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The mainstay of our entire Township, and until the late 1950's the mainstay also of our southern section, has been farming. The soil, except for a gravel run between the 2nd & 3rd concessions, and a few swamp patches, is beautiful clay loam. The soil has always produced good grain and hay crops, the lake being a little too cool for the heavy vegetable industry of Holland Marsh. The farmers of the Lakefront, Chester, Cowan, Annis', Annan, Gormley, Squires, Richardsons’, Griegs', Fothergill, Powell, Vale, all raised cattle. Most families owned 2 cows at least by 1850. "By 1850, horses were replacing oxen on the farms and roads. In the 1840's a wide range of ploughs and cultivating implements were available and threshing and cleaning grain was already mostly done by horsepower machines. (R. D. H. P. Convservation Report 1956.) Grain continued to be cut with the scythe and cradle until binders came into use during the 1880's. Steam tractors appeared very early in the south Pickering district. Mr. Milton Sleep states that during the 1890's, his grandfather, William Sleep, operated the Syndicate Case Steam Traction Engine. He travelled all around the Lakefront and threshed for many farmers during a ten-year period. He took a man with him and the farmer supplied the other men - twelve men usually used. Co-operative bees were common. During this time the Waterloo Manufacturing Company made and shipped excellent cast iron mowers, binders, ploughs, etc., and many of these still remain. Massey Harris & Ferguson equipment soon followed. Gasoline engines appeared during the early 1900's, and the first gasoline threshing tractor in these parts was one owned by Oscar Wilson of Brougham - a Hart Parr. This gasoline threshing machine was widely used in the South". Ref: Milton Sleep. Most of the farmers on the Lakeshore owned adequate equipment, drove trucks and cars fairly early. All had carriages, buggies, sleighs too until the 1930's. Farmers from 1850 - 1940, paid low taxes. Pictures 1 & 2: Tax Receipts Jos. Gordon Coat. B.F Lot 19