KAGAWONG – It was never meant to be a book originally, but for those fortunate enough to have heard some of Ed Burt’s interesting and colourful stories over the years, you will no doubt be happy that he recently released his second book, ‘Tales of a Journey: A Young Man’s Adventure with Travel, Tractors and Nature.’

An engaging storyteller, Mr. Burt of Kagawong relates stories of his boyhood, adolescence and adult life on his own Manitoulin Island farm.

Along the way you will meet some of Ed’s friends and companions along the way, animal or human, including a boss with a sense of mischief, Millie the mink, the likeable Gertrude, and stories about sucker fishing, building a boat, smelt fishing, maple syrup, cutting wood in winter, living out west, getting started on his own farm, and many more. 

“I never intended to turn this into a book,” Mr. Burt told the Recorder. “A couple of members of my family wanted to know about what things were like when I was growing up. So, I thought I would write two or three pages, then I started using a recorder talking about some of the stories over the years. I would add one more little story after another.”

“So then after awhile I thought maybe I should get this thing edited and put a cover on it,” said Mr. Burt. He stressed that the book would never become a reality without the efforts of the book’s editor Kate Thompson.

“The book takes in when I was going to school and some of my adventures over the years,” continued Mr. Burt. “At that time (1940s-1950s) money was pretty scarce. I remember being about nine or 10 when I tendered for and got the janitor job at our local school. Forty dollars per year at the Little No. 1 school in Gordon where the golf course (Manitoulin Golf) is now located. Our family farm was where the Gordon cemetery is now located, and I walked to school.”

“There were no snowplows in those days to clear the roadways, and there was no electricity or busses,” said Mr. Burt. 

“I quit school when I was 13,” said Mr. Burt. “I went out west for the last harvest excursion. There was a labour shortage so I went out to Alberta to work in the grain farms. I went out to Saskatchewan when I was 16. I list a few stories from those days, and two or three stories of my experiences and people I met when I moved to Alberta the next year.”

Mr. Burt noted, “I was going to stay out west.” However, one of life’s journeys would take place and change the young Ed Burt’s plans and he returned to Manitoulin Island when his father was seriously injured and he had to take over running the family farm until he recovered. 

“I farmed with a horse, had an old crosscut saw and planted corn and grain,” he said, noting that after returning to Manitoulin he met a young lady, Elda, “who would end up being my wife at the end of the year.”
“It’s interesting how a truck accident (involving his father) can completely change your life—it is just one of life’s journeys and adventures,” said Mr. Burt.

“If it wasn’t for Kate (Thompson) this book wouldn’t have happened. She had been helping me with the book, taking my ramblings and turning them into real stories,” said Mr. Burt. However, “she got sick and said I would have to give the book to someone else to work on. But I said ‘no, we would wait until she got better.’ We waited a year, and she said she was feeling better, and asked what I had done on the book. I said, ‘nothing.’ It took between two to three years in total to get the book finished. But it never would have happened without her.”

As it states in part on the back of the book, “as in Ed’s first book, ‘My Journey in the Garden,’ you will find in ‘Tales of a Journey’ the same reverence for nature, sense of humour, practicality and willingness to learn.” 

It’s a great read, and this reporter has not only read the book once, but has read several of the stories several times since. 

The book was printed by O.J. Graphics, with photographs in the book by Stephanie Burt Hillyard. The book is available at the Manitoulin West Recorder, The Manitoulin Expositor, Almaz Health Food Store in Gore Bay, Central Pharmacy and Robertson’s IDA both of Gore Bay, and from Ms. Thompson at 705-377-4411 or Mr. Burt 705-282-2886.