A selection of old photos from family albums. Most are of Robert (Bob) Neal and family at or near Oak River, Manitoba, Canada.
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DIVIDER FROM OLD!
Oak River sledge ride to school
Comment by email (March 2011) on the Log stable photo:
A barn / stable constructed of small poplar logs available on most farms. They were cheap, readily available and came in a variety of sizes. They were not consistently straight, and as result there were large gaps between the logs. The gaps were plastered and filled with a mix of straw and clay, both abundant locally. The roof was quite flat and would have considerable leakage in the spring and in heavy rain. Some were covered with a sod roof, sods being cut by plow from local prairie. Some farmers covered such structures with straw blown out of the threshing machine in fall. The resulting straw covered barn would have been warmed the animals inside and would be quite cozy, even in temperatures of -30 or 40 F which were common in Manitoba winters.
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