Dock Boggs - Country Blues.

Such amazing/haunting blues. Been a Dock Boggs fan for many years and I still could take a listen every day. This might be the only actual footage of him playing. Hope you enjoy.

Superior Barn Equipment.

At one time located in Fergus ON, Superior Barn Equipment was quite a manufacturer of Barn and shop goods. I came across their products while looking for a new stool for my workbench. I was looking for something like the Toledo Stool, but hopefully made in Canada. I cannot find to much info on the web regarding the company and its history. Perhaps some further digging and a later post in is order. You can tell that they were quite proud of the equipment, as looking at the stool, almost every single piece of metal or wood is stamped "The Superior Way". The stool has some great adjustable option (leg height and back) and fits a tall guy like myself perfect all while providing back support for those long evening at the bench doing some leather work. I was able to dig up a catalog from possibly 1915, it is from the Toronto Library. It has some great pictures and drawings. I am loving the "Made in Canada by Canadians" page from the Catalog, Its great to see that buying local was an issue back then as well. Also I found that the Wellington County Museum has a great archive of photos of their stools and chairs. They really are nice products, so please stay tuned for hopefully some more history of this company and its products. If you have any info you can provide shoot me a email or leave a comment.

Toronto Library Online "Superior Barn Equipment" Catalog.
Wellington County Photos. (scroll to bottom for pics)

My New Stool.

Enjoying The Outdoors - Part Nine.

Maple Sugar - Circa 1925.

Check out this public domain film from 1925, showing the process of turning sweet water into maple syrup. I love the yoke that they gentlemen are using, at first I thought it was a broken snowshoe over his head, but upon closer inspection its made similar, but clearly a yoke. It's a neat film as it show the back country way of manufacturing as well as a larger factory setting. I am really digging the concept of hanging a piece of raw pork over boiling anything to keep it from boiling over. I think tonight I am going to rig up a coat hanger with a wad of bacon to my overhead range for some protection. And FYI folks as the film says "All Canadian Maple products are genuine. The law forbids adulteration." Remember that!

YMCA Pine Crest

This coming weekend I will up in Gravenhurst at YMCA Camp Pine Crest. My Brother in law is the team leader for Pine Crest's teen and youth programs, and my wife and I usually make a couple trips up per year to hang out. The camp is quite a historic camp here in Ontario, in fact it is thee longest operating camp in North America. The story began in 1896 when C.J. Atkinson started the Broadview Boys Institute running summer camps for boys across Ontario. In 1910 the BBI opened it first camp in its current location on Clear Lake, and originally called "Camp Clear Lake". The following year they expanded the camp around what is known as First Point. One interesting fact about the early days of the camp, is that actual summer camp participates helped in the actual construction of the camp. Imagine having to help build the cabin you and your group is sleeping in, fantastic.  During the 50's - 60's the camp grew tremendously, and now owns almost 650 acres and 6km of shoreline. In 1980 the camp was finally changed to accommodation a separate girls section. At Pine Crest everyone who attends goes on a canoe trip in their stay, and good thing as the camp has one of the largest fleets of cedar canvas canoes in Canada. The Trip duration is usually governed by how long your stay at the camp is, your program, and your age. Some of the trips are up to 30 days. The camp also has Pine Crest Games, a two-day event that takes place on the last Tuesday and Wednesday of each summer involving competitions between two teams, the Lumbermen and the Voyageurs. This is quite a event at Pine Crest involving numerous events, a hopefully good description is from Wiki (for what its worth).

"The Pine Crest Games are an annual two-day event in which a series of competitions takes place between the Lumbermen and the Voyageurs. The Games begin with the announcement of the two team leaders. The leaders are camp staff, one man and one woman, who each have to hold their team's symbol - an axe for the Lumbermen and a paddle for the Voyageurs - without allowing it to touch the ground over the two days.
Three different sets of competitions are held. Swimming is held at the swimming docks, Boating is held at the boating docks, and Woodcraft, competitions which do not occur in the water such as portaging, tug-of-war, and giant jenga, is held at the Adventure Field.
On the afternoon of the second day, three marathons occur. The Neanderthal Crawl is done by Bantams and Juniors - the competitor must paddle in a kayak around a marker in the water, and then run to the adventure field and complete an obstacle course. The Snake Island Marathon is a canoe race completed by two-person teams of Seniors, in which the team must paddle from the Boating Docks, around Snake Island, and back – roughly 3 km. The Tri-Lakes Marathon is a longer race run by Pioneers and Leadership participants, in which two-person teams, which can have up to one staff member, pick up a canoe near the boating docks, carry it and two paddles 300 meters to Gullwing Lake, paddle 4 km through Gullwing Lake, the narrows, and Echo Lake, complete another 200 meter portage, and then sprint 500 meters across Clear Lake to finish the race.
At the end of the Games, a campfire is held in which the winners of each marathon are announced. Then, a four person relay occurs in which one member from each team paddles from Willison House to the swimming docks, then another member from each team jump off the jumping tower and swim a pool length together, and then the third members from each team run together back around to Willison House. At the end of the relay, each team leader drinks an unknown beverage, and then a letter on Sunset Bridge is lit on fire and spun to indicate either a V or L, whichever has won the Games.
The rules for deciding the team leaders and the winner of the Games was made into a sworn secret in the 1970s. Only Games leaders and Camp Directors are offered the secrets. Once one knows the secrets, he/she becomes a Referee-in-chief, or RIC, and can no longer compete in the Games. Additionally, he/she is sworn to secrecy and cannot tell the secrets to or discuss them with anyone who is not a RIC. Games leaders have the option to defer knowledge of the secrets, in which case he/she can continue to compete in the Games with the team that he/she led. To date, only two have done this, of whom only one still does not know the secrets."

