1 00:00:02,135 --> 00:00:05,004 - [cheering & applauding] - yes! 2 00:00:05,072 --> 00:00:07,506 The heart of the annapolis valley. 3 00:00:07,574 --> 00:00:09,875 An area famous for fruit farming. 4 00:00:09,943 --> 00:00:13,078 A once major lumber and manufacturing hub. 5 00:00:13,146 --> 00:00:15,714 And the geographical midpoint... 6 00:00:15,716 --> 00:00:20,786 For the trains that ran east west from halifax to yarmouth. 7 00:00:20,788 --> 00:00:23,121 And shipped everything from workers to wood, 8 00:00:23,190 --> 00:00:24,790 And tourists to turnips. 9 00:00:24,792 --> 00:00:27,292 And oh-so-many apples, of course. 10 00:00:27,360 --> 00:00:28,627 [laughing] 11 00:00:28,695 --> 00:00:30,996 But, when the engine stopped running, 12 00:00:30,998 --> 00:00:33,131 Things got a little off track. 13 00:00:33,200 --> 00:00:36,802 And the heart of the valley went into rail cardiac arrest. 14 00:00:36,870 --> 00:00:38,404 [laughing] 15 00:00:38,472 --> 00:00:40,972 These days you might say middleton's "metal" has been 16 00:00:41,041 --> 00:00:45,077 Tested, but whether it's moving 75 tons of steel down 17 00:00:45,079 --> 00:00:47,946 To your rail museum, or throwing a 50-pound 18 00:00:48,014 --> 00:00:50,415 Chunk of it into the air— for sport— 19 00:00:50,484 --> 00:00:52,617 [laughing] 20 00:00:52,620 --> 00:00:54,820 This small town — named for the middle — 21 00:00:54,888 --> 00:00:56,688 Is still a heavyweight contender. 22 00:00:56,690 --> 00:00:59,825 [cheering & applauding] 23 00:00:59,893 --> 00:01:02,027 When you grow up in a small town in newfoundland, 24 00:01:02,095 --> 00:01:04,663 You see the people have a sense of humor about hard times. 25 00:01:04,731 --> 00:01:05,831 Check, check. 26 00:01:05,899 --> 00:01:07,866 I turned that into a career and hit the road. 27 00:01:07,934 --> 00:01:10,268 Mr. Jonny harris! 28 00:01:10,337 --> 00:01:12,370 Now I'm on a mission to find the funny in the places 29 00:01:12,373 --> 00:01:13,705 You'd least expect it — 30 00:01:13,773 --> 00:01:15,974 Canada's struggling small towns. 31 00:01:16,043 --> 00:01:19,077 Towns that are against the ropes, but hanging in there. 32 00:01:19,080 --> 00:01:21,947 Still laughing in the face of adversity. 33 00:01:22,015 --> 00:01:23,949 This is middleton, nova scotia. 34 00:01:24,017 --> 00:01:28,220 ♪ 35 00:01:28,222 --> 00:01:32,791 [cheering & applauding] 36 00:01:32,793 --> 00:01:34,893 You can see the signs of prosperity 37 00:01:34,895 --> 00:01:38,363 Driving around this area. All the grand victorian homes. 38 00:01:38,431 --> 00:01:41,333 For decades, industry and production was chugging, 39 00:01:41,401 --> 00:01:43,668 And so were the trains. 40 00:01:43,737 --> 00:01:46,605 But, here in the annapolis valley, 41 00:01:46,673 --> 00:01:49,408 Bigger, better trucks on bigger, better roads 42 00:01:49,476 --> 00:01:51,676 Started hauling a lot of the freight. 43 00:01:51,679 --> 00:01:54,546 So, middleton saw the end of the train, 44 00:01:54,615 --> 00:01:56,648 And I'm not talking about your caboose. 45 00:01:56,716 --> 00:01:59,351 [laughing] 46 00:01:59,353 --> 00:02:01,686 ♪ 47 00:02:01,755 --> 00:02:04,490 Trains like an even grade, but your history in this town 48 00:02:04,558 --> 00:02:06,124 Has had a lot of highs and lows. 49 00:02:06,193 --> 00:02:08,560 I found the perfect person to regale me. 50 00:02:08,562 --> 00:02:12,731 Retired nurse, deputy mayor, force of nature, gail smith! 51 00:02:12,799 --> 00:02:15,567 [cheering & applauding] 52 00:02:15,636 --> 00:02:17,903 Gail is a lifelong resident of middleton. 53 00:02:17,971 --> 00:02:19,771 She told me about growing up here. 54 00:02:19,840 --> 00:02:22,674 She said in the heyday, business was booming. 55 00:02:22,742 --> 00:02:24,776 It was a very prosperous town. 56 00:02:24,844 --> 00:02:26,778 The mining was just outside of town that, 57 00:02:26,847 --> 00:02:28,413 They brought the freight trains through. 58 00:02:28,415 --> 00:02:32,050 We had scotia gold, which is a fruit company. 59 00:02:32,118 --> 00:02:34,786 It was great, a lot of people were, you know, were working. 