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The TALES you probably never heard about

THE SILENT OLD MILL

by Winston E. Ralph

Bancroft, Ontario

15 November 2012

The Old Mill on the Humber River

Every so often we go out and drive around
to see if we can find some old ghost town
People don’t realize there isn’t a few
and most times looking we find more than two
We enjoy seeing old buildings wherever we go
even though some are rickety that you know
Some are used as before or are now a home
while others aren’t recognized in a bush all alone
Its sad to see old buildings with character disappearing
as no one for new buildings will ever be cheering
On Nov 7 we drove down a road called Grist Mill
and found one there at the bottom of a hill
I don’t know its age but its been there for years
to see it in poor shape filled my eyes with tears
We can see the farmers there many years ago
pulling up with their wagons and hollering Whoa
The wagons were full of grain from farms near and far
drawn by horses as no farmer owned a truck or car
As the creek was dammed the pond gave the power
to turn the stone grinding grain into wheat flour
The grain was put in the hopper falling under the stone
while the farmers waited with sacks to take the flour home
As they waited the farmers talked and heard whats new
since they were always home with plenty to do
The farmers were happy taking flour to the wife
where she was happy with less work and some strife
Each mill was always busy in the fall every year
grinding grain with the stones and squeaking gears
The mills are all closed now the wheat is sent away
and for a poorer quality flour a very high price we pay

  1. On 2 March 2013, Katherine Said,

    Well done Winston! Your concluding line is so true.

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