In the Fields
Workers in the field, 1939. Photography: author unknown. Grey Nuns of Montréal’s Archives, Métairie Saint-Joseph (Nicolet) Fonds, L054-I- Album 1-page 14B. 1-Jean-Louis Genest, 2-Louis-Georges Dufresne, 3-Laurent Lemire, 4-Almanzar Lamothe, 5-Roland Dufresne, 6-Wilfrid Gélinas
Mister Bourgeois, employee working in the field, 1940. Photography: author unknown. Grey Nuns of Montréal’s Archives, Métairie Saint-Joseph (Nicolet)’s Fonds, L054-N2D
Mister Thuribe Tremblay in the clover field, 1940. Photography: author unknown. Grey Nuns of Montréal’s Archives, Métairie Saint-Joseph (Nicolet)’s Fonds, L054-N2A
“In a first extraction of honey we were able to extract 949 pounds. Although it is the first, it is not as white as usual because the clover harvest is lacking everywhere.”
Chronicles of the Métairie Saint-Joseph, 7 July 1937. Transcription.
Archives of The Grey Nuns of Montréal, L054
“At the apiary, one Sister was a specialist in retrieving the bees that had escaped!”
According to the testimony of Mister Pierre Lampron, a former employee,
collected at the Maison Saint-Joseph (Nicolet), the 17 November 2023
Misters Thuribe Tremblay and G. Dufresne in alfalfa, 1940. Photography: author unknown. Grey Nuns of Montréal’s Archives, Métairie Saint-Joseph (Nicolet)’s Fonds, L054-N2B
Some helpers picking flax, Sister Claire Lauzier, s.g.m. and Sister Marie-Louise Forcier, s.g.m., undated. Photography: author unknown. Grey Nuns of Montréal’s Archives, Métairie Saint-Joseph (Nicolet)’s Fonds, L054-N3E
Gathering flax, 1940. Photography: author unknown. Grey Nuns of Montréal’s Archives, Métairie Saint-Joseph (Nicolet) Fonds, L054-N8C. From left to right: Charles-Édouard Parenteau; P.-E. Gendreau; R. Pinard; Sister Marie-Louise Forcier, s.g.m.; Gérard Saint-Sauveur; Sister Claire Lauzier, s.g.m.; Fernande Lavallée; Thérèse Duhaine; Ern. Côté
“Sisters and employees go to the woods to grind flax, a job which is so reminiscent of that of our ancestors and which is gradually disappearing from our Canadian customs. Everyone gets to work so well that by evening everything is finished.”
Chronicles of the Métairie Saint-Joseph, September 1929. Transcription.
Archives of The Grey Nuns of Montréal, L054
Bailing hay, August 1958. Photography: author unknown. Grey Nuns of Montréal’s Archives, Métairie Saint-Joseph (Nicolet) Fonds, L054-N3B. From left to right: P. M. Tousignant, Roger Albert, Mario Provencher. On the tractor: Gaétan Provencher
“For several days, the heat has been torrid, and yet we must pick the different vegetables. We fear that some of the vegetables and grain will dry out, given the heat; fortunately, refreshing rain comes to water everything during the night.”
Chronicles of the Métairie Saint-Joseph, 24 July 1934. Transcription.
Archives of The Grey Nuns of Montréal, L054
At the tomato harvest, September 1958. Photography: author unknown. Grey Nuns of Montréal’s Archives, Métairie Saint-Joseph (Nicolet) Fonds, L054-N3C. From left to right: Roger Albert; Sister Laurette Rivard, s.g.m.; Maurice Beaudet; Sister, s.g.m.; Sister Fernande Dumont, s.g.m.
“The strawberry season is over, it was beautiful and good this year, 10 000 pints. Thanks to Divine Providence for giving us the goods of the earth to feed its poor.”
Chronicles of the Métairie Saint-Joseph, 21 July 1934. Transcription.
Archives of The Grey Nuns of Montréal, L054
Sister Mariette Précourt, s.g.m., driving the tractor; and Sister Victorine Servant, s.g.m., standing in the cart, [195-196-]. Photography: author unknown. Grey Nuns of Montréal’s Archives, Christ-Roi Hospital (Nicolet)’s Fonds, L101-N98D
Bell, [19-]. Grey Nuns of Montréal’s Collections, 2024.001
This bell is used at mealtimes to call the Nuns working in the fields.