List of documents donated by Art Janse that relate to the Holland Marsh Scheme

List of plans & maps donated by Art Janse that relate to the Holland Marsh Scheme.

Event Date: 1974
Event Type: Educational Film
Description: This film profiles the vegetable growing industry and people of the Bradford Marsh, and talks about how farming practices have changed from past to present.

One pair of marsh clippers. These clippers were used for cutting lettuce on the Holland Marsh during the 1930s. Part of a donation by Tom Fuller Jr. that consists of items used in agriculture on the Holland Marsh.

Jar of wheat seeds. Wheat was one of the agricultural products grown in the Holland Marsh area. Part of a donation by Tom Fuller Jr. that consists of items used in agriculture on the Holland Marsh.

A hand powered wheat seed grinder. The grinder can be used by holding the handle and rolling it back and forth over seeds until ground. Wheat was one of the agricultural products grown in the Holland Marsh area. Part of a donation by Tom Fuller Jr. that consists of items used in agriculture on the Holland Marsh.

Please contact the library (905-775-3328) if you have any additional information about the contents of this photo.

"The Toronto Telegram, now defunct, ran this week's photographs in the 1950s, showing the Holland Marsh harvest. Even then the marsh was prized for its productivity and the great opportunities for employment it provided. The photos are included in a collection at the Simcoe County Museum in Midhurst."

"'For the fun of it.' That's the reason Grade 9 student Sandra Smith gave as she and about 180 other young people from Bradford District High School (BDHS) pitched in last Wednesday to help six Holland Marsh farmers with the harvest. Sandra and her co-workers came to the rescue after hearing that many farmers are behind in their work because the wet summer and fall limited the use of heavy harvesting machinery. The students worked free of charge and earned the gratitude of the farmers, including Jack Van Es who asked some of them back on Saturday to work for pay. Walter Yarmoluk said the students harvested about $2,000 worth of onions for him, focusing mainly on land still too wet for machinery. Mr. Yarmoluk said he has never experienced such wet conditions in 32 years of farming, from 1938 to 1955 and from 1962 to the present. This year he lost three acres of carrots and two acres of beets because of the rain. The project had to be approved by the Simcoe County school board superintendent, according to Carrol Good, guidance teacher at BDHS. It was considered an emergency situation that is not likely to be repeated this year, she said."

"About 50 Holland Marsh farmers are suing the Townships of West Gwillimbury and King, claiming damage to crops in August because of flooding. The farmers served notice of their intentions through their lawyers last month, saying the two municipalities neglected to clean the Schomberg River, and that the pumps at a pumping station didn't work during the heavy rain of August 16. The petition signed by the farmers was sent to the councils by their lawyer Norman Borins of Toronto. It states that because of the failure of the pumphouse much of the land near or level with the river was covered with water. King Mayor Margaret Britnell said the township has no obligation to the farmers because the cleaning of the canal and pumping operations are under the jurisdiction of the Holland Marsh Drainage Commission. Council agreed to receive the letter and send it on to the commission. West Gwillimbury council has referred the matter to the township's insurance company, Frank Cowan Company Limited."