Our New Taber Farm & Eastern Road Trip

In April 1950, Cora and I made the big move from our homestead in the foothills to farmland near Taber. This was no small task, because we needed to transport all our machinery, livestock and household furniture. With the help of my brother Art, we loaded our belongings into Dad’s truck, and my 1938 two-ton Ford truck. From our farm in the hills west of Claresholm, our convoy made it successfully to my parents’ farm in Taber Alberta. We planned to live in their basement apartment for a few months, until we could move to a new farm in the Big Bend area.

I got a job at the new sugar factory that was being built close to my parents’ home. Brothers Don and Art were already working there. Don was with the factory electricians, and Art was working with the construction crew. I worked with the carpentry crew, who were mostly Japanese fellows. Our job was lining the cement sugar bins with two layers of half-inch fir lumber.

This was an era where farmers had to be resourceful, and make money where we could. I managed to sell all the cattle we brought from our foothills farm. This was best, because Dad and I had too many to care for. Also, we didn’t have any pastureland for a herd during the coming summer. I worked at the sugar factory until bin construction was completed, then I worked with Dad. We processed a lot of hogs for the local butcher shops on the weekends. Cora also got involved by assisting Dad and me as we removed the hair from the pigs’ skins. She helped with our onsite 'vet' work, by holding little pigs while we trimmed their long teeth or gave them iron powder. My city girl had become quite the farmer!

After the war, veterans returning to Alberta were given tracts of land. This 'homesteading' gift came with the stipulation that we would develop our allotment, and continue farming it for at least ten years. The St. Mary’s River Development (SMRD) gave us the piece of irrigated land we had chosen, saying we could take possession at any time. We started making detailed plans, and decided the location for the house and outbuildings would be in the southeast corner of the 160 acres. This was near two teardrop shaped ponds that together, covered an acre of the property.

Setting up our farm included updating our machinery. We traded our 1938 two-ton V 8 Ford truck, along with our John Deer 12A combine, for a new 1950 Studebaker 2-door Champion in a light navy blue colour.

With the trade, the price of our new Studebaker was $2005.00. When I asked the dealer, "Why the $5.00?", he said it was for the cigarette lighter! We didn’t smoke, but ended up paying for the lighter. At this time, we also settled the $3,000 loan my parents had given us while we were struggling with the farm at Claresholm. We were ready to start our new life on our new Taber farm.

Social activities in Taber involved attending community events like dances. Cora and I had enjoyed dancing at the Stork Club in Port Stanley when we were courting. In Taber, we took part in the Saturday night dances at the Mormon’s Social Hall, or the Canadian Legion. I was never a good dancer, though friends and Cora had tried to teach me. However, I gave it my best effort, and always enjoyed dancing with my wife. Several of the boys I attended school with were eager to dance with Cora. They would ask my permission to dance with her, leaving me standing there as Cora (a great dancer) moved gracefully around the dance floor. Cora would have different partners all night if they got the chance, and if I permitted! Until I stepped in and reclaimed Cora as my partner, I would need to ask other girls to dance, or would be left standing there on my own.

Once a week, Cora would take my Mom to town for the weekly shopping. Cora had done this when we were staying with my folks, the first two winters we were in Alberta. Taking my Mom shopping was a friendly routine that continued as long as Mom and Cora were living near each other. They became great friends, who enjoyed spending this time together.

The Big Trip Down East

With the sale of our Claresholm property, we were now all squared up financially with the world. Before we got too busy working on our new farm, Cora and I decided to take a trip. She had grown up feeling very close to her Mom, Dad, and sister Evelyn. For some time now, we had been living in Alberta – a very long way from them. We planned to reunite Cora with her family by driving our new Studebaker to Windsor Ontario. Our travels would also include Pennsylvania, where Cora’s sister Evelyn and her family were located.

To prepare for our journey, I worked in Dad’s garage where I made a roof rack for the car. Knowing how Cora loved to dress, I was sure we would need some extra room for luggage! We also knew we would be taking Cora’s Mom and Dad with us as we drove from Windsor to Pennsylvania. Therefore, we would need room for 4 adults, our toddler, Roger, and everyone’s luggage.

Before we left Alberta, we applied for, and received a credit card from Macol Frontenac Oil Company, (Texaco). For the first time, we could buy gasoline on credit! About the 15th of April, the weather was good, and the forecast was promising. We anticipated no snow for at least a week, all the way from Taber to Toronto. We decided to go, and hoped for good traveling conditions on this long road trip.

