milking parlour and chickens upstairs.
Those who know Allan, know that sleeping was not a priority. He thought nothing of getting up early in the morning to plant a field of corn before chores or going out at 9 or 10 o’clock at night to knock off a few more acres of plowing, Mr. Reaburn said.
He also built himself a new shop, well designed and without windows, because now he could calculate something or fix a broken machine overnight and no one knew he was up, Mr. Reaburn said, bringing laughter from the crowd.
The James’ were blessed with a little girl named Glenda, and as the decades went by she grew, as did the farm.
“But now, they have a dashing young Scottish piper on their doorstep and what are they going to do with him,” he quipped. Rob McKenzie and Glenda did marry and have two children, Emily and Wes, who are now both on their own.
Mr. Reaburn’s first visit to the James’ farm was when Allan was hosting a corn silage demonstration.
“He really liked to grow corn,” he said. “As years went by, there was corn in the same fields year after year and I wondered if he ever considered or knew how to grow anything else.”
For those who worked at the James’ farm, the noon-hour meal was prepared by Thelma.
“Word on the street, and Thelma may not know this, was that if you worked at the James farm, Thelma put up the best meals in town,” Mr. Reaburn said.
He spoke about Allan supplying land for plots of corn trials for Agriculture Canada and Kemptville College and travelling to Kentucky for the farm show.
The James’ hosted Renfrew County Hay Day in 1991 and in 2006 the Renfrew County Plowing Match.
In 1997 Allan started up the Antique Tractor Square Dance. He drew from his own large collection of antique tractors and with help from neighbours and friends performed up and down the valley and at least at two international plowing matches.
Allan has been battling a few health issues the past few years and is mostly confined indoors. But that doesn’t stop him – Allan rides a stationary bicycle at least two miles a day.
“Sixty years have gone by on that Renfrew County farm and now Rob and Glenda do most of the farm work and milk Holstein cows in that once new barn,” Mr. Reaburn said.
The Massey Harris 44 tractor is still there and the farm has grown to 700 acres with 200 acres rented.
“Allan is a very special one-of-a-kind individual and is well deserved to be inducted into the Renfrew County Wall of Fame,” Mr. Reaburn said.
MPP Yakabuski then presented Mr. James with a Certificate of Recognition from himself and another from MP Cheryl Gallant, who was not able to attend the evening event.
This is prestigious recognition for the many contributions you have made to the agricultural community and this community, MPP Yakabuski said. He presented each inductee with these certificates.
Whitewater Region Mayor Hal Johnson said, “This is quite an honour for me to be able to congratulate you Allan.
“The first time I heard your name was coming home with my mom and aunt from an event in Renfrew and my aunt said, ‘I hear Allan James has proposed to Thelma and set a wedding date.’ Mother said, ‘That is the luckiest thing that has ever happened to Allan James.’ Maybe they were right, Allan.”
Growing up on a farm, Mayor Johnson said he began to deal with Allan when the family started to grow corn.
He recalled a time when his father Harold was going to give him heck for doing something he didn’t think he should have done at the age of 12. However, Allan saved him by asking him questions about what he did.
“Allan said, ‘Did u have a plan,’ and I said ‘yes.’ Then he asked, ‘What did you think would happen when you started down off the pile?’”
Following the answer, “Allan turned back to my dad and said, Harold, instead of being in trouble, this boy should be somebody you are proud of.
“Those words stuck with me all my life,” Mayor Johnson said.
From Allan he learned to have a plan, be careful and make the plan come to a head.
“And that’s the farming industry,” Mayor Johnson said. “You need a plan for a year, a plan for each month, each week and each day and knowing the plan can change by the hour.
“These are the things that I learned from my neighbour and one of my friends and I am so proud to be part of this, to congratulate Allan.”
Mayor Johnson, on behalf of council and the residents of the township, congratulated Allan for his many contributions to agriculture throughout many years.
“Even though you can’t go out that much, you got the window, and that’s the farmer’s best computer as he looks at the working class,” Mayor Johnson ended.
Mr. James said, “I thank the Crop and Soil Association for nominating me to the wall of fame. It’s a big honour to be nominated. I want to thank everybody here this evening.”
Welland and Margaret Crozier
Myles England of the Renfrew County Plowmen’s Association spoke about Welland and Margaret Crozier. Welland was born and raised in Admaston Township, was involved in 4-H and then the junior farmers, taking on the role of president for a couple of years.
Margaret grew up in Calgary and heard all bout Welland through his brother-in-law, who worked in the same office as she did.
“Welland’s brother-in-law told Margaret all the good things about Renfrew County and Welland’s farm,” Mr. England said.
In April 1974, Margaret came to farm and liked what she saw, as well as who she saw, Mr. England said. The couple married and raised two children.
They were both members of the Northcote Community Association. Welland was also a member of the Renfrew Fair board, Holstein club, and an Ontario Federation of Agriculture director, is a life member of the soil and crop association as well as the Renfrew County Cattlemen’s.
In 1989, the couple hosted the Renfrew County Plowing Match. Welland still remembers when he helped stake out the official plowing plots for the 1994 International Plowing Match, which was held in Renfrew County that year.
“He said they staked over 1,000 acres for the plowing at the match and he walked for days,” Mr.England said, bringing laughter from the crowd.
Margaret was a 4-H leader for five years, is a life member of Renfrew County Plowmen and was the secretary/treasurer for six years. She is also a life member of Trinity United Church UCW and has helped with the Renfrew Fair displays for 10 years.
They were in three areas of farming: dairy, beef and then cash crop.
“They were always steady and dedicated volunteers,” Mr. England said. “The Renfrew County Plowmen’s is honoured to have me present Welland and Margaret Crozier with this certificate.”
Although new to Cobden which is in Whitewater Region, Mayor al Johnson presented them with a certificate on behalf of the township. He congratulated them for their many contributions to agriculture and welcomed them to Whitewater Region.
Admaston-Bromley Mayor Michael Donohue added, “I want to acknowledge the past residents of Admaston/Bromley. We very much miss them in the community, as they have unfortunately seen fit to migrate to Whitewater. It is their gain in Whitewater.”
Welland said, “Thank you very much for the evening. We thank the Plowmen’s for the nomination.”
Lynn and Ian Clelland
Erica Rice spoke about Lynn and Ian Clelland, noting they were nominated by the Renfrew County 4-H Association and the South District Women’s Institute.
Lynn grew up on one of the original Campbell farms in Admaston. Ian was born in Pembroke but grew up in Brampton, where his family moved. He would return to the area each summer to visit his grandparents in Eganville. The couple both attended the University of Guelph, but did not meet each other until they were guests at the same wedding in the valley.
“She asked him to be her partner in a square dance and a year and a week later they were married,” noted Ms. Rice.
In 1984, they purchased a Campbell farm, starting with the beef cows that came with the farm.
Over the years, they were involved in various organizations, separate and as a couple, in the Cattlemen’s Association, Renfrew County 4-H, Grace United Church, Admaston and Area Foodgrains projects, Balsam Hill Women’s Institute, Renfrew Fair Board, and the Renfrew County Farm Safety Association.
Lynn recently completed her 35th year as a leader with the Renfrew County 4-H. Mr. and Mrs. Clelland were both leaders, leading such clubs as field crop, beef calf, lifeskills, square dance and many more. Lynn has been director, president and treasurer of the Renfrew County 4-H as well as working at the provincial level. She received the 4-H Ontario Syngenta Arbour award.
Lynn is currently president of the Balsam Hill Women’s Institute and is on the executive of the District WI. One of her favourite projects was, with the community’s help and a Trillium grant, the local SS #2 schoolhouse. It was refurbished to become a Living Museum, where students can come for a day to be a student of the late 1800s.
In 2014, the Renfrew County Soil and Crop Association recognized Lynn with an Award of Merit for her work with the Renfrew County Farm Safety Association.
“Lynn considers this a very important organization as the safety of our farmers and their families is vital,” Ms. Rice said.
Ian is a retired research chemist with the Canadian government and Lynn worked as a Home Economist with OMAFRA and retired after teaching at Fellowes High School and Renfrew Collegiate.
Admaston-Bromley Township Mayor Donohue said, “I give enormous thanks to Lynn and Ian. They are the members of the community that make my job fairly simple.
“As a matter of fact, without Lynn and Ian, I’m not sure anything would get done,” he added.
Mayor Donohue noted Lynn has now taken the lead roll in the municipality’s celebration of the 150th birthday of Canada.
“I extend enormous gratitude on behalf of council and the citizenry of Admaston-Bromley, because truly, without Lynn and Ian, and those much like them, there is no community,” he said, adding, “These are the people that make the community.”
Lynn said it’s a great honour to be nominated for something like this by the people you have grown up with, people you volunteer with and people you work with on a daily, weekly or monthly basis.
“Renfrew County is a place that gets things done and I think a prime example of that was the 1994 International Plowing Match,” she said, adding, “It was the best one ever and it was held in Renfrew County.”
The longevity of the local fairs and various organizations shows that people in Renfrew County are proud of their roots and their communities.
Lynn said even though she went away to university, she always knew she would come back to Admaston and settle down.
“I was lucky I found somebody who’d like to come with me and it’s been an honour, it’s been a privilege, to be a part of all the things going on in the vital community throughout Renfrew County and an incredible honour to follow in the large footsteps that are up on the wall in the Galbraith Room,” Lynn said.
Choking up a wee bit, Lynn said it’s also a special night for her because her father is also a member of the Renfrew County Agricultural Wall of Fame.
Evening comes to an end
Ending the evening, MP Yakabuski said, “Thank you for your presence to honour inductees, who are all tremendously worthy recipients of this honour bestowed upon them this evening. I look forward to their pictures joining those on the wall. When visiting the Armouries, feel free to go upstairs and gaze at the inductees of the past and the ones joining them this evening.
“Thank you all for the work you do.”
MP Yakabuski read aloud Paul Harvey’s ‘So God Made a Farmer’, which he wrote in 1978 and earlier in the evening read The Farmer by Amelia E. Barr.
Donna Campbell said the Renfrew County Federation of Agriculture, in conjunction with the other agricultural organizations, all put money into this Agricultural Wall of Fame in 1995. Since she was secretary/treasurer for the federation back then, and still retains that title today, she organizes the event.
It was back in the early 1990s, the federation of agriculture wanted to pay tribute to Mac McLaren who had been involved in many agricultural organizations throughout the county. The federation spoke to members of the Milton Agricultural Wall of Fame, and that’s how the Renfrew County Agricultural Wall of Fame was born.
The first induction was in 1996 and 10 farmers were inducted. For the next 10 years, three farmers were inducted each year, except one, when only two were nominated. After 10 years, the format was changed to inducting three farmers every three years, she said.
Any agricultural organization can submit a nomination, Ms. Campbell said. Once the deadline has been reached, a committee is organized and the nominations reviewed.
As for the night’s event, Ms. Campbell said, “I’m happy with the night and turnout. We had 150 people. I’m really pleased that friends and neighbours came out to support the nominees. That’s really nice.”
Editor’s Note: More photos online from the evening as well as So God Made a Farmer and The Farmer.