On the Pine Crest Facebook page there are some great photos of old and new, including many of the Pine Crest games. Take a look and enjoy.  I will have some more photos after the week-end, stay tuned.

While rebuilding their Centennial Lodge one of the main
beams was carved with the original date of construction.

Bill Mason 16mm Films.

 This past week has been quite memorable week for me. If you have followed the blog or know me personally, you know I am big Fan of Bill Mason's work. Well this week I had the pleasure of basically having a collection of the original 16mm films fall into my lap. I stumbled onto two film, then while looking for a projector to play them I was offered two more. These are the classic films with the sound right on the film, like we use to watch in Grade and high school. One of my earliest memories of Bill Mason's films are sitting in my old living room with my Dad and watching the projector clack away with the super distinct voice of Bill chatting way on "Song of the paddle". To be able to have these films is something else, I was giddy like a school-girl waiting for them in the mail. The four movies that I got are as follows:

"Path of the Paddle - Double Basics"
"Path of the Paddle - Solo Whitewater"
"Paddle to the Sea"
"The Rise and Fall of the Great Lakes"

Two of them have faded a bit, as all film does, and  the Magenta is the predominate colour, but the films are 100% viewable and I have been watching them all weekend! I hope to be having a Public "screening" coming up soon, I am just trying to work out details with some friends in regards to space etc. Stay tuned!

Sweet Find Alert: "Last Climb" (Deluxe Leather Edition) $1.99.

Swing by Bookcloseouts.ca to pick up this fantastic deluxe edition of this book for a whopping $1.99. Tons of great pictures of the fatal 1924 expedition to Everest. Lots of photos of the early Wool and gabardine mountaineering gear. Imagine today climbing Everest in a Harris Tweed suit and thin leather boots.  Also Bookcloseouts.ca has some cheap Kevin Callan Canoe books - $5.99 - Say what!

The last known photo of Mallory and Irvine before their Summit.

Mallory (second from left) is so bad ass he used people as stepping stools, and Irvine (far left)

Maple Sugar - Songs of Early Canada.

 

While browsing at the local Salvation Army yesterday, I stumbled on this flipping through the records. In among the James Last, and the Herb Alpert records was this rare gem. "Maple Sugar - Songs of Early Canada", released in 1973. A 2 LP set with early logger jigs, paddling songs, some pipes, election songs, a couple sea shanty's, just about everything under the sun, in both English and French. Before this record was put out "Maple Sugar" was a festival of Canadian Folk Music at the University of Guelph, and the album combines live recordings from that day as well as studio recordings from afterwards. In the liner notes it says:

"Maple Sugar is dedicated to all those

guitar-pickin', banjo-fralin', harp-blowin', 

country-fiddlin', sod-busters, gold-dusters,

tree-choppers, and train-hoppers who stole this land

from Winter and didn't get away with it, buried

now beside good women, but ready to drink, dance,

or sing with any of us who'd care to knock on

the graves, that being the way of people who get 

involved with stringed instruments."

It really is quite a collection of songs, and it from the one of the oldest local public schools library in Milton. The album is titled after a song written by Ward Allen, a Canadian Fiddler.  Take a Listen to "Maple Sugar" by Ward himself on the fiddle.

Kaufman Rubber - Sorel Boots

 This coming winter I will be heading out in these monsters. They are older Sorel Glacier boots. Guaranteed to keep your feet warm in -76*C, and made in Canada by the Kaufman Footwear Co. Sorel Boots and a couple other slipper and work boot brands were all umbrella-ed under the Kaufman Footwear/rubber Company. Founded by Jacob Kaufman in 1907, after being a part in the two original rubber factory in Kitchener and having a falling out from both. Jacob was persuaded by his son Alvin Kaufman, who had worked at one of the Rubber plants, to organize another rubber company. This new Kaufman plant opened in 1908 on the corner of King and Victoria Streets, the plant was about 4 acres large and employed 350 people.