60 00:02:34,854 --> 00:02:37,756 And a lot of stores were starting to come into the town. 61 00:02:37,824 --> 00:02:40,893 Gail said there were several grocery stores, banks, 62 00:02:40,961 --> 00:02:44,729 Four gas stations, even some of the more underground businesses 63 00:02:44,798 --> 00:02:47,432 Were doing well, a couple of lovely funeral parlors here. 64 00:02:47,501 --> 00:02:49,868 [laughing] 65 00:02:49,936 --> 00:02:52,370 But all good things must come to an end. 66 00:02:52,373 --> 00:02:55,140 We had a creamery— that closed. 67 00:02:55,209 --> 00:02:59,144 And then, the scotia gold apple processing plant closed and 68 00:02:59,212 --> 00:03:00,913 Moved out of town altogether. 69 00:03:00,981 --> 00:03:03,014 So then people started leaving. 70 00:03:03,083 --> 00:03:04,916 They had to go and get work. 71 00:03:04,985 --> 00:03:06,985 And then when did the train stop running? 72 00:03:07,053 --> 00:03:11,356 The freight train stopped in the late 1980s. 73 00:03:11,358 --> 00:03:15,560 And then the passenger train stopped in the early 1990s. 74 00:03:15,629 --> 00:03:17,362 It was devastating. 75 00:03:17,431 --> 00:03:19,631 Because when you lose the trains, 76 00:03:19,699 --> 00:03:21,733 You don't have the visitors. 77 00:03:21,802 --> 00:03:24,069 The tracks came up, and as gail said, 78 00:03:24,137 --> 00:03:27,639 When you lost the trains, you lost other industries as well. 79 00:03:27,708 --> 00:03:31,710 We had fancy hotels, you know, like the american house. 80 00:03:31,778 --> 00:03:34,446 It was beautiful, you could have tea in the afternoon. 81 00:03:34,448 --> 00:03:36,748 You know, without the train bringing people, 82 00:03:36,816 --> 00:03:38,450 Who's gonna go stay at the hotel? 83 00:03:38,518 --> 00:03:39,851 I mean, the locals are not gonna go— 84 00:03:39,919 --> 00:03:41,787 If the locals are staying at the hotel, 85 00:03:41,855 --> 00:03:43,655 It's no longer a fancy affair. 86 00:03:43,723 --> 00:03:45,190 It's probably just an affair. 87 00:03:45,258 --> 00:03:48,593 [laughing] 88 00:03:48,662 --> 00:03:51,596 She said the trains were not only important to industry, 89 00:03:51,665 --> 00:03:53,365 But for families as well. 90 00:03:53,433 --> 00:03:55,667 That was the way people would visit their relatives 91 00:03:55,735 --> 00:03:57,002 Up and down the line. 92 00:03:57,070 --> 00:03:58,703 Actually, she had a funny story about, 93 00:03:58,772 --> 00:04:01,706 That she would go visit her grandmother in digby 94 00:04:01,775 --> 00:04:06,244 On the train by herself at the age of three. 95 00:04:06,313 --> 00:04:08,280 Three years old, her mother would go and 96 00:04:08,348 --> 00:04:11,016 Put her on the evangeline dayliner. 97 00:04:11,084 --> 00:04:12,484 Mum would put me on. 98 00:04:12,552 --> 00:04:15,186 She'd tell the conductor that my grandmother 99 00:04:15,255 --> 00:04:16,755 Was gonna be at the other side. 100 00:04:16,823 --> 00:04:19,424 And then, I'd go back in my seat and, 101 00:04:19,493 --> 00:04:21,026 My grandmother would be right 102 00:04:21,094 --> 00:04:22,661 At the station when we got there. 103 00:04:22,729 --> 00:04:24,830 That's funny— I guess train parenting is like 104 00:04:24,898 --> 00:04:26,632 The opposite of helicopter parenting. 105 00:04:26,700 --> 00:04:29,200 [laughing] 106 00:04:29,269 --> 00:04:31,770 "mom, I want to go visit grandma." 107 00:04:31,838 --> 00:04:33,838 "ah, sure, you know where the train station is. 108 00:04:33,841 --> 00:04:34,906 Yeah, go on." 109 00:04:34,974 --> 00:04:37,709 [laughing] 110 00:04:37,777 --> 00:04:39,778 When you live in a small town, 111 00:04:39,846 --> 00:04:42,547 Your methods of transportation are minimal. 112 00:04:42,615 --> 00:04:45,584 She said people here made such use of the railway, 113 00:04:45,652 --> 00:04:48,687 A lot of families didn't even have cars. 114 00:04:48,689 --> 00:04:50,022 I said, "get out of town!" 115 00:04:50,090 --> 00:04:51,623 She said, "you couldn't, that's the problem." 116 00:04:51,692 --> 00:04:54,392 [laughing] 117 00:04:54,461 --> 00:04:56,161 If you can't take the train to grandma's. 118 00:04:56,163 --> 00:04:57,696 What's a toddler to do? 119 00:04:57,698 --> 00:05:00,598 [laughing] 120 00:05:00,601 --> 00:05:02,934 I also think it's funny that gail's last name is smith. 121 00:05:03,002 --> 00:05:05,570 So, if you think about it, she took a train from the 122 00:05:05,638 --> 00:05:08,039 Annapolis fruit belt to visit granny smith. 