Due to the unpredictability of prairie weather, my parents tried to talk us out of traveling in April. I explained to them that the forecast was in our favour, and there wasn’t much we could do on the farm at this time of year. Therefore, a few days after a Chinook passed through Taber, we decided to start our journey. Our Studebaker loaded, Cora, Roger, and I were happy to have clear highways. We headed south through Montana, and into Wyoming. We then turned east at Casper. By going this far south, we hoped to have good weather, and fortunately, we did! Three days later, we were in Detroit. I found such heavy traffic quite stressful, and had a hard time finding the tunnel entrance to Windsor. After circling the block to the right in order to make a left-hand turn, there it was! We entered the tunnel to drive under the Detroit River. In a few minutes, we emerged on the other side, and could smell the fresh Canadian air. We were now in Windsor, Ontario, on our way to Cora’s folks at 1021 Oak Ave.

Map of our Trip from Taber AB to Monongahela PA

Cora’s folks, Fred and Lorna Livingston, were jumping with joy when we arrived. They were so happy to see us! After visiting for a whole day, we looked out the window to see snow falling. Now that’s good planning, or just good luck. In my opinion, the snow was following us across the prairies but couldn’t keep up with our Studebaker. While it snowed, we visited with Cora’s favourite Aunt Lil and Uncle Jim. Then, we planned the next part of our trip. From Windsor, we would drive to Pennsylvania, to see the Metcalfe’s – Cora’s sister and family. Evelyn had married Garvin Metcalfe. Garv and I had been together when we met Cora and Ev in Port Stanley, before I went overseas. We were all friends, and looking forward to a great reunion.

We left Windsor early the next morning. I piled all possible baggage onto the roof rack, and the rest in the trunk. Did I say we were four adults and a child? In fact, we loaded six adults and Roger into the car. Uncle Jim and Aunt Lil were joining us! With Uncle Jim navigating, we traveled over the Ambassador Bridge into the USA, on our way to Pennsylvania. We had no problem getting through Detroit and onto the right highway because Uncle Jim had driven this area of the city since he got his first car. We didn’t stop for anything until we needed to fill the gas tank. We then enjoyed the excellent lunch packed for the trip by our ladies.

When we finally reached our destination – Monongahela Pennsylvania (south of Pittsburg) – I missed a turn. It was raining very hard, and with an oily windshield and glaring light, street signs were very hard to read! I tried to turn around to go back to our road. I saw what I thought was a gravel parking lot in front of a well-lit building. When I swung off the road to make a U turn, I found it was not a parking lot. It was a newly laid lawn, so soft that our overloaded Studebaker only traveled one length of itself before it bogged down to the axels. To survey our dilemma, I stepped out of the car onto the grass, which was at the same level as the bottom of the door. Pop Livingston and Uncle Jim also got out of the car. We were soon joined by man, on whose property we were parked. The home owner (with his arm in a cast), was accompanied by two husky companions. Welcome to Pennsylvania!

To my great relief, this man was not upset by my mistake. When he noticed my Alberta license plate he said, “We’ll help push you out and don’t worry about the lawn. Someday I will try to get up there in your country and maybe run onto your lawn.” With Cora behind the wheel, and six men pushing, we managed to get our muddy car back onto the road. We left behind two deep, parallel trenches that soon filled up with water. I thanked this kind gentleman for his sense of humour, and ability to forgive us for the mess we were leaving. He then helped us with a few directions, and we were back on the correct road to the Metcalfe’s place.

Covered bridge near Mingo Creek, Pennsylvania

We stayed a week with Ev, Garv, and their two children, Ron and Janet at their country home by Mingo Creek. Their small farm consisted of a few acres, a milk cow and her calf, a dog, and a cat with four kittens. The home needed some repairs when they bought the property. With Garvin’s carpentry skills and Evelyn’s decorating talent, they had revived this older farmhouse into a lovely home. Several bedrooms had been freshly redecorated just in time for our visit.

