NB Many of the photos are copies of copies and even the most careful focusing has not always been successful.

 

 

Cornucopia

or the

 

 

'Story of Corn on the Cob

at

 

Highlands Baptist Church

1977-2006

Forth Printing

April 2006

INTRODUCTION

             “John, how would you feel about writing up the story of the Corn Roasts that have been  a fixture at Highlands Baptist  lands Baptist Church since 1977?  Would you include it in the general history that you are writing”?
 

 My answer was, “yes” and “yes” (immodesty knows no bounds) But, as Sylvia Traynor went on to say, 'there was a considerable amount of material', we came to the conclusion that perhaps a separate booklet was in order. We dutifully made and passed the  necessary motion. Ha! 

 

The material came in the form of many photographs,  some  ‘notes’  on ‘happenings’  and Sylvia’s good wishes!  Plus,  I had attended a couple of the Roasts so I knew a little about them.

As always,  there is the problem of what photos to include,  all of them, perhaps?!  Should the people in the  background be included,  or just the  ‘main’ characters,  and believe  you me there are some characters!!   OK,  what  ‘resolution’ to scan at, will the scanner burn out before the project is finished…??

  I would also like to thank those,  and you know who you are,  who have answered  questions, provided information
and have been generally  ‘supportive and helpful’
 

So, what is a Corn Roast? I asked Jeeves, you who know, know of whom I speak, and the message is are 2,184,000 hits’…. I looked at ten…I closed the web down… saw enough to know there are Corn Roasts in all kinds
of places and countries, hundreds of recipes,  a multitude of different cook pots and on and on and on!!

        Let he who has ears to roast and eyes to read….turn the pages!
 

John Tidridge
2006
Edmonton
jtidridge@interbaun.com

CORN-CREATION: It was not until Ruth and Mar were back from their annual trip down  south that the true facts of the beginning of the Corn Roast were discovered… It was learned that friends of Ruth’s family, her second parents as she  called them,  not only grew corn but  attended church where Corn Roasts were held. Mar attend one such Corn Roast,  and, according to Ruth, against his better judgment ate one of the cobs….he was sold on the idea of Corn Roasts. Corn was brought back to Edmonton, friends were called, and so the tradition began.
 

CORN-GENIAL HOSTS EXTRODONIARE: Chances are at least 112 people will meet at a prearranged, wooded  location,  on a Sunday afternoon,  with a temperature of 17 degrees, each to eat 1.8 corn cobs!  Many of the people  will have brought desserts. How do we know these amazing facts? They come from records kept by those arranging the affair.

Since 1977 those people have been the Marstens and the Bullens ! Mar.  and Ruth and Maggie and Barry have been the driving force behind the Corn Roasts.  None of them seek any credit or a place in the limelight. It would be fair to say though,  that without their continuing enthusiasm the Corn Roast  would fade away. Maggie indicated that  Ed.  Foth had also been involved in the early years.

Ed.  husband of Christine,  father of Dennis and Ruth, joined the church in the mid-fifties.  He served as a deacon and on the House Committee. The Foth’s first lived on the Fort Road, where Ed, in his spare time, operated a greenhouse. Full time he worked at a local packing plant.  After retirement the Foths lived in a home just behind and to the east of the Church. Along with his kindly nature and spirit, Ed. was noted for not wanting to put anything on paper. He served his Lord long and well.

 CORN-OGRAPHIES

Marwin & Ruth Marsten – Biography 

Marwin was born at an early age to Dalton & Amy Marsten, April 17, 1945 in Calgary; joined later by 2  brothers & a sister.   Marwin’s family moved to 8 different towns/cities ending up in Fort Smith, N.W.T. for his grade 12, where his father started up a new church.
 

Highlights from his childhood were hours riding his 2 horses; and his involvement in sports. Marwin played many sports throughout his school years, the highlights playing the Harlem  Globetrotters  &  being the Badminton Champion of Central Alberta in 1961.

