BORDEN — The Borden Friendship Club held their monthly supper on Sept. 26 in the Borden Community Centre with 40 out to enjoy a variety of delicious potluck dishes. The walls of the hall were decorated with large coloured leaves and threshing photos and the tables had potted ornamental peppers set on gold and fall coloured serviettes along with a mini jar of wheat and wheat sheaf. After a great meal, Happy Birthday was sung to Bev Hrynuik and Jackie Meister then Ed Neufeld told a few jokes and introduced Terry Pugh who was to entertain. Terry played guitar and harmonica for some songs and the accordion for others. Some of the tunes were: Choices, Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain, Proud to Be an Oakie, Home on the Range, You Are My Sunshine, some instrumental playing Harmonica and guitar then later accordion, sang a few gospel songs such as Amazing Grace, Take it to The Lord in Prayer and others, telling the story of how he got his guitar signed by Dusty Rogers, then he closed with Happy Trails to You. The Friendship Club will hold their next potluck supper on Nov. 1 at 5:45 p.m. in the Community Centre and their business meeting will be Oct. 9 at 2 p.m.
On a beautiful fall day on Sept. 28, the Borden Threshermen held their Threshing Day at the site two miles north of Borden. Horseback riders led you to a parking spot then teams of horses hitched to people carriers and transported you to the grounds.
The ladies at the signing booth reported over 410 had signed with probably another 50+ that hadn’t signed. The McCheane-Wake Cook car sold borsch, veggie soup, bread and jam along with beverages, Donna Barth had her petting zoo with poultry, rabbits, goats, sheep and a pony, and a stationary engine was set up and when running was pumping water.
The parade started shortly after noon with flag bearers Melinda and Krissy on horseback followed by a dozen adults and children on horseback then Greg Malinkowski of Vanscoy with his black team of Percheron x 1/4 horse team pulling a people carrier, Amanda Van Dekerchofe of Vanscoy and her team of Clydesdales hitched to a people carrier and Kevin Oulette of Kenaston with his team of black 1/4 horses pulling a wagon. Many vintage tractors came next – Aaron Wensley with his 1951 Farmall M pulling the MM Threshing Machine, Willard Wensley driving a 1938 McCormick Deering, Daryl Amey with a 1941 Farmall M pulling a feed cutter, Don Wensley driving a 1948 Minneapolis U, Casey Wensley and a 1953 International truck, Dalyn Matechuk and his 630 John Deere pulling a JD Clipper Combine, Russell Beaudoin driving a Seaman with a pulverizer attached, Mike Sutherland driving a 1945 Farmall H, then the Borden Lions Kiddie train which later was very busy all day giving rides.
Next came Ed Neufeld driving his 1945 JD DR, then Ron Tumbach driving a JD D, Archie Wainwright and his 1952 Cockshutt 40, and Bishop Rod Andrews driving a 1952 JDR (the last 3 all owned by Archie). Ken Klim
mer drove a 1951 Chevy 1/2 ton, Larry Shapansky with his 1956 Studebaker car and the Borden Fire and Rescue grassland truck and first responders vehicle. After lunch, there were demos with farrier Todd Bailey of Grandora building a horseshoe and then shoeing a horse, Ed Neufeld and Ruben Rempel did bindering, Ed Rawlyk ran the Farmall H to saw wood and later chopped corn stalks and sheaves, Greg Malinowski and his team did discing, Archie Wainwright demonstrated rope making from binder twine, then Aaron fired up his Farmall M and ran the MM threshing machine while helpers managed to throw two racks full of sheaves into the machine and the grain went into a vintage wagon.
After the threshing Dalyn Matechuk hitched his 630 JD tractor to the potato digging machine and with Cyril Saunders on the controls dug up the potatoes while spectators with bags gathered them up to take home. After the activities at the field wound down people travelled into Borden for a roast beef supper served by the Borden Museum. While waiting to get tickets people could visit the Borden Museum and then along with workers close to 260 were served a delicious supper with pie for dessert.
The stage in the hall was beautifully decorated with sheaves, pumpkins, old cream cans, coffee pots and gourds, on the tables were pots of ornamental peppers, coal oil lanterns, mini jars of wheat and mini wheat sheaves set on gold and fall-coloured serviettes. On the walls were many large coloured leaves and photos of earlier years of threshing days. The museum and the threshermen thank all those who came from many communities to attend Borden’s annual Threshing Day and hope to see you again on the last Saturday in September 2025.
Winning the 50/50 at the Borden Farmers’ Market on Sept. 27 was Gerry Penner of Borden. There are two markets left – Oct. 4 and 11 and the last one is Appreciation Day. The Christmas Market will be Saturday, Nov. 30 from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. in the Borden Community Centre so save the date.
