Autumn Seasons Past

Autumn 1968- my two youngest brothers are on the wagon

I spent a lot of time in the autumn seasons of my childhood on the Devins farm. My grandfather bought a large, sandy property five miles outside the town of Aurora, planting an apple orchard and a stand of white pine. He also had sheep and bee hives when my mother was a child.  

My brother Nathan and cousin Linda at the farm around 1963

After his death, Uncle Bill, my mother's brother, ran the orchard and planted acres of Christmas trees as well. Our family, along with other pickers, harvested apples every weekend in September and October. The apples were graded and put in cold storage in the barn before they were sold. In later years, the farm became a 'pick-your-own" orchard which actually saved time and money for my uncle.

Dad and Philip 

We strapped canvas apple bags around our bodies and when they were full, we opened the bottom so the apples could be emptied into bushel baskets. Uncle Bill paid a small amount of money for each bushel we picked but it was more lucrative than babysitting for fifty cents an hour. We collected "grounders" which we took home so Mom could make apple sauce. 

Mom and Philip making apple cider

This press was used to make apple cider. No one worried about contamination even though the juice was not pasteurized. I remember how quickly the cider fermented in an unpleasant way!

Autumn colour at the farm- Mom, Nathan, Philip and myself

There were several meadows, wooded areas and a pond at the farm where we spent many hours of exploration and play. This picture was taken in 1963. Our entire family was in a serious car crash in this white Ford Falcon in January 1965, an event that changed our lives for many years.

Long Lake, Ontario- Mom, Nathan and myself

We lived in Pembroke Ontario for a couple of years in between the years we lived in South Africa. This photo of Mom, my brother Nathan and myself was taken at Long Lake near Perth, Ontario in 1958. All these photos were taken with Kodak slide film on my dad's SLR camera and the quality after sixty years is excellent. The 1956 Chevy went with us by ship to South Africa the next year.

Meaford Orchard 2021

Grandad Devins grew up in the Meaford area where there were many apple orchards. His farm near Aurora with its apple trees and bee hives reminded him of home. When we visited Meaford a few weeks ago, we stopped at some newer apple orchards. The dwarf apple trees make picking much easier, but who doesn't prefer an apple tree that you can climb or use a ladder when picking the high fruit? 

Autumn always brings back many happy family memories. Apples are my favourite fruit but I buy them now at our local market and make lots of apple sauce, just like Mom.