pictorial history
M.L. Shaw Jr. and Ernest Gunther 1918 – This is the oldest image we have of the farm.
January 1949 – Armed with a new camera, ML Shaw took this image of a Ford Ferguson tractor, sporting a new cab which they built in the basement of Winthrop’s home on Hildreth Street. It’s pulling a load of snow on a hydraulic trailer that Warren (Sr.) and Winthrop built.
Shaw Farm as it looked in the 1920’s – This is the one of the oldest images we have of the barn.
The hydraulic trailer was really made to haul and dump manure from the barn. Here it’s shown hauling it’s first load from the barn.
M.L. Shaw 1922 – With Prince and Harry
Here the manure trailer, dubbed “The Shaw Special”, in it’s full up position.
M.L. Shaw Jr. and George Hoar – This scene from about 1924 shows ML and George on a sleigh. Years later, when the government was collecting metal for WWII, the sleigh went into a bonfire, and the metal was sold for the war effort.
1949 – There was lots of snow that winter. Here the “Shaw Special” dumps a load of snow removed from the front of the barn.
ML Sr. and Annie – Mark Loran Shaw Sr, and his wife, Annie Hutchinson Shaw, in front of the barn. Mclass 1920’s.
Louden Co. Manure Trolley – Manufactured by Louden Manufacturing of Fairfield, Iowa, the installation of a Louden “Litter Carrier” made manure collection easier. Overhead trolleys of various types are still made by the company today.
ML Sr. and Annie – 1928, ML Shaw Sr (b. July 16th, 1866 d. Oct 6th, 1933), ML Shaw Sr (b. July 16th, 1866 d. Oct 6th, 1933), Annie Hutchinson (b. Nov 11th, 1866 d. July 21st, 1961)
Trolly ready to dump manure – This shows the final position of the trolly, ready to dump another load of manure into the “Shaw Special” wagon.
1927 – Albert Shaw 20 years old, in front of our 1927 Dodge Brothers truck. It was a one ton, with body by Graham. They called it a Graham Dodge.
Farm-All H Tractor with winter modifications – We installed a windscreen and a plow blade on a frame to deal with the rough winter. Winter 1949
1925 – ML Sr. with Prince and the converted Pollards delivery wagon.
Not one to be daring, ML Shaw (Sr.) poses on a slightly raised plow blade, urged on by Winthrop. Winthrop later mentioned that his dad seemed “scared to death.”
Prince pulling the delivery wagon
With ML (Sr.) at the wheel, Rolland and Winthrop take a rclasse to the top in this daring photograph from January 1949. Do not try this at home.
Lowell Sun article from the 1950’s – Showing the AG Pollard delivery wagon, which became the Shaw Farm Milk Truck.
November 10, 1949 – After Winthrop moved to California to deal with emphezema, this image was taken showing a new Chevrolet pickup, and a Ford farm truck. Leah Huse is shown sitting on the cab of the Ford, at age 4.
1929 – ML Sr. in front of a fine crop of corn.
1950 – Albert Shaw with his dog, in front of a step-in milk truck.
1933 – Winthrop Shaw (12 years old) on tractor, preparing soil to plant corn.
Milk Bottle Washer – In our milk processing plant, this machine washes returned glass milk bottles. 1952
1933 – The farm purchased this used Shaw Duall tractor in 1933. This was the first tractor the farm owned. The spikes in the rear steel wheels made it difficult to maneuver on our rocky soil. And there were no brakes when pulling a load. It was used for one year.
Walter Biedron Sr bottling milk – In our milk pocessing plant approx 1952
1934 Chevrolet delivery truck.
Ted Hudzik using a hay tedder – Our neighbor, Teddy, using a hay tedder, pulled by his horse, Jerry. about 1952
1955- ML Shaw Jr.
Drinking from the water well – 1934, Albert Shaw drinking water from the original well on the farm. It was located about 50 feet south of the shed on the end of the barn. The site of the original well was later used as a pig pen.
ML Shaw’s Home – Located at 211 New Boston Road, in Fall of 1956
1935 – Milk Cooling, Raw milk from the cows was cooled on this device. The top tank had clothespins holding flannel. The milk was poured in through the flannel and it was drawn out through a spigot that could regulate the low of milk as it went into the top tray. The tray had small holes. As the milk flowed out, it spread over tubes with cold brine running through them. Milk cans caught the cooled milk, which were then brought to the milk plant for pasteurization and bottling.
1957 – Summer scene at Shaw Farm
Warren Shaw Senior – Tall Corn 1957
1935 – Milk Bottling machine, This large rectangular receiving tank had 12 spigots with rubber grommets on the bottom. It would facilitate a case of milk under it, and when the lever was pulled down, would fill 12 bottles of milk at once.
1957 – Bob Gagnon standing with Warren Shaw, Jr., loading corn into silo next to a corn elevator.
1935 – Ray Moran and Albert Shaw in front of the milk house with milking cans.
1959 – Showing the barn, and the Farm-All Model H tractor used for years and years on the farm.
1936 – Winthrop Shaw pulling a “bundle loader” with an F-12 Farm-All, which the farm purchsed new in 1934, replacing the Shaw Duall.
1960 – Before the first farm store was constructed.
1937 – Albert Shaw with the newest of the fleet, a 1937 International pick up truck.