123 00:05:08,108 --> 00:05:09,607 How about them apples? 124 00:05:09,610 --> 00:05:13,679 [laughing & applauding] 125 00:05:22,956 --> 00:05:25,156 You know, I talked to a guy about the history of the train 126 00:05:25,159 --> 00:05:27,892 Tracks here and this guy should know his canadian history. 127 00:05:27,895 --> 00:05:31,096 He is— well, he's not john a macdonald. 128 00:05:31,164 --> 00:05:32,764 But he's a john macdonald. 129 00:05:32,832 --> 00:05:33,965 John macdonald. 130 00:05:34,033 --> 00:05:36,634 [cheering & applauding] 131 00:05:36,637 --> 00:05:40,105 John's been working with trains his entire career from 132 00:05:40,173 --> 00:05:43,041 Grunt jobs, up to brake man, up to conductor, 133 00:05:43,043 --> 00:05:45,110 All the way up to upper management. 134 00:05:45,178 --> 00:05:47,245 It's funny, you know, I sometimes consider myself 135 00:05:47,314 --> 00:05:48,880 A bit of a brake man. 136 00:05:48,948 --> 00:05:50,382 In fact, if we could afford a stool, 137 00:05:50,384 --> 00:05:51,983 I'd probably take one right now, but... 138 00:05:52,051 --> 00:05:54,252 [laughing] 139 00:05:54,321 --> 00:05:58,623 ♪ 140 00:05:58,691 --> 00:06:02,894 I turned 55, and I thought, you know what, 141 00:06:02,962 --> 00:06:04,729 Nova scotia's calling me. 142 00:06:04,732 --> 00:06:07,065 When I came here, and I didn't really realize it, 143 00:06:07,067 --> 00:06:09,734 But there was a railway museum. 144 00:06:09,803 --> 00:06:11,269 And I used to come once in a while and 145 00:06:11,337 --> 00:06:13,805 Visit and help out and volunteer. 146 00:06:13,873 --> 00:06:15,807 There was no locomotive, no boxcar. 147 00:06:15,876 --> 00:06:17,776 No, none, none of that was here. 148 00:06:17,844 --> 00:06:19,544 But the inside of that museum, 149 00:06:19,612 --> 00:06:22,547 They had collected amazing things. 150 00:06:22,616 --> 00:06:24,115 Cool stuff. 151 00:06:24,184 --> 00:06:26,818 He got involved with the local train museum here. 152 00:06:26,886 --> 00:06:29,220 And his first thought was a pretty good one. 153 00:06:29,223 --> 00:06:31,956 He thought, this place could use an actual train. 154 00:06:32,025 --> 00:06:34,225 [laughing] 155 00:06:34,294 --> 00:06:39,464 So, he went to town council, and he said, "let's get loco... 156 00:06:39,532 --> 00:06:41,266 ...Motive, let's get a locomotive." 157 00:06:41,334 --> 00:06:43,968 [laughing] 158 00:06:43,971 --> 00:06:47,772 A year and a half ago, this locomotive became available, 159 00:06:47,841 --> 00:06:51,342 But the track wasn't fit to hold 75 tonnes. 160 00:06:51,411 --> 00:06:52,977 I knew that, I knew that. 161 00:06:52,980 --> 00:06:54,813 I know what it takes to hold that up. 162 00:06:54,881 --> 00:06:57,682 John got on the phone with the chairman of the 163 00:06:57,750 --> 00:07:00,318 Board of directors at cn rail. 164 00:07:00,386 --> 00:07:02,220 - I can talk train. - I believe you. 165 00:07:02,289 --> 00:07:05,623 I said, "I have a cn locomotive and I need a place to put it." 166 00:07:05,626 --> 00:07:09,961 So, cn built this boardwalk. This 227-foot track. 167 00:07:10,029 --> 00:07:13,765 And they contracted that new asphalt platform... 168 00:07:13,833 --> 00:07:15,667 - Yeah. - At their expense. 169 00:07:15,735 --> 00:07:16,701 That's pretty great. 170 00:07:16,703 --> 00:07:18,803 So, now I have a place to put my locomotive. 171 00:07:18,806 --> 00:07:21,706 But then of course, he still had to move the thing down here. 172 00:07:21,774 --> 00:07:23,708 So then he gets on the phone with the premier. 173 00:07:23,776 --> 00:07:26,878 And he says, "well, you know, cn built all this stuff. 174 00:07:26,880 --> 00:07:29,280 Don't you want to chip in?" 175 00:07:29,349 --> 00:07:31,816 I'm not saying he played one off the other, it's... 176 00:07:31,885 --> 00:07:33,318 - [laughing] - it's negotiating! 177 00:07:33,386 --> 00:07:35,987 It's the kind of negotiating skills you usually only see 178 00:07:36,056 --> 00:07:38,389 From a kid with divorced parents, right. 179 00:07:38,458 --> 00:07:40,658 [laughing] 180 00:07:40,727 --> 00:07:44,195 "you know, dad, mom's new boyfriend bought me a... 181 00:07:44,264 --> 00:07:49,167 A 4k gaming console, but my tv is only 1080p, you know." 182 00:07:49,169 --> 00:07:52,237 [laughing] 183 00:07:52,305 --> 00:07:55,073 We brought in some, some, some companies that 184 00:07:55,141 --> 00:07:58,176 Were capable of lifting and transporting. 