Beef Ring Barn
c.1870
H. R. Gray donated this barn to the museum. It originally stood south of Concession Road 9 on Lot 12 of Concession 8 in Pickering Township. It dates to c. 1870. In the early part of the 19th century, farming in Pickering included raising a variety of animals (cows, pigs, sheep, chickens). As for crops, they grew wheat as a cash crop, but other grains as needed to feed their animals. Farms were also for both production and consumption. Farming families ate much of what they produced on their farm. Urban families relied on stores instead.
In those days before electricity, families were forced to salt, pickle, or smoke their meat to preserve it. Fresh meat was only available if hunting or trapping in the nearby woods was successful. Many families butchered their few livestock (pigs and cows) in the fall so that they did not have to try to feed them through the long winter. Ice was available, and was cut from Frenchman’s Bay. It was stored in ice houses at the port. Some farmers had ice houses, and could store a delivery of large blocks of ice. The ice would last only partway into summer, depending on the heat.
By the 1880s, beef rings (also known as “fresh beef associations”) had become common in rural Ontario. We know that in Pickering these rings were in operation at least 10 years earlier. Beef rings made it possible for families to have fresh meat from June to November. The beef ring usually had no more than 20 families as members. Some beef ring barns in Pickering had more than one association operating out of it. Each family in the association took a turn to supply a cow or steer.
The members decided the order of turns at a meeting. Each farmer drew a number from one to 20. The beef cow provided had to weigh a minimum of 800 lbs (or 400 lbs dressed/ butchered), and be no older than three years of age. If the animal weighed more, the farmer who supplied it received the excess. If under, he was required to pay the difference in cash. The butcher was responsible for dressing the beef. He began at the rump and moved along the side. He divided the cuts into equal shares among the members.
A full share weighed 20 lbs. Half shares were possible for smaller families. The ring ran for 20 weeks, beginning at the start of June. During this time, each shareholder received a different cut, ensuring everyone got tender and tougher cuts equally. The butcher may sometimes have been an equal member in the ring, or was paid by the shareholders (either in cash, or in kind). Beef rings died out with the advent of ice boxes and freezers in the 20th Century.
Can you find these objects?
Butchers Block - The butcher’s block is of solid maple, with laminated ends up, for better durability.
Grindstone - The grindstone kept knives and cleavers sharp.
Trough - the small trough under the stone for water to keep the wheel cool when grinding.
De-horner - A de-horner sits on the work table (it looks like a large pair of scissors). The farmer used the de-horner, to cut off the horns of the cattle to prevent injury to the farmer. This practice was less humane than the present-day method of burning the horns.
Ice tongs - To cut and harvest large blocks of ice from Frenchman’s Bay, men used an ice saw and tongs.