Jacob passed in 1920, and his son A.R. Became president until 1964. Kaufman Rubber made rubber clothing for the natural resources industry, and also firefighting and the food industry. They also made footwear and gas masks for the Canadian Forces in both World Wars. During the 50's as imported rubber goods started to hit the mainstream markets, Kaufman dabbled in Synthetic footwear, leather work boots, and pioneered slush molding waterproof footwear in PVC. Eventually in 1959 the Sorel line was released and would become Kaufman's most popular line. During this time and right up until their bankruptcy they created the boots we all love and are making a come back today, like "Caribou", "Manitou, "The Crusader", "Glacier" among other intimidating names. In 1964, the company changed its name to Kaufman Footwear Limited, perhaps to reflect its diversity of products as the company was not entirely a rubber manufacturer any more. That year, A.R. Kaufman’s son William H. Kaufman became company president.  After A.R. Kaufman’s death in 1979 Kaufman Footwear became Kaufman Footwear, division of William H. Kaufman Inc. In 1997 Tom Kaufman, son of William H. Kaufman, was named president, and business was "as usual". A couple years, and a couple of warm winters later sales had dropped dramatically for this iconic brand.  In April 2000, the Red Wing Shoe Co., signed a letter of intent to purchase Kaufman Footwear. No purchase price or agreement details were given. On July 20, 2000, Kaufman Footwear of Kitchener, Ontario, went into financial receivership after having been in business for over 93 years of rubber and boot making service. Then in September 2000 the Sorel name became a division of Columbia Sportswear Company in Portland, Oregon which still markets the boot.  Although they have unfortunately moved all production Overseas to China, While they still make many of there "Heritage" boots, sadly they lack the true heritage of being still made in Canada. 

I found my boots on Kijiji, worn once. Any of the boots that were made in Canada are not hard to pick among the lots, As they all were marked numerous places to present that they were made here. Also Even though the Glaciers are the same design, you will notice that the "Sorel" label on the side of the boots now does not have Kaufman on it.  There are still plenty Canadian made Sorels around, and well worth seeking out. They made some of the best winter boots in the world.  And still hold up even if you can get them used.  Also FYI "Kamik", also a Canadian Pac boot brand still makes quite a few of the boots in Canada, and even have a Glacier replica.

The Romance of the Far Fur Country - HBC Film.

An documentary made in 1919, by order of HBC (Hudson Bay Company) to advertise the possibility of people settle in the north, and arctic. The Ship was the RMS Nascopie coming from Montreal, with two camera men on board to capture the as the title of the doc was called "The Romance of the Far Fur Country". They sailed the seas and walked the land for six months filming the rough landscape and the people who lived there, they captured everything HBC.  They caught footage of dogsledding, portages, running rapids, Inuits processing hides, unloading massive icebreakers, everything "daily life" for anyone connected to HBC. It ended up being used to celebrate HBC 250 year instead of the advertising of the North. When it was originally shown it was accompanied by a live orchestra, and played to full theaters. Shortly after its theater run it faded from existence, and in the 50's the mismatch reels where given to British Film Institute Archive, for safe keeping. In the 80's a safety copy was made and later "found" by Peter Geller, surprised that it had survived into the 21st century. The film was then recently transferred back to HBC in Canada for their archives, and is again now in 2012 being show across the country to full theatre houses. What I think is really amazing is that the film in 2012 is being shown to the ancestors of some of the people actually in the film.

The Original Article That I summarized. (Thanks Colin).

The Romance of the Far Fur Country site, with play times and locations, as well as more history on the project.

The Pennsylvania Tuxedo.

We all know the plaid. They still use it today, however you can definitely feel a thickness/denseness difference between the “vintage” wool and today’s. Dubbing itself as “The Original Outdoor Clothing Company” Woolrich has been around since 1830. The first mill was set up in Plum Run, Pennsylvania by John Rich and Daniel McCormick. Originally just selling woolen fabric and socks to loggers and trappers. In 1843 Rich bought McCormick out and became the sole owner of Woolrich. Moving their location to Richville in 1845, and eventually become such a main stay that the town changed its name to Woolrich. By this time they have started to include shirts and blankets in their line up, and including their classic buffalo plaid shirt in 1859. During the Civil War, Woolrich provided the army with fabric for the uniforms and thick blankets to keep the soldiers warm. 