1960 – Large double load of hay going by the Shaw Farm on the way to the Steve Neofotistos farm nearby.
1937 – Winthrop Shaw on a wagon load of green oats, pulled by a team of horses, Joe and Thearies.
Tractor working – Two Ferguson tractors plowing corn field on Shaw farm by Warren Shaw Sr. and Bob Gagnon. Spring 1960
1937 – The summer that this picture was taken was a grueling one. A retaining wall had to be built to facilitate an expected silo, against the steep hill to the back of the barn. The wall is still there today. A storage shed would also be installed, which stood until the constrcution of the new barn in 2002.
Summer 1960 – ML Shaw’s flower garden
1938 Silo – A “Harder” 32 foot silo was installed in one day, early in 1938, by the Harder factory installer, who came from New York to set it up. Notice the pine trees on the hill, behind the barn. These were blown down by the big un-named catagory 3 hurricane of 1938. The timber was collected, brought to a local mill, and the boards were used to build many of the older structures still standing on Shaw farm today.
Out the window on a snowy day – During the winter of 1960, this image was taken out the window of ML Shaw’s home, looking at the barn.
Albert Shaw – Sharpening a scythe, about 1939
Spraying for army worm – Warren Shaw Sr standing on the running board, overseeing the spraying for army worm, only seen once every decade or so. The spraying was urgent. 1961
1943 – Mechanized corn cutting, Corn bundle loader cuts the corn, and collects it in 70 pound bundles. The bundles are gathered by hand, and loaded onto a truck.
Albert Shaw – approximately Fall 1961, getting mail in front of 195 New Boston Road, the site of our farm.
1943 – collecting bundled corn, Ben Sanford loading corn bundles on the converted flatbed 1937 GMC truck.
Collecting hay Summer 1962 – Robert Gagnon, standing on ground, in front of 1946 Ford Truck, with Warren Shaw Jr. and his sister Ruth standing on top.
Spring 1944 – March 1944 finds ML Sr. and Winthrop Shaw in their new Dodge step-in truck. This was a big improvement over the open bed pick up trucks, which required a heavy quilt be pulled over the milk to keep it from getting warm on the route. The back of the new truck was well insulated.
Wally Biedron unloading corn – At age 12, Wally was already working hard on the farm. Wally is the current Shaw Farm herdsman. Approx 1968.
September 1944 – (L to R) Winthrop Shaw, Eleanor, Virginia (would later marry Winthrop), and ML Jr. on the four tractors used during the war years.
First milk transit railroad at Shaw Farm – This railed cart system moved milk from the barn to the milk processing plant. This system was replaced by rubber wheeled trailers in 2000.
Septerber 23, 1944 – Johnny Huse (left) on our Farm-All Model H, and ML Sr (right) on a Farm-All Model M, gorrowed from Dan Hanson, a feed representative for the local co-op. Dan owned a farm, which we rented to raise heifers and keep our dry cows until they calved.
1964 – 4-H project. First calves raised by Warren Shaw, Jr.
Warren Shaw Sr. and Jr. – Approximately Fall 1965, Warren Sr. and Warren Jr. posed for this image while chopping corn.
September 25, 1948 – After the war, real automation came to Shaw Farm. Warren Shaw (Sr.) with a field chopper. This chopper would chop the corn in the field, and had a blower on the back that would blow the chopped corn into the truck. Shown is a 1937 GMC truck.
Warren Shaw Jr. – Chopping corn in 1972
Warren Shaw Sr. (L), Nancy Shaw (C), Nancy’s brother Richard Kinports (R) – This photo from 1977 shows Warren Sr, along with his wife, Nancy, and her brother, Richard. Richard worked at the farm in the early 1950’s.
Win and Virginia Shaw at the 100th Anniversary, Shaw family from all around the US made the trip.
1999 Weather Vane on the New Ice Cream stand
Warren and team broadcasted from the event
1999 Farm store – The farm store, and milk plant, which has served us well for producing and selling milk, ice cream, and other items replaced with a new facility in 2008.
We had milking contests for the kclasss
1999 New Ice Cream Stand – we opened our new ice cream stand across the road from the farmhouse and barn. We serve all of the ice cream delights you might expect.
The new barn is completed, and on October 14th, 2002 Warren leads the first visitors on a tour of the new barn. This is the most modern dairn barn anywhere in the area. You can sign up for a farm tours on our webpage.
1999 – This scene, featured on our first web site has remained basically unchanged since 1938. See 1938 pictures for comparison.
The new barn – The farm has never looked better, and the cows have never been more comfortable. Our herd expanded significantly at this time.
July 2002 – In the summer of 2002, we tore down the shed attached to the old barn, to make room for the construction of the new barn addition.
The cows live on cushioned mats, the feed delivery is more automated, the manure removal is automated. Come by for a visit and a tour.
Warren, and lifetime friend, Charlie Kleczkowski, watch on as the shed is demolished. Summer 2002.
September 2002 – The construction on the new barn is almost completed.
Warren Jr. and Nancy Shaw
June 2008 – 100th celebration – We had many special events, hay rclasse, face painting, and more.
MILK MILK MILK
Ice Cream Freezers in the New Store
2011 Farm Truck
Aerial Shot of the Farm 2010
The New Store Entrance
Fresh new paint job
The New Store