185 00:07:58,244 --> 00:08:00,812 So, but we had to take all the stuff off the top. 186 00:08:00,881 --> 00:08:02,581 So, the smokestack, the bell, the whistle, 187 00:08:02,649 --> 00:08:06,718 All those big domes, in order to clear the underpass. 188 00:08:06,720 --> 00:08:07,852 [truck honking] 189 00:08:07,921 --> 00:08:11,356 And December 18, 2020, that's when she landed. 190 00:08:11,424 --> 00:08:13,925 And they picked it up off that 42-meter truck, 191 00:08:13,927 --> 00:08:16,761 And just brought it ever so slowly. 192 00:08:16,830 --> 00:08:18,863 And just placed it... 193 00:08:18,932 --> 00:08:21,132 Exactly where we want it. 194 00:08:21,134 --> 00:08:22,333 [johnny] amazing. 195 00:08:22,336 --> 00:08:25,136 [john] it's been a real success story. 196 00:08:25,205 --> 00:08:28,206 [johnny] that locomotive will be a real engine for tourism 197 00:08:28,275 --> 00:08:30,742 Here in middleton. And credit to him, 198 00:08:30,810 --> 00:08:33,678 He really, you know, used railway ties... 199 00:08:33,747 --> 00:08:35,647 Well. 200 00:08:35,715 --> 00:08:38,449 Before you knew it, it was, "all aboard!" 201 00:08:38,518 --> 00:08:42,620 [laughing & applauding] 202 00:08:42,689 --> 00:08:46,858 ♪ 203 00:08:46,926 --> 00:08:48,827 Now middleton may have lost the railway, 204 00:08:48,895 --> 00:08:50,896 But it's no town of criers. 205 00:08:50,964 --> 00:08:52,830 Well, except for one guy, I suppose. 206 00:08:52,899 --> 00:08:54,432 So, here ye, hear y... 207 00:08:54,500 --> 00:08:56,935 Here is peter and val davies! 208 00:08:57,003 --> 00:08:59,337 [cheering & applauding] 209 00:08:59,339 --> 00:09:00,905 Peter... 210 00:09:00,974 --> 00:09:04,109 Is the town crier, and val— well, 211 00:09:04,177 --> 00:09:06,244 First val told me that she was his escort. 212 00:09:06,246 --> 00:09:07,779 I said, "I don't need to know that much." 213 00:09:07,847 --> 00:09:09,647 [laughing] 214 00:09:09,716 --> 00:09:10,949 [ringing bell] 215 00:09:11,017 --> 00:09:14,652 Oh yay! [echoing] 216 00:09:14,721 --> 00:09:18,256 God bless a free and united canada. 217 00:09:18,324 --> 00:09:21,393 Long live the queen! 218 00:09:21,461 --> 00:09:23,595 [johnny chuckling] hey! [clapping] 219 00:09:23,597 --> 00:09:27,432 Peter, that is a powerful instrument you've got there. 220 00:09:27,500 --> 00:09:30,135 Peter told me, you know, the idea of a town crier 221 00:09:30,203 --> 00:09:32,904 Goes back to medieval times. 222 00:09:32,972 --> 00:09:36,341 The town crier was the purveyor of all news of the day. 223 00:09:36,343 --> 00:09:41,212 And they definitely would draw people into the area. 224 00:09:41,214 --> 00:09:44,082 He said it would usually start off with a message from the 225 00:09:44,084 --> 00:09:48,953 King, followed by the news of the day and some announcements. 226 00:09:49,022 --> 00:09:51,356 Then it went into the commercial part of what's 227 00:09:51,424 --> 00:09:54,192 Going on in terms of a market and that sort of thing. 228 00:09:54,260 --> 00:09:58,129 And, oh, by the way, there's a good hanging at noon, 229 00:09:58,197 --> 00:10:00,164 Not to be missed, you know. 230 00:10:00,233 --> 00:10:02,166 Peter had a funny story, he said 231 00:10:02,235 --> 00:10:04,335 He found his voice selling hot dogs. 232 00:10:04,404 --> 00:10:06,638 And he said, it was so boring he started calling, 233 00:10:06,706 --> 00:10:10,108 "hey, get your hot dog! Get your hot dogs here!" 234 00:10:10,176 --> 00:10:12,310 Then eventually, he started making up songs. 235 00:10:12,378 --> 00:10:15,513 ♪ [singing] who will buy my wonderful hot dogs? ♪ 236 00:10:15,581 --> 00:10:18,383 ♪ who will buy my dog on a bun? ♪ 237 00:10:18,451 --> 00:10:20,118 [laughing] 238 00:10:20,120 --> 00:10:23,521 Before you knew it, the town asked him to be town crier... 239 00:10:23,589 --> 00:10:25,056 Which is pretty cool, but can you trust 240 00:10:25,125 --> 00:10:27,191 A hotdog salesman with the news? 241 00:10:27,260 --> 00:10:28,926 [laughing] 242 00:10:28,929 --> 00:10:30,895 How do you know what they're giving you is not 243 00:10:30,963 --> 00:10:32,363 Basically a bunch of baloney? 