The Pennsylvania tuxedo is the nickname to the red and black plaid Woolrich hunting outfit that is officially named "The Big Game Hunting Suit".  Both pieces are made of thick wool to be wore in the deepest of freezes, but also the red plaid was one of the first type of “Blaze” clothing providing some camouflage, but yet some bright visibility to hunters. They also made the "Tux" in solid red and yellow wool in later years for those so daring. 


These pieces are still floating around in thrift shops and places like Etsy. I got my coat about 7 years ago, for $20 in Kensington Market in Toronto. The coat is lined with an orange-brown flannel, and has the back map pocket, high collar with buttoned toggle to keep it up. The pants I picked up this year, again in Kensington. The dealer was asking $25, I offered $20, and he settled on $21. I hope he spent that loonie well!  These pants are brand new; they still have the paper waistband tag on the inside and not a single stain or catch in all its years of hanging around someones store or house. They have suspender buttons to have all day comfort, belt loops for caring your knife and they lace up at the bottom along the legs. I have been looking for wool pants for some time for winter excursions, but I find that regular pants don’t work to well with my 16" Bean boots.  when you fold the pant leg over it bunches to much and adds a lump of cloth against your shin in the boot. These lace ups on the other hand…perfect! Again you can find them cheap on Etsy, and Ebay I have seen them there for as low as $10, and if you are looking for some beautiful heavy wool pants for some deep winter exploring, grab them while they are still around. 


It might seem hard to pull off the red plaid pants and not look like Elmer Fudd, but they actually look damn fine with a dark plaid top and vest.  Also I don’t think the trees will be picking apart your outfit, I promise. I finally had the opportunity this weekend to get out in my newly completed "Tux".  It was -20*C this Saturday morning, and I found myself open buttons of the jacket to regulate.  I know the shots are a little "posed". What can you do when you got to take them yourself and you have 10 sec to make it look good, so just enjoy it in all it's glory... the Pennsylvania Tuxedo.


* They hat I am wearing is GAP wool cap in the heritage Plaid, and if anyone has a scoop on a real deal Woolrich Hat in Heritage Plaid to match, shoot me a message!

Horned Crook Knife.

 

 

While cleaning up my office this past week I stumbled on to a crook knife I bought myself about 3 years ago. I had it wrapped in a rag tucked in a box with random junk. I bought it at a rummage sale for no more that $5, the fellow had about 3 of them all in rough shape. This one was the only one usable, handle firmly fixed, and blade somewhat sharp. It looks to be handmade from a possible broken kitchen knife, as the marks are from Sheffield, England, as popular as bushcraft is I don't think that they were commercial crook knifes with cattle horn handles from the turn of the century!

The makers mark is reads "J (or) I.Wilson, Sycamore St. Sheffield England", then their trademark peppercorn and diamond stamp. Doing a quick google search of the stamp, The company was started by Thomas Wilson as a general cutlery maker in 1750. After Thomas' death, his son John took over until his death in 1851. Apparently by the 19th century the peppercorn and diamond trademark was one of the most popular and well known trademarks of the cutlery industry. While searching I came across this image of a auction of a 6 pack of skinning knives. On the package you can clearly see the peppercorn mark and a bit of history of the company

The horn handle is very comfortable and the crook is not to deep, no spoon making with this one. Even without a sharpen, it whisks wood quite easy, and the very old rivets that connect blade and handle hold strong.

I need to get my butt in gear and sharpen this knife up and take it for a spin, maybe hammer out a paddle finally. Any readers dabbled with crook knives? And tips or ticks you can share?

Robertson's Candy.

Nova Scotia’s largest family owned hard candy factory was established Truro, Nova Scotia in 1928 by William C. Robertson. Now William’s son, Roy Robertson, runs this producer of fine quality hard candy. Specializing In traditional sweets, you will not see the likes of Sour keys, or jube-jubes in this factory. One of their iconic treats, and claim to fame is Barley Toys. Dating back to 1880, Barley Toys, also known as Toy Candy, Clear Toys, or Animal Candy have been a staple of Maritime Christmas’ since Robertson Candy started producing them when they originally opened.  Today Robertson’s has one of the largest collections of Barley Toy moulds in the world.

Along with Historical “toys”, they also produce a whack of other traditional candies.

Like Chicken Bones, Humbugs, Rum and Butter, Maple Kisses, Natural flavoured candies made with Maltose (not as sweet, perfectly balanced), and one of my favourite flavours, Clove. Their packaging is top notch, and durable, and the candies are large and flavorful. You can order online, and have these nuggets of joy delivered right to your door.

Robertson Candy Website.

Vintage Tobogganing.

Hopefully soon, we here in Southern Ontario will have a good dumping of snow. So I can wax up the toboggaon and hit the hills!