Country Guide magazine cover from March of 57. Money was none too plentiful when I was a kid growing up in the 50s and 60son a Sask. farm. But there was always reading material and several farm publications kept us well supplied with pictures and text if we cared to read them. For farmers the Country Guide, Western Producer, Free Press Weekly and Family Herald were almost a religion. The weather forecast page was one of the main attractions in the Country Guide to see what the coming month had in store in the way of weather, good or bad. Market outlooks and advertising for all that nice shiny new farm equipment that we could never afford still made interesting reading.
The covers were always impressive. This cover makes me realize just how long ago 1957 was.
The scene taken at a grain elevator is typical of the time. A couple of farmers up on the truck load of grain discussing something relating to the grain growing business no doubt. That one ton R series IH truck backed up to the elevator is catching the clean grain as it comes out of the grain cleaner. Preparations for spring planting which would be just around the corner on this warm sunny day in March. No leaves on the trees yet but the first crocus flowers might just be showing on the odd patch of unbroken prairie.
We still use trucks only slightly newer than that one. I remember the old elevators and the line of really old trucks waiting to unload from when I was a little kid. Those old elevators have either burned down or been turned into wineries. Now wheat is hauled right into the Port of Portland by trucks that hold more grain than some of those old warehouses could process in a week!
ReplyDeleteThose old magazines used to be a little thicker also. Progress! Any Song of the Lazy Farmer cartoons in that one?
I have trucks that age in my shed too. Song of the Lazy Farmer was a regular feature in the Free Press Weekly in the 70s and possibly the 60s. I remember it well but not sure if I have any saved.
ReplyDeleteI didn't recall this magazine but I do remember the Western Producer. I loved the cover that you wrote about and enjoyed how you described that era too.
ReplyDeleteReminds me of a magazine called "The Farm Quarterly" and another called "Country Gentleman" of which I used to have a few. The women folk wanted them out of the houses, though, and I eventually lost them to a leak in the barn roof. Neat old magazines--the photos and ads were the best part.
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