244 00:10:32,366 --> 00:10:34,832 [laughing] 245 00:10:34,901 --> 00:10:37,535 But soon, peter was not just town crier for middleton, 246 00:10:37,603 --> 00:10:39,237 But for towns all over the valley. 247 00:10:39,305 --> 00:10:42,407 Doing as many as 140 appearances a year. 248 00:10:42,475 --> 00:10:46,577 He's cried in far more interesting places than I have. 249 00:10:46,646 --> 00:10:48,680 I usually try to keep mine to the bathroom. 250 00:10:48,748 --> 00:10:50,982 [laughing] 251 00:10:50,984 --> 00:10:53,685 I asked him to do a little shout out for the show. 252 00:10:53,753 --> 00:10:55,019 And he was like, "okay." 253 00:10:55,088 --> 00:10:57,689 Middleton, nova scotia welcomes 254 00:10:57,757 --> 00:11:01,392 Cbc's still standing! 255 00:11:01,395 --> 00:11:03,661 Oh, yay! 256 00:11:03,730 --> 00:11:07,999 His voice is so commanding and officious... 257 00:11:08,067 --> 00:11:10,368 That I, you know, I think of the word yay 258 00:11:10,370 --> 00:11:11,703 As being like, "yay!" 259 00:11:11,771 --> 00:11:13,705 But what he says it, it's so, you know, 260 00:11:13,773 --> 00:11:17,408 It's dangerously close to sarcasm, it sounds. 261 00:11:17,477 --> 00:11:20,778 "still standing has come to middleton!" 262 00:11:20,847 --> 00:11:22,380 "oh yay." 263 00:11:22,448 --> 00:11:30,822 [laughing] 264 00:11:30,890 --> 00:11:32,724 Is this guy making a dig? 265 00:11:32,726 --> 00:11:36,261 [laughing & applauding] 266 00:11:50,643 --> 00:11:53,244 I had a chat with a young woman who came here from out west 267 00:11:53,312 --> 00:11:56,915 With her sister to go to university in nova scotia, 268 00:11:56,983 --> 00:11:58,916 And her parents — fond of farming — 269 00:11:58,919 --> 00:12:00,585 Followed in their footsteps. 270 00:12:00,653 --> 00:12:04,655 Let's call it a major in moving with a minor infringement 271 00:12:04,658 --> 00:12:06,624 On their children's independence. 272 00:12:06,692 --> 00:12:08,426 [laughing] 273 00:12:08,494 --> 00:12:11,362 I'm talking about ken and kathy and mallory byrka. 274 00:12:11,364 --> 00:12:14,365 [cheering & applauding] 275 00:12:14,367 --> 00:12:21,906 ♪ 276 00:12:21,975 --> 00:12:24,909 So, how did you feel when mom and dad followed you to school? 277 00:12:24,911 --> 00:12:28,112 Well, at first I wasn't too impressed, but... 278 00:12:28,181 --> 00:12:29,413 [laughing] 279 00:12:29,416 --> 00:12:31,382 It ended up working out in the end. 280 00:12:31,451 --> 00:12:34,318 We were looking for a place to revive a family farm business 281 00:12:34,387 --> 00:12:35,953 And, this was perfect. 282 00:12:36,022 --> 00:12:38,456 They wanted to come to the annapolis valley because 283 00:12:38,524 --> 00:12:41,659 They wanted to revive their seed business. 284 00:12:41,727 --> 00:12:44,662 A generations-old heirloom seeds. 285 00:12:44,730 --> 00:12:47,532 If you don't know what heirloom seeds are — like I didn't — 286 00:12:47,600 --> 00:12:50,067 It's not like, you know, planted in the ground and 287 00:12:50,136 --> 00:12:51,969 Waiting for grandma's brooch to come up. 288 00:12:52,038 --> 00:12:54,806 [laughing] 289 00:12:54,808 --> 00:12:57,708 What is exactly an heirloom seed? 290 00:12:57,777 --> 00:12:59,410 Well, 50 years is technically— 291 00:12:59,479 --> 00:13:01,012 Anything that's older than 50 years. 292 00:13:01,080 --> 00:13:03,615 And then, they haven't been manipulated and 293 00:13:03,683 --> 00:13:05,116 They're not hybridized, right. 294 00:13:05,185 --> 00:13:07,418 We have to be very cognizant of distances of different 295 00:13:07,486 --> 00:13:09,353 Varieties and how far apart they need to be planted. 296 00:13:09,356 --> 00:13:10,588 That's really important. 297 00:13:10,656 --> 00:13:12,190 So, they don't interfere with one another? 298 00:13:12,258 --> 00:13:14,425 Absolutely, because you can't grow a pumpkin and 299 00:13:14,494 --> 00:13:17,295 A squash of the same species 20 feet apart. 300 00:13:17,363 --> 00:13:19,497 They will cross and you'll get a zuka pumpkin or 301 00:13:19,499 --> 00:13:20,798 Whatever it might be, right. 302 00:13:20,867 --> 00:13:25,236 The heirloom seed scene is a big thing all over the world. 