Marwin attended U of C for a year where he was encouraged to find something else to study; this corresponded with his first exposure to television. He returned to the North working with Northern Transportation,  Pine Point  &  then the N.W.T Highways department in Hay River in  ’66. Here he met Ruth Meyer. The rest is history.

Ruth,  born in Lethbridge to Otto  &  Elinor M eyer,  on November 20,  1944; was the oldest in  a family of five. She spent her childhood in Lethbridge kept busy playing sports with her brothers, swimming, baby sitting her younger siblings and sewing.  After high school Ruth followed her dream and became a nurse, training in Lethbridge.Graduating, her first job was in Hay River, NWT in 1966, where she met Marwin.

They married May 18, 1968 residing in Hay River for the first 4 years; Ruth continued to work in the Hospital, Marwin for the Government. Marwin continued to play basketball; being picked to  play for Inuvik in the Arctic Winter Games 1969. As a couple they curled until the birth of the first 2 of their 3 beautiful children, Arlene & Karen, after which the  fun was over.

In 1972 they moved to Calgary believing God would provide for them; 8 months later they moved to Edmonton, Marwin having been hired by Mix the Mover. Ruth began nursing at the Charles Camsell Hospital.   They bought their first home in 1974 in Beverly next to Helen & Rene Haasdyk who invited them to come to Highlands Baptist.
 

This was the beginning of  beautiful relationships; hours of teaching Sunday  School, leading Pioneer Girls, keeping
church books, Bible Studies &, of course, the Corn Roasts.
 

After the birth of their third child, David, Ruth stayed home  for the next 10 years to raise their family, going back to work at the Charles Camsell Hospital in ’84, the Dickensfield Nursing Home  in ’88 and the Gimbel Eye Centre in ’96 where she still works. Marwin worked for Mix Bros./Mix the Mover until he bought the Mix the Mover section in 95, which he still operates today.
 

There was a short absence when the couple surprised their children by purchasing a Gold mine in Northern BC.  This was an effective way of encouraging grown children to leave  home. After their adventure they purchased

During that time Barry went back to school and began teaching again. Maggie also began a long
career working with abused women and children.  The young family moved to an acreage in Sherwood
Park the 1982 but remained  involved at Highlands.
 

Barry and Maggie Bullen
         

Barry and Maggie were married in 1969 in London England. A daughter, Donna,  arrived in October 1972. The family moved to Edmonton in 1975 for Barry to work as the  youth pastor at Highlands Baptist Church. Another daughter, Lisa, was born in May 1976: a son Peter, arrived in June 1978.

a home in Sherwood Park where they still reside. Since 2001 they have been going south to Wycliffe Bible Translators base near Dallas Texas in the winter to help out any way they can and to avoid the cold.

 Barry retired from teaching in 2002.  They recently moved back into the neighbourhood  into Beverly and enjoy being close to friends. Maggie is still working on a part-time basis with abused women and Barry can sometimes be seen driving a school bus for special events.

They are often seen in the mornings at McDonald’s drinking coffee with their other retired friends.                          
south on
17 St NE then to the river. There was a trail, probably ½ mile along the river to an
open spot where a fire
 

CORN-STITUENCIES:  So, where is such an event held? The first Roast, held in 1977, at a spot east of Clareview on 153 Avenue, then could be made.  The author will not bore you with the details except to say that the directions given by Mar were accurate, and should have posed no problem unless one’s thinking is ten years out of date…like the author’s!  The location is actually very easy to find!! The trail was indeed overgrown  so much so that it was with fear and trepidation the author ventured into unknown territory!
 
Regarding the pictures,  apologies are expressed for the lack of leaves, presence of snow and absence of Corn Roasters…however, in late February?! One can but imagine what a pleasant area this is in summer,  with the close proximity to the river and the exclusion of ‘urbanization’!!

