Seager Wheeler's Maple Grove Farm is a

National Historic Site of Canada National Historic Sites of Canada (french: Lieux historiques nationaux du Canada) are places that have been designated by the federal Minister of the Environment An environment minister (sometimes minister of the environment or secretary of t ...

. Seager Wheeler's Maple Grove Farm was a farm owned and operated by

agronomist An agriculturist, agriculturalist, agrologist, or agronomist (abbreviated as agr.), is a professional in the science, practice, and management of agriculture and agribusiness. It is a regulated profession in Canada, India, the Philippines, the ...

Seager Wheeler (1868–1961) "Wheat King of the Prairies" or "The Wheat Wizard of Rosthern" who developed dry land farming techniques as well as fruit and wheat strains which could grow in a short prairie growing season followed by harsh winters. Seager came to Canada in 1885 and applied for his own homestead in 1890. His original homestead was located at NE Section 16 Township 38 Range 4 West of the 3rd Meridian, and he was aided by a loan from the Temperance Colonization Society Limited - Toronto Whereas the nearest present day town of

Rosthern Rosthern is a town at the juncture of Saskatchewan Highway 11, Highway 11 and Saskatchewan Highway 312, Highway 312 in the central area of Saskatchewan, Canada. It is located roughly halfway between the cities of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, Princ ...

Saskatchewan Saskatchewan ( ; ) is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province in Western Canada, western Canada, bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, to the northeast by Nunavut, and on t ...

is located at Sec.35, Twp.42, R.3, W3. To get to the restored Seager Wheeler Maple Grove Farm travel 7 km east of Rosthern. Five separate entries of wheat which were grown at this farm location during 1911 to 1918 won World Wheat Championships.

Morris Bodnar Morris P. Bodnar (born 4 September 1948) was a member of the House of Commons of Canada at the Saskatoon—Dundurn electoral district from 1993 to 1997. Born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Bodnar is a lawyer by career. Bodnar won election to the 35 ...

Member of Parliament A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members of ...

for

Saskatoon—Dundurn Saskatoon—Dundurn was a federal electoral district in Saskatchewan, Canada, that was represented in the House of Commons of Canada from 1988 to 1997. This riding was created in 1987 from parts of Humboldt—Lake Centre, Saskatoon East and Saskat ...

, commemorated Seager Wheeler's Maple Grove Farm as a

on August 3, 1996 The site is honoured as the location where hardy wheat and fruit strains were developed which were well suited to the prairie climate and growing season.

History

Seager Wheeler developed many dryland farming techniques, invented equipment as well as winning numerous awards for developing wheat strains and fruits which would grow in the short prairie season, seeds which would survive over winter and many other practises which helped develop a sustainable agricultural economy in

. Seager Wheeler's brother, Percy Wheeler, also homesteaded in the area successfully proving his land at SW section 2 Township 43 (A) Range 2 W of the 3rd Meridian in 1884. Seager and Percy jointly developed the three point seed cleaning system which present day farmers still use. The Seager Wheeler Historic Farm Society purchased the farm and opened it up in 1996. The farming techniques, implements, and pursuit of prairie wheats and fruits by Seager Wheeler, are presented on the restored homestead by the Seager Wheeler Historic Farm Society.

Sheila Copps Sheila Maureen Copps (born November 27, 1952) is a former Canadian politician who also served as the sixth deputy prime minister of Canada from November 4, 1993, to April 30, 1996, and June 19, 1996, to June 11, 1997. Her father, Victor Copps, ...

, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Canadian Heritage, presented the 1996 Parks Canada Award to the Seager Wheeler Historic Farm Society.

Writings

"Profitable Grain Growing" published by

Grain Growers' Guide ''The Grain Growers' Guide'' (later called the ''Country Guide'') was a newspaper published by the Grain Growers' Grain Company (GGGC) in Western Canada for grain farmers between 1908 and 1936. It reflected the views of the grain growers' associati ...

in 1919 by Seager Wheeler.

Nearby

Batoche National Historic Site Batoche, Saskatchewan, which lies between Prince Albert and Saskatoon, was the site of the historic Battle of Batoche during the North-West Rebellion of 1885. The battle resulted in the defeat of Louis Riel and his Métis forces by Major Ge ...

*Valley - Rosthern Regional Park *Wheat Stalks (Statue) Rosthern Roadside Attraction

External links

National Parks and National Historic Sites of Canada in Saskatchewan
* ttp://www.sasktourism.com/default.asp?page=63 Attractions & Events Fact Sheetbr>News Releases/June 1996/SEAGER WHEELER HISTORIC FARM ATTRACTION OPENSWheeler, SeagerSeager Wheeler Lake Representative Area -- Concept Management Plan --

References

{{coord, 52, 40, 25, N, 106, 13, 5, W, display=title Museums in Saskatchewan National Historic Sites in Saskatchewan Farm museums in Canada Rosthern No. 403, Saskatchewan Canadian Register of Historic Places in Saskatchewan