303 00:13:25,238 --> 00:13:30,274 Ken was telling me he just traded seeds with a guy who 304 00:13:30,343 --> 00:13:34,812 Found seeds for pea plants in ancient norse burial grounds. 305 00:13:34,881 --> 00:13:37,315 He was looking at our website online and said, 306 00:13:37,383 --> 00:13:38,850 "hey, look, I have these," like, 307 00:13:38,918 --> 00:13:40,451 "do you want me to ship some across to you?" 308 00:13:40,519 --> 00:13:42,620 "can I make you a trade," he said, you know. 309 00:13:42,689 --> 00:13:43,621 So, we did. 310 00:13:43,689 --> 00:13:46,057 Yeah, and they grow in the cemeteries in... 311 00:13:46,125 --> 00:13:47,425 Where exactly is it, norway? 312 00:13:47,493 --> 00:13:50,528 They've recovered them in dead viking graves so, I said, 313 00:13:50,530 --> 00:13:52,463 "what are they called?" and he says, "dunno." 314 00:13:52,532 --> 00:13:55,266 These pea seeds were so rare, 315 00:13:55,335 --> 00:13:57,168 He didn't even have a name for them. 316 00:13:57,236 --> 00:14:00,972 Ken and kathy immediately agreed on "dead viking seeds". 317 00:14:01,040 --> 00:14:03,374 [laughing] 318 00:14:03,442 --> 00:14:04,809 Which I think is pretty cool. 319 00:14:04,878 --> 00:14:06,010 [laughing] 320 00:14:06,012 --> 00:14:09,013 "here lies leif erickson. May he rest in peas." 321 00:14:09,015 --> 00:14:13,084 [laughing] 322 00:14:13,152 --> 00:14:16,520 You guys really do things the old way. 323 00:14:16,589 --> 00:14:20,658 The old seeds, even some of the equipment here. 324 00:14:20,726 --> 00:14:23,494 Well, garlic planting, you're planting almost an acre, right, 325 00:14:23,563 --> 00:14:25,229 So you need something to make holes. 326 00:14:25,298 --> 00:14:28,499 And so, I found this wonderful design with an old cable spool 327 00:14:28,567 --> 00:14:31,402 And, and have little prongs, you know, sticking out, 328 00:14:31,470 --> 00:14:32,436 Dibbler sticking out. 329 00:14:32,505 --> 00:14:35,039 And then the garlic goes inside each hole. 330 00:14:35,107 --> 00:14:37,808 Who here has heard of a garlic dibbler? 331 00:14:37,877 --> 00:14:40,278 And it's not a starter at eastside mario's. 332 00:14:40,346 --> 00:14:43,781 [laughing] 333 00:14:43,849 --> 00:14:45,616 So, this is the dibbler, 334 00:14:45,685 --> 00:14:48,753 And these are the legs from various couches? 335 00:14:48,755 --> 00:14:50,187 Various couch legs. 336 00:14:50,256 --> 00:14:52,523 Now you have to be really careful because once you make 337 00:14:52,591 --> 00:14:55,293 The holes, you don't want to step on the hole. 338 00:14:55,361 --> 00:14:56,261 The holes you've made. 339 00:14:56,329 --> 00:14:58,362 So, you have to kind of straddle it, right? 340 00:14:58,431 --> 00:14:59,998 Yeah, give it a go. 341 00:15:00,066 --> 00:15:01,866 So, they got me to do it. 342 00:15:01,935 --> 00:15:04,835 This was trickery on his part to make me look foolish. 343 00:15:04,904 --> 00:15:06,371 [laughing] 344 00:15:06,439 --> 00:15:08,273 Normally, it's two people on other side pushing it. 345 00:15:08,341 --> 00:15:09,274 He didn't tell me that, 346 00:15:09,342 --> 00:15:11,909 So I'm trying to not walk on the holes... 347 00:15:11,978 --> 00:15:14,145 And I'm pushing this thing. 348 00:15:14,213 --> 00:15:16,380 I think I'm gonna dibble my groin doing this. 349 00:15:16,383 --> 00:15:19,884 [laughing] 350 00:15:19,953 --> 00:15:21,319 That is great. 351 00:15:21,387 --> 00:15:22,720 A little bit embarrassing, but listen, 352 00:15:22,788 --> 00:15:24,655 When it comes to dibbling, I can say I've dabbled. 353 00:15:24,724 --> 00:15:26,090 - So there. - [laughing] 354 00:15:26,158 --> 00:15:27,491 That's something. 355 00:15:27,560 --> 00:15:29,427 [laughing & applauding] 356 00:15:39,939 --> 00:15:42,774 You know, I didn't say I had to go see scottish 357 00:15:42,842 --> 00:15:44,909 Cultural sports while I was here. 358 00:15:44,977 --> 00:15:46,711 I just tossed it out there. 359 00:15:46,713 --> 00:15:48,579 [laughing] 360 00:15:48,648 --> 00:15:50,614 Give it up for highland games gurus, 361 00:15:50,683 --> 00:15:52,783 Jamie peppard and danny frame. 