Greetings all,
The end of another year – and what a year it has been! We shouldn’t look behind us as that is not the direction we are going, but it is hard not to reminisce on what we have all gone through over these past twelve months. We can only hope that the year ahead will be a brighter one.
Fintry is now quiet, calm and serene in her snowy winter cloak as she waits for what the world will bring next year. To that end, the Fintry Board is planning (and hoping) that tours, Fairs and other exciting events will all be back in full swing next year. We continue to hold our monthly Board Meetings via Zoom over the winter months thus saving board members time and stress on the winter roads…..one good thing that came from the Covid lockdown.
The Fintry Estate was very much a self-sufficient operation under James Dun-Waters’ experienced management, yet it would be surprising if no products from Buckerfield’s were ever used here.
The company was founded by Ernest Buckerfield in 1927, and over the years has grown to be one of the largest manufacturers and suppliers of animal feeds in B C., if not also in the country as a whole. Back in 1956, Buckerfield’s assisted in one of James Dun-Waters’ greatest interests, the promotion and development of Ayrshire dairy cattle in Canada. That was the year that the company sponsored a silver trophy cup to be won at the Lower Mainland Red and White Show. ‘Red and White’ in this instance refers to the colours of the Ayrshire breed, and this was a time when many dairy farmers were keeping Ayrshires, sometimes along with Jerseys, Guernseys and the now ubiquitous Holstein-Friesians, which as everyone knows are black and white.
The trophy was won by W. H. Savage in 1956 and again in 1958. J. R. Paton and Sons took it in 1957 and 1960, and in 1981 David and Eileen Way of Auchenway Farm in Chilliwack won it. David and Eileen were the couple that invited Fintry to join the B C Ayrshire Breeder’s Club, and oversaw the transfer of a collection of Ayrshire memorabilia from club members to Fintry, including this trophy. The last time that the trophy was awarded was in 1986, when Don Harrop of Armstrong won it. Don was Art Harrop’s brother, who worked for several years at Fintry.
The trophy is now on exhibit in the Buckerfield’s store on Springfield Avenue in Kelowna, but will return to Fintry when we re-open for the 2022 season.
This is a good opportunity to renew our thanks to the local Buckerfield’s management, as they donated the roll of fencing wire needed to surround the Weeping Beech tree at the north-west corner of the Manor House to protect it from being damaged by some of the younger generation of campers in the Park. The tree, as far as we know was planted by James Dun-Waters, and I am happy to say that it has survived all the abnormalities of the weather, including the latest wind storm.
Wishing all our members, friends, volunteers and associates a very Merry Christmas!
From: Dan Bruce, Kathy Drew, Shannon Jorgenson and the Board members of the Friends of Fintry Provincial Park.