After supper one evening, Garv borrowed a dump truck from his neighbor. The two of us drove the truck into town to get a piano! Pianos are rather heavy to lift into a dump truck, and we had no extra help. Therefore, we had to be creative. We tipped the truck cargo-box all the way up until the gate was near the ground. Then, after getting the piano halfway onto the dump box gate, I balanced the piano while Garvin lowered the dump box. This could have gone wrong in many ways, but fortunately, it didn't. Presto, the two of us had the piano loaded! After driving back to their house, we unloaded the piano by reverse-engineering our loading strategies. Then, we muscled it into the house. Soon afterward, with Mom Livingston at the piano keys, the dancing started. Later Garv and I went down to the basement to carry up a chair or two. I noticed how the weight of the piano and the dancers jumping up and down in the basement had the floor on the verge of collapse. Garv located a post and some planks to prop up the center of the sagging floor-joists, and we returned to the dance.

Garvin had to work each day at his railroad job so he could only be with us part of the day. Pop Livingston, Uncle Jim and I went for walks, weather permitting. While on a walk we noticed a wooden apple box on the side of the road and were surprised to find it came from British Columbia, Canada. We all figured it was a long way to ship apples, when the area we were in had apple trees everywhere. We spent a lot of time in the evenings trading stories and enjoying Ev’s cooking. We also consumed a beer or two - after all, we were on holiday!

Our toddler, Roger, got along very well with his cousins, Ron and Janet. The kids spent most of their time in the farm yard, playing with the dog and kittens. The women were all very close, and loved spending these precious days together. However, the time finally came for our group to thank Garvin, Evelyn and their children, and say our emotional goodbyes. As we left the area, we stopped at a gas station to fuel up. The young fellow who was filling our tank asked if our license plate was from Mexico. Surprised, I said, “No, Alberta!” He then asked me where Alberta was. I told him that Alberta is a province in Canada, across the border north from Montana. He didn’t know where Montana was located. Oh well.

When the car was gassed, I marked the mileage in my little travel diary. We were able to travel the 450 miles from Pittsburg to Detroit without adding more fuel. What a good little car!

Before leaving Ontario to return to Alberta, we took Mom and Pop Livingston with us to visit more relatives in Detroit and Ontario. They didn’t have a car, so really appreciated this opportunity to re-connect with family. Aunt Ethel and Uncle Fred Kenyon presented Roger with an Easter basket filled with goodies. The next day we drove to Simcoe to see Dorothy and Walter Cope. From there, we went to St. Thomas, to visit my sister Edna, her husband Lloyd Healey and their daughter Linda, who was just a little younger than our Roger.

On our way from St. Thomas, back to Windsor, we ran into a bad snowstorm near Wallacetown* on highway #3. There were cars and trucks in the ditches. One car was upside down leaning on a hydro pole with the lights still on. A door was open and the radio was playing but the car was empty. A large transport stopped for a look, but we didn’t find the driver of the disabled car. Because the storm was still raging, the truck driver suggested I follow in his tracks to Blenheim. We did, and were thankful to have him breaking trail. After Blenheim, the snow petered out. From there the road was clear to Windsor. We were happy to make it back safe and sound.

* We didn’t know it at the time, but this region would be our home in years to come. We started the Horseshoe J Dude Ranch near Fingal Ontario (not far from Wallacetown). After ‘retiring’ to Gibsons BC for 18 years, we re-retired in Simcoe Ontario.

It was mid May when we finally pointed our car to the west and set out for our Alberta home. Again, we crossed the Detroit River by using the tunnel. After leaving Detroit behind, we headed north to the Mackinaw Straight and rode the ferry across.**

We stopped for the night in a cabin that had all the comforts of home.

** The ferry that took us across the Macinaw Straight was later sold to British Colombia Ferry system and was renamed, The Sunshine Coast Queen. We travelled on the Sunshine Queen many times while living in Gibsons, B.C. It really is a small world!

The next morning, we woke to the ground covered with snow and the wind blowing it around. So, Cora and I took our time preparing Roger’s and our breakfasts while keeping our eyes on the ten inches of white stuff. Eventually two snowplows came on the scene and made one trip around the cottages. Our great car with snow tires handled this bad weather just fine. We were free to get on the road and continue our trip west.

Fortunately, that was the last snow we encountered all the way to Taber. The final three days of our long journey gave us great roads and smooth traveling. My Mom and Dad were pleased and relieved to see us safely home. It had been a very long trip, with many adventures and visits, but no mishaps. We were now ready to get started on setting up our new home.

The Journey Home to Alberta

Written by Samuel M. Hauka and edited by his children, Roger Hauka & Connie Jasinskas