Haying in the '30s Harvest Celebration
Cancer Support Society Celebrates Haying Practices of Yesteryear
Aug 17, 2008
Haying in the '30s is an annual event held in early August in the tiny community of Mallaig, Alberta. Volunteers use period equipment to demonstrate horse-drawn farming techniques from yesteryear. Food, entertainment, and dancing are all part of the fun. Admission is free with donations assisting local cancer victims and their families.
Haying in the '30s Cancer Support Society History
Edgar Corbiere founded Haying in the '30s Cancer Support Society in 1999. The event was inspired by a few covered wagons Edgar saw traveling the area. He talked to the wagoneers about putting on a demonstration of horse-drawn haying practices in the 1930s. The Corbiere family has person experience with battling cancer, and Edgar decided that donations from the demonstration would benefit Alberta Lakeland Area residents fighting cancer.
The first-year festival raised $3500 with a haying demonstration on borrowed farmland. Now the annual event brings in ten times as much. Haying in the '30s also has a permanent home. The society leases an 80-acre parcel leased from the county. The grounds have kitchen facilities, an outdoor tent area, and a growing collection of antique farm equipment for working demonstrations. A number of old-fashioned storefronts and display houses lend to the historic atmosphere.
One hundred percent of funds raised at the event benefit cancer patients and their families. Recipients often use money for travel to Edmonton for cancer treatment and associated food and lodging expenses.
Getting to Haying in the '30s
Mallaig, Alberta is located just less than 200 kilometers (approximately 123 miles) from Edmonton. Take highway 15 North out of Edmonton to Highway 28 which turns into Highway 28A near Ashmont. Follow the road east until Highway 881 (Range Road 100). Turn left, following the signs to Mallaig. The Haying in the '30s site will be on the left. Drive around the perimeter of the grounds to the entrance accessed on the eastern side.
Haying in the '30s- Parking and Accommodations
Mallaig is a small Alberta community hovering at 200 residents. The nearest motels are in St. Paul (31 km/19.25 miles), but this is camping country. Most attendees hitch up a fifth wheel trailer and camp on the Haying in the '30s site free of charge. There are portable toilets, including handicap accessible units. Free parking is plentiful, with frequent tractor-drawn shuttle service between cars and the event.
Haying in the '30s- Food and Refreshments
There is a pig roast with fixings on Saturday. Breakfast and a BBQ lunch with hamburgers or hotdogs are served on Sunday. All meals include drinks and desserts, with coffee, water, and punches available throughout the day. Ice cream cones, watermelon slices, and candy will please kids. It is all free; unlike other fundraisers with suggested donation amounts tantamount to entry fees, no one is asking to see a donation stub.
1930s Farming Techniques- Demonstrations, Displays, and Activities
Haying in the '30s features a diversity of farming practices including cutting, swathing, threshing,and baling hay. Entertainment includes music, dancing, comedy, and a plethora of activities for kids. Read “Haying in the '30s Family Festival” for more details on the event.
Haying in the '30s- A Fun Family Festival Supporting a Great Cause
Haying in the '30s stands out from other harvest festivals. Although this cancer fundraiser was only conceived in 1999, the organizers run a seemless event. While admission, camp site,activities, and refreshments are all free, attendees should consider the great value and donate generously. Visitors can support local cancer patients by making a donation at the Old West style bank, on the grounds near the main tent.
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