Then for a few years it was held at [not in!!] a pond near the late Ron and June Mixs' property. Mar says the pond was on the Apex Gravel property, which was the east end of 153 Avenue, then probably a mile across the field. Barb and Norm Hotte, searched for pictures but thought the only ones they had were 'movies'. 

For at least one occasion the Roast was held at the Strathcona Science Park. This park, which is part of the Capital City Park trail system, in connected to Rundle Park by a pedestrian bridge. Located 1 km east of Edmonton the park provided ample space for the Corn Roast.  The park is operated by Alberta Community Development.
 
Later, most of the Roasts were held at the Bullen Place. This two-storey, 2000 square  foot home was in Sherwood Park;  nestling in just over three acres (one and a bit hectares?!) of nicely wooded lands, the home and grounds provided an excellent spot for the Roasts. The home is a mere 25 or 35 or 45 or 95 minute drive from Edmonton, depending of course, where you lived in Edmonton, and your sense of direction. 

The Bullens are the consummate hosts!                                  
 

For at least one year the Roast was held at the Wilson-Clark home at 3201-211 Avenue NE which is country enough for any Corn Roast.

The last one for this record (2006) was held on the grounds of Delwood Church, 6712-Delwood Rd.   This was part of the program to reintroduce the church to the neighbourhood.    A modicum of success was enjoyed!
 
It goes without saying that if you have no photos of the actual event you have to improvise…so,  you here you have the building and the lands….no people…VISUALIZE!!!

CORN ROASTS: This definition was found in Encarta a web information service, “a social occasion at which people roast and eat corn on the cob over an open fire”.  The  author’s  knowledge of cooking is restricted to boiling eggs,  pancakes and  ‘chicken in a hurry’,  but  roasted to him has always meant in an oven. It is apparent the corn is boiled or did he miss something here? Moving on…
 

Does the Corn Roast, held by Highlands Baptist Church, meet this definition? You bet your corn cobs it does. But, more about that later.
 

CORNESTIAL’  MEDIATION:  Prior to start of any cooking the two couples responsible for the event eat lunch together, meditate and probably console each other, preparing for the next 3-6 very busy hours. The fire pit is prepared, using a grate made by Alan McLean, the late son of Bruce and Helen McLean,  brother of David.  The water is heated,  and,  in varying numbers, the cobs are inserted and cooked to perfection.

    2.  Cook with the husk on.

The second recipe came from the Laotian folks attending the church. Vieng Yong Keo and Nhyouyvanisvong Vilay Vilay
 

CORN-RECIPES:  Ruth was adamant that corn cobs had to be kept cool in order for the full favour to be realized…
absolutely adamant…if they were not kept cool the sugar turned to starch and …. well you get the picture.

It was with difficulty that the recipes were extracted from, you know who…but it was determined that there are at least two recipes that produce the excellent tasting corn.  You    will note there is no mention of the brand of the butter/margarine used or the type of salt, one must be thankful for the excellent choices of the hosts. No one has ever been heard to complain of the quality or quantity of food supplied. This goes for the excellent desserts usually in the form of water melon.

    1.  De-husk and boil (roast?)

CORN-TRETEMPS: An Agatha Christie word meaning, “an inopportune and embarrassing occurrence”. OK if you can imagine this…for the first few years of the Corn Roasts, the Marstens would drive to Taber, on the day of the Roast, pick up the corn and then return for the event!  On one occasion the vehicle ran out of gas near Vulcan, while travelling to Taber. They had to stay in the van for seven hours,  with no heat or warm clothes.    However, not  only did they get the corn, the journey   back  to Edmonton was completed just thirty minutes before the Roast was scheduled to start.
     
CORN ON THE RUN: After several years of picking up the corn the Marstens must have  created quite an impression in Taber as a farmer actually delivered the corn to Edmonton for a few years. After a while it was decided to shop locally and consequently we have been customers of Kuhlmann's, a north east