362 00:15:52,786 --> 00:15:56,220 [cheering & applauding] 363 00:15:56,222 --> 00:16:01,859 ♪ 364 00:16:01,927 --> 00:16:04,796 ♪ [heavy metal] agh! ♪ 365 00:16:04,864 --> 00:16:06,697 ♪ two tickets to the gun show! ♪ 366 00:16:06,700 --> 00:16:09,600 ♪ you know what I'm what I'm talking about. ♪ 367 00:16:09,669 --> 00:16:13,271 ♪ two tickets to the gun show! ♪ 368 00:16:13,339 --> 00:16:17,008 I feel like that when you guys show up at highland games, 369 00:16:17,076 --> 00:16:20,111 Middleton has a reputation now that comes with it. 370 00:16:20,179 --> 00:16:22,246 That's for sure. We're the oldest group of 371 00:16:22,248 --> 00:16:24,549 Heavy athletics athletes in the country. 372 00:16:24,617 --> 00:16:28,486 So, we've had a strong circuit for a long period of time. 373 00:16:28,554 --> 00:16:30,755 [effort grunting] 374 00:16:30,823 --> 00:16:33,657 The guys were running through some of the highland games 375 00:16:33,726 --> 00:16:36,160 Heavy events, which includes "the widowmaker". 376 00:16:36,229 --> 00:16:39,330 That's 56 pounds on the end of a 16-inch chain, 377 00:16:39,398 --> 00:16:42,033 And you spin and try and throw it as far as you can 378 00:16:42,101 --> 00:16:43,601 Before it throws you. 379 00:16:43,669 --> 00:16:45,202 It's hard on the arms, you know. 380 00:16:45,205 --> 00:16:46,670 I don't know about widowed, 381 00:16:46,739 --> 00:16:48,472 But your shoulders can get separated. 382 00:16:48,475 --> 00:16:51,109 [laughing] 383 00:16:51,177 --> 00:16:52,877 Ah, "the braemar stone". 384 00:16:52,945 --> 00:16:55,312 And the braemar stone would be 20, plus, pounds, 385 00:16:55,315 --> 00:16:59,016 And you "put it" from a standing position. 386 00:16:59,019 --> 00:17:01,519 Weight over bar, which is... 387 00:17:01,521 --> 00:17:05,523 Well, pretty self-explanatory, I suppose, you throw a weight, 388 00:17:05,525 --> 00:17:07,458 A heavy weight over a bar. 389 00:17:07,460 --> 00:17:09,727 And I think people in nova scotia are good at that. 390 00:17:09,796 --> 00:17:11,896 When I was at the halifax comedy festival, 391 00:17:11,964 --> 00:17:16,067 I saw a guy throw 160 pounds out of a bar. 392 00:17:16,135 --> 00:17:18,336 [laughing] 393 00:17:18,404 --> 00:17:20,871 Actually, I was probably 165 at the time. 394 00:17:20,874 --> 00:17:23,808 [laughing] 395 00:17:23,810 --> 00:17:27,678 In the highland games heavy weight events, 396 00:17:27,746 --> 00:17:31,849 Jamie at one point was ranked second in the world. 397 00:17:31,917 --> 00:17:34,886 [cheering & applauding] 398 00:17:34,954 --> 00:17:39,323 His specialty being the 24-foot caber toss. 399 00:17:39,391 --> 00:17:43,761 Now this is where you flip a 24-foot caber, which caber, 400 00:17:43,829 --> 00:17:46,597 Of course, is an ancient gaelic word for telephone pole. 401 00:17:46,665 --> 00:17:48,732 [laughing] 402 00:17:48,801 --> 00:17:51,635 And you got to do the whole thing in a kilt. 403 00:17:51,638 --> 00:17:54,138 As if there wasn't enough wood flying around already. 404 00:17:54,207 --> 00:17:58,242 [laughing] 405 00:17:58,311 --> 00:18:01,645 But to say danny's had success at this 406 00:18:01,714 --> 00:18:03,080 Would be an understatement. 407 00:18:03,083 --> 00:18:07,118 He currently holds three guinness world records. 408 00:18:07,186 --> 00:18:10,054 Well, I learned from one of the best in the world. 409 00:18:10,056 --> 00:18:12,523 Jamie's been throwing cabers, like he said, 410 00:18:12,525 --> 00:18:13,858 Since the early 90s. 411 00:18:13,860 --> 00:18:16,527 And it's been a pretty, pretty cool experience to, you know, 412 00:18:16,596 --> 00:18:19,597 Flip a log and make it into the guinness record book. 413 00:18:19,665 --> 00:18:21,732 Eventually they convinced me to give it a whirl, 414 00:18:21,800 --> 00:18:24,268 To try the caber toss. 415 00:18:24,336 --> 00:18:25,769 ♪ [bag pipes] ♪ 416 00:18:25,838 --> 00:18:27,638 I put on the kilt, and I thought, my god, 417 00:18:27,706 --> 00:18:30,007 Do I need one of those like weight belts, you know, 418 00:18:30,076 --> 00:18:31,542 For lifting heavy things? 419 00:18:31,611 --> 00:18:33,644 I figured my girdle would do the job. 420 00:18:33,712 --> 00:18:35,679 [laughing] 421 00:18:35,748 --> 00:18:36,780 Before you get started, 422 00:18:36,849 --> 00:18:37,948 I'm gonna give you a little bit of tape. 423 00:18:37,951 --> 00:18:39,950 And we need to put a little bit of chalk here. 424 00:18:39,953 --> 00:18:43,287 Just so the caber doesn't slip when it's on your shoulder. 