Agriculture and Farm Life

in agricultural exhibitions and shows. The Boswall family has been participating in exhibitions at least since 1867 when Albert Boswall was awarded a prize for the best exhibit of two—row barley at the Charlottetown Industrial Exhibition.16

Also participating in this exhibition and noted in the published prize list were the following residents of Marshfield: Miss Jessie MacBeath - best pair of blankets, Mrs. Burnett - best pair of mitts, W. Scott - best grain sacks, Mr. R. Robertson — best pair of linen sheets and Alexander MacBeath - best linen ticking.

Through the years exhibitions have been regarded as a means to evaluate the products of one farm against those of other farms, as such exhibitions stimulated much interest in breeding stock and improved methods of husbandry. Fairs were the opportunity to display livestock before impartial judges and potentially sell livestock for breeding purposes.

The exhibitions were also considered a means to make a few extra dollars in prize money with livestock or products you already had. However, for many from Marshfield they were as much a social, as an economic or agricultural event and indeed very close to a sport. As a large number of relatives and neighbours were involved in exhibiting, it was a good chance to socialize and partake in friendly

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competition. An example is listed below for ducks at the Provincial Exhibition of 1935.17

Ducks Rouen, male over 1 year - 1, 2, A. Boswell & Son; 3, A. H. Boswell. Rouen, female, over 1 year - I, 2, A. Boswell & Son; 3, A. H. Boswell & Son. Rouen, male, hatched in 1935 - B. Boswell; 2, 3, A. H. Boswell & Son. Pekin, male, over 1 year - 1, 2, A. H. Boswell & Son; 3, A. Boswell & Son. Pekin, female, over 1 year - I, A. H. Boswell& Son; 2, A. Boswell & Son; 3, Mrs. W. H. Home. Pekin, male, hatched in 1935 - I, A. H. Boswell; 2, A. Boswell & Son; 3, Geo. L. Boswell. Pekin, female hatched in 1935 - 1, Mrs. W. H. Home; 2, W. Boswell; 3, A. H. Boswell & Son”.

Courtesy at Peter Boswall. P.E.I. Winners at Amherst Winter Fair, 1909. Back row (1 to r): W.H. Pope Cooke, Leonard Court, L.H.D. Foster, W.J. Gibson. Middle row (I to r): H.A. Boswell, T.P. Cass, Albert Boswell, Peter Brodie, Henry Howard.

Front row (I to r): Erl Boswell and A.O.F. Gill

Championships that went to farms from Marshfield at that same Exhibition included: in the Clydesdale draft horse class — Champion Mare (Wiltshire Girl) to A. A. MacBeath, Reserve Champion Mare (Springbrook Baronet) to W. J. Gibson & Son; in the Ayrshires - Jr. Female Champion (Poly Moran) to Wallace Wood and Son; in the Shorthoms - Champion Male and Sr. Champion Female (Lady Jane Tulloch V) to A. H. Boswall & Son.19

At the start of the new millennium the tradition of livestock excellence on Marshfield farms continues. While fewer in number than in the past the active farms are still producing fine beef and dairy cattle, standardbred horses and purebred poultry. The animals from these herds and flocks continue to compete in quality with the best from anywhere else in the world.

Fur Farming

Interest in fur farming in Marshfield has been almost exclusively related to the fox industry. The interest in fox farming reached a peak during the first two decades of the twentieth century. It was