Pioneer kids were working kids

By Joan Janzen

We’ve all heard pioneer stories about children working on the farm at very young ages. This photo is just one example of children who began operating equipment before they were ten years old.

This eight-year-old from the pioneer era was driving six horses on a double disc, working summer fallow. Photo Historic Saskatchewan

This photo, posted by Historic Saskatchewan, shows an eight-year-old boy driving six horses on a double disc, working summer fallow. The double disc with a second set of discs behind the driver was a dangerous implement for an adult, much less a young boy.

Operators encountered many hazards while working in the field. Horseflies and wasps could easily scare the horses, causing them to run away and land in a slough or barbed wire fence.

Young drivers were too short to sit in the seat correctly. Consequently, they could easily be thrown off and dragged behind the equipment on a wild ride.