By Eric T. Hilbig

Theodor Hilbig, his wife Maria and their two sons Willy and Eric lived on a small farm near the hamlet of Königswalde, in the eastern province of Selesia, Germany. For some time, they had contemplated moving to Canada. A distant uncle lived on a farm near Kuroki. It was after several exchanges of correspondence, that the decision was made to pack much of the family’s belongings and strike out for Canada.

The Voyage to Canada

After several days’ journey by train, we reached our destination.

Since no one had met us at the railroad station at Kuroki, Mother and Dad spent a few worried moments discussing what they would do next. No taxi at the station! Fortunately Mr. Kieltyka, who understood German, became aware of the transportation problem. He offered to drive us to our new farm home. Mrs. Ann Halmo (nee Kieltyka) recalls watching her father driving past their laneway without turning in. She wondered who the wagonload of strangers were.

The log house which was to become our home, was situated on a quarter section of land about 2 ½ miles south of Kuroki, along the original route of highway five between Kuroki and Margo.

The farm had thirty acres under cultivation. The remainder consisted of bush and small meadows. It was the bush area which became the source of firewood for the kitchen range throughout the year. In winter, wood was used as fuel in the wood-burning cylindrical heater. On a cold night the latter would be stroked up with the larger chunks of wood. At times it would glow cherry red!

"Mechanization" on the Farm

Our first motive power consisted of four horses, two whites and two blacks – no racial discrimination here! The implements consisted of a one-bottom plow, a disc, harrows, drill, binder, mower and rake. Each year a small amount of land was cleared and broken. Initially, the one-bottom plow was used as a breaking plow. Dad would guide the plow while mother drove the horses. There was always a swarm of mosquitoes – millions of them! At the height of the mosquito season, we would light smudges each evening for the benefit of the livestock.

Günther Arrives

God and Farming

Those early years were a real struggle to survive. I believe the struggle was made somewhat easier by the deep sense of religious faith which my parents had. I can recall many an occasion when our family was hastily convened for "emergency" prayers during a severe thunderstorm or just after the first small hailstones came pelting down.

On those Sundays when our priest was absent, visiting other missions, we, as a family, would kneel down together to say the rosary. Mother invariably expanded this prayer time with litanies, etc., until we children wondered whether it would ever end!

Wild Fruit

One of the boons of living in the bush country was the abundance of wild fruit, particularly saskatoon berries. On a good year one could literally "milk" the berries from their branches. Large milk pails full of the juicy dark blue berries could be seen in our kitchen waiting to be canned. Sealers full of this fruit would be stored in the cellar. This was our basic wild fruit throughout the winter.

A fruit as common as saskatoon berries were chokecherries. As children we consumed large quantities of chokecherries until our teeth were completely stained in brown and our throats were hoarse with dryness.

Drought Hits Saskatchewan

During the early `30’s a severe drought occurred throughout Saskatchewan, including the area where we farmed. On land other than summerfallow, the grain would barely reach a height of six inches. To harvest such a field with a binder would have been quite futile. It was therefore cut with a mower, allowed to dry and then raked into small piles. Invariably small stones would find their way into the piles. Many a thrasher cylinder tooth was bent by the "foreign" object.

Thatcher Wheat

I can clearly recall the pride and satisfaction that Dad displayed when he brought home a bushel bag of registered Thatcher Wheat. This special seed was later sown on the best land available. Within two years the bushel had "increased and multiplied" to meet all our seed grain requirements plus some to spare.

Sleigh Pools

The idea behind city car pools must have originated in our rural areas. We didn’t have car pools but we did have sleigh pools. Such a pool was a natural solution to the problem of transporting children to school. Each family would take its turn, one day at a time, in providing the necessary transportation. Eventually the older boys were given the "teamster" job but with one exception. The Kieltykas had only girls! To cope with this special problem one of the boys would drive the Kieltyka team. Each team would, of course, be kept in the school barn. It was here that some of the tougher "teamsters" kept their cache of cigarettes and chewing tobacco! In subsequent years, the cold open sleigh was replaced by the closed-in cutter complete with built-in wood-burning heater.

