Agriculture
Haying in 1904
History of Agriculture in South East Saskatchewan In 1870, the Homestead Act offered free land to male settlers in Western Canada. To facilitate settlement the land was surveyed and divided into squares similar to the US survey system. Each township contains 36 sections and each section is 640 acres. Correction lines occur periodically to allow for the curvature of the earth. Settlers arrived from Great Britain, Europe, Eastern Canada and the United States to establish small farms across the prairies. They brought with them many of the crops and livestock species that are raised here today.
In the early 1900's horse drawn machinery was the norm and custom threshing was common. Since there was a shortage of labor to stook and thresh the crops, railroads offered cheap excursions to bring men from the east willing to help with the harvest. In 1908, 14,000 men made the trip west. Many returned for several years and many relocated permanently.
Towns and villages were springing up along the rail lines at intervals of about 8 miles.
Gas tractors were introduced following the first world war taking the place of horses. One way seeders and combines also came into being, reducing the need for labour. The trend towards larger farms was beginning.
 Combining 60 years ago
During the 1930's an economic depression, combined with years of drought and wind forced many off their farms. These years became known as the DIRTY THIRTIES on the prairies. The southern part of Saskatchewan suffered more from the extreme drought, insects and soil erosion than northern areas did. (Sand ridges caused by soil burying fences can still be found today in some localities.) All Saskatchewan producers, however, knew the shortage of money and low prices for produce. Many returned to using horses, sometimes to even pull the family car.
World War II focused attention away from the depression and at the same time the drought ended. Crops improved and production levels increased greatly, creating an oversupply of wheat. In the late 1940's and early 50's good crops but low prices led to a decline in rural population. The result was an increase in the size of farms and the machinery used to produce the crops. Mixed farming became more common as a means of improving cash flow. The discovery of oil in this area in the 1950's provided additional income to many in the form of surface rights, royalties or employment opportunities. This source of revenue continues to be important to the economy of South Eastern Saskatchewan.
Overproduction of grain occurred during the 1960's. There were several reasons for this. Weather conditions were excellent. The introduction of more and better chemicals for weed and insect control as well as improved management techniques and machinery were contributing factors.
The 1970's saw commodity prices rise. The late 70's and early 80's were boom years, bringing good crops, rising inflation, high interest rates and increasing land prices. But by the mid 80's interest rates fell sharply as did the rate of inflation. Costs continued to be high, however, in relation to product prices. Farm debt rose, land values dropped and sales slowed. Grain prices declined steadily. By the 1990's many farmers who had purchased high priced land and equipment at high interest rates when times were good found themselves facing an uphill struggle to continue farming.
 Seeding in the 21st. century Today more farmers are practicing minimum tillage and utilizing crop rotations as a part of their management plans. Careful marketing has become a necessary component of agriculture. The disappearance of small country elevators has made long distance trucking of grain necessary. That combined with increased freight rates have made a profit harder to achieve. Specialty crops are becoming more common as are specialty livestock operations. Off farm jobs are necessary for many to continue to farm. Organic operations are the route some have taken - returning to the methods used by their ancestors before sprays and chemical fertilizers.
Saskatchewan is known as the "bread basket of the world" with 35 million acres of farm land. 80% of this acreage is devoted to cereal production. Wheat is the dominant crop in the brown and dark brown soil zones. Large machinery and modern technology is used to produce a high quality product efficiently. The wheat grown in Saskatchewan is known around the world for high protein content and baking qualities of its flour.
 Harvesting these days
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