425 00:18:43,289 --> 00:18:44,688 Okay, now you're looking the part. 426 00:18:44,757 --> 00:18:46,690 They put chalk on your shirt here and 427 00:18:46,759 --> 00:18:48,058 On your neck and your face. 428 00:18:48,127 --> 00:18:50,728 I was like, "I don't care, man, you know, I work in tv. 429 00:18:50,796 --> 00:18:54,265 I already got powder on my face. Do you have that in soft beige? 430 00:18:54,333 --> 00:18:56,367 'cause that sort of..." 431 00:18:56,369 --> 00:18:58,769 We're gonna set you up for success here. 432 00:18:58,837 --> 00:19:00,238 Trust me, you're in good hands. 433 00:19:00,306 --> 00:19:05,009 Lifting these immense weights is a strain on your muscles. 434 00:19:05,077 --> 00:19:07,678 I thought, you know, if my eyes pop I want it to be 435 00:19:07,746 --> 00:19:09,914 From the green in the tartan, not from... 436 00:19:09,982 --> 00:19:12,616 - [laughing] - ...Lifting heavy things. 437 00:19:12,685 --> 00:19:14,251 Building up some speed... 438 00:19:14,254 --> 00:19:16,654 And you take a few steps forward to build up speed 439 00:19:16,722 --> 00:19:19,290 Before planting your feet and launching this thing 440 00:19:19,358 --> 00:19:20,524 As hard as you can. 441 00:19:20,527 --> 00:19:22,860 And try— you want it to flip straight. 442 00:19:22,929 --> 00:19:25,262 That's the perfect— 12 o'clock is what you're, 443 00:19:25,331 --> 00:19:26,597 You're aiming for. 444 00:19:26,666 --> 00:19:27,998 More speed. Pull! 445 00:19:28,067 --> 00:19:29,200 [effort grunting] 446 00:19:29,268 --> 00:19:31,235 Now, the last one I flipped wasn't really— 447 00:19:31,303 --> 00:19:32,803 It was more sort of... 448 00:19:32,805 --> 00:19:35,606 11:30, but that's 12 o'clock in newfoundland, I'll take it. 449 00:19:35,675 --> 00:19:41,512 [laughing & applauding] 450 00:19:41,580 --> 00:19:42,780 ♪ 451 00:19:42,848 --> 00:19:44,848 You know, these days here in middleton, 452 00:19:44,917 --> 00:19:47,018 There's not quite as much industry from 453 00:19:47,086 --> 00:19:50,154 Growing fruit or lumber taken from trees. 454 00:19:50,222 --> 00:19:53,023 But there's farms around like the new folks in town 455 00:19:53,026 --> 00:19:55,693 Who are planting some crazy old seeds. 456 00:19:55,761 --> 00:19:57,761 You may have lost the railway lines, 457 00:19:57,830 --> 00:19:59,930 But you can't say it made you lazy. 458 00:19:59,999 --> 00:20:02,533 From moving trains to lifting logs, 459 00:20:02,601 --> 00:20:05,169 The feats of strength are crazy. 460 00:20:05,238 --> 00:20:07,638 You see that strength in the effort made. 461 00:20:07,707 --> 00:20:10,007 You hear it in the town cry. 462 00:20:10,009 --> 00:20:12,710 As middleton remains the heart of the valley, 463 00:20:12,778 --> 00:20:16,046 And the apple of its eye. Thanks for coming out everybody! 464 00:20:16,115 --> 00:20:17,548 You've been great. 465 00:20:17,616 --> 00:20:21,318 [cheering & applauding] 466 00:20:21,321 --> 00:20:23,787 Anytime johnny wants to come to middleton and 467 00:20:23,856 --> 00:20:27,191 Wants to go for a walk, I'm down for that. 468 00:20:27,260 --> 00:20:29,393 We really enjoyed it. 469 00:20:29,395 --> 00:20:33,530 It was uplifting, and one could feel that sense 470 00:20:33,599 --> 00:20:35,166 In the people around us. 471 00:20:35,234 --> 00:20:38,402 Learned so much about, about our own town that we didn't, 472 00:20:38,404 --> 00:20:40,037 Things that we didn't know, right. 473 00:20:40,039 --> 00:20:42,373 It was so great to see how all of the stories 474 00:20:42,441 --> 00:20:44,075 Just intertwined and... 475 00:20:44,143 --> 00:20:47,044 You know, jonny just did such a great job. 476 00:20:47,112 --> 00:20:50,414 I had a lot of fun at this show. 477 00:20:50,482 --> 00:20:51,949 Laughing is a good thing. 478 00:20:52,017 --> 00:20:52,950 One more? 479 00:20:52,952 --> 00:20:54,418 It's great to see everybody out and, 480 00:20:54,486 --> 00:20:56,354 Just a great night here in middleton. 481 00:20:56,422 --> 00:20:58,255 Jonny just hit it on the head, man. 482 00:20:58,324 --> 00:21:00,090 He hit it out of the park so, it was great. 483 00:21:00,159 --> 00:21:01,959 Ha-ha! 484 00:21:02,027 --> 00:21:03,494 Middleton, nova scotia! 485 00:21:03,496 --> 00:21:05,195 Still standing!