Our Neighbors

The Bittners, Hartwicks and Paulsons lived south of us. Directly across the road lived the three Drader brothers along with their mother. Immediately north of us live the Kuczerpas, then the Kieltykas and finally the Darcovichs. The family of Philip Darcovich lived directly across the road from that of the latter’s father, Timothy. Most residents of the Kuroki area referred to the latter son and father as "Young Man Darcovich". This was strictly a convenience to distinguish between the two. By was of commentary, it was said that when Timothy arrived most people had expected him to retire almost immediately because of his age. But not so, he was to work as hard as any man for many years to come.

Festive Seasons

I still retain fond memories of Christmas. For days, Mother would bake all those goodies in the German tradition. As children we would write up our lists of desired presents which the "Krist Kind" would hopefully bring. After being checked over by our parents, the slip of paper bearing the list would be thrown to the wind. Somehow, Dad always managed to sneak the Eaton’s or Simpson’s Christmas parcel home without our knowledge. On Christmas Eve, the chores were done as usual – almost – except each of the barn animals were given a special treat of oats or hay. Supper was hastily eaten in anticipation of the Christ Child’s (Krist Kind) coming. Then somewhat mysteriously some bells rang outside and there won our front porch appeared the Christmas tree all trimmed with tinsel and decorations plus lit candles. Our presents were at the base of the tree.

About eleven p.m. the whole family would drive into town for midnight mass.

Easter was another highlight in our lives each year. It was a time of quiet relaxation. I can clearly recall one Good Friday. Dad was driving us to town in the open sleight, taking the well-established winter shortcut across frozen Stink Lake, later renamed Silver Lake. This was the lake just south of the hamlet that had acquired a strong and alkali smell. As youngsters we had been told that it had been a large lake years before but that a deep hold had been dug in the centre thus lowering the water level! Years later we discovered the remains of a large drainage ditch. Coloring of Easter eggs was also pursued by us but by no means with the expertise of our Polish or Ukrainian neighbors.

The Farm Expands

In the latter parts of the thirties, Dad acquired the quarter section to the north of us. Later the one west of us was purchased. With this expansion in holding s came the need to pick more stones simply because there was now more land. What a job that was each spring. I recall one particular day as we were unloading the umpteenth load, Willy and I allowed our minds to wander into fantasy land. What if each stone was made of gold!

Our First Tractor and Car

In the summer of 1939 we acquired our first tractor – a rubber tired 10-20 McCormick-Deering. This was like moving one century ahead. What w boon it was in the hot summer weather. Cultivating summerfallow was now a real pleasure!

Also in 1939 we purchased our first car – a `29 Chev. Now we were really mobile! No longer did we play leap-frog on our way to Sunday mass as six of us would take our turns using the two bikes which we possessed.

We Buy a Thresher

In the summer of 1940 we purchased a used thresher – we called it a threshing machine; others called it a separator. It was in this year that we also began our first custom threshing. We would rise at 4:30a.m., have breakfast at 5:00. By 6:00 the thresher had been greased, the tractor gassed up and we were ready to go. On a hot summer’s day, several cream cans full of cool well water would disappear as the threshing gang attempted to satisfy their unending thirst.

A Trip to the Flour Mill

Each year, late in the fall, most of the farmers in our district would invariably make the ritual trip to the flour mill at Foam Lake. Here a load o wheat would be gristed yielding four, bran and cream of wheat.

On one occasion, both Willy and I accompanied Dad on his trip to the mill. The wagon trip seemed endless, but eventually, about noon, we arrived at our destination. The load of wheat was first unloaded at the mill after which Dad ‘parked’ our team in the local livery stable. Our next stop was the Chinese café where we ere treated to a restaurant meal. Here everything went well but with one exception. Every attempt to spread the ice-cold pat of butter on a soft slice of bread met with failure!

By mid-afternoon, flour, etc. was loaded on our wagon and we set out for home. Somehow the return trip seemed ever so much shorter than anticipated. Even our team sensed hat they were on the "home stretch" and gave a little extra effort.

The Family Expands Again

On January 29, 1936 our sister Helen arrived. Mother had been extremely discreet and ha concealed her condition from us – at least from me. It was quite a thrill for us to suddenly have a young lady in our midst. The thrill wore off once the association of dirty diapers with our new sister became more apparent.

Our First Gramophone and Radio

I can distinctly remember buying our first used gramophone – the type you had to wind up and periodically replace the needle. It was during lent – Good Friday, I think. Mother had clearly decreed that in view of the solemn religious occasion, only two records were to be played and no more! Wilf Carter was our favorite with such cowboy ballads as "A Cowboy’s Best Friend is his Pony" and "Hobo Bill’s Last Ride".

I think the radio was to the gramophone as the tractor was to horses – almost the same degree of advancement! Our first radio was a large Crossley type purchased with the proceeds from a bumper crop of potatoes. During its first night in our home I think it was on continuously from supper until midnight. The Grand Ole Oprey right from Nashville, Tennessee. How we enjoyed it! In subsequent weeks we were to hear out first "The Lone Ranger" serial; also "Gangbusters". I think Mother frowned on us listening to this "violent" type of program – too many robberies and the rat-tat-tat of machine guns seemed out of place in our home.

The Later Years

After a several year stint in the army, Willy returned home to begin farming on his own. In September 1946 he married Agnes Luby. The couple took up residence in the original farm home. A few years later Willy replaced the latter with a brand new one equipped with modern conveniences. It was here that he and his wife raised their eight children. First came Joseph, then Rose Marie, Teddy, Theresa, John, Patricia, Helen and lastly Rita. At the present time (August 1979) Helen and Rita are still living at home.

As for myself, in the early `40’s I decided to study engineering. I was hired on by Ontario Hydro in 1947, starting in Toronto. In June 1952 I entered a "partnership" with a nurse, Noreen Kirwan. We lived in Toronto one year. Here our first child was born – Jimmy. We moved to Belleville. Here the next five of our children were born – Ann Marie, Ken, Mary Beth, Laurie Ann, and lastly Tommy. After a one year stint at Deep River we moved to Port Elgin, a small town on the east shore of lake Huron.

As for Günther, he farmed with Dad for a number of years. In August 1961 he married Marian Halvorson. Shortly thereafter, the couple took up the Darcovich residence one and a half miles south of town. Günther and Marian have eight children, namely Michael, Madelyn, Robert, Sheila, Bernadette, Dolores, Kathryn and Susanne.

Our sister Helen took up a teaching career in Manitoba. In August 1958 she married Walter Neskar. The couple made their home in Selkirk, Manitoba. They had three children, Celeste, Patrick, and Ryan. In 1972 Helen passed away rather suddenly.

Dad and Mother enjoyed several years of retirement in their new home in Kuroki to which they had moved in 1964. After a second hip fracture, Mother became severely invalided. As a consequence she has spent the last few years at the Weneeda Nursing Home in Wadena. Dad continued to live in Kuroki. He passed away quite suddenly in February 1979.

Conclusion

This account has covered fifty-two years from 1927 to 1979. In the absence of any diary, many of the events that I have related were based largely on my personal recollections. There may be minor inaccuracies.

Both Willy and I have been licensed hams (amateur radio operators) for a number of years. Most Sundays you can find us on the 20-meter band at 14.111 kHz chewing the fat about current happenings of mutual interest in Kuroki and Port Elgin. His call is VE5TS; mine is VE3HSE. So with the advancements in time, even the distance that separates me from my favorite Saskatchewan hamlet has ceased to exist.

[Eric Hilbig passed away on October 13, 1996, at his home in Port Elgin, surrounded at the time by his loving wife, 6 children, their spouses, and all 13 grandchildren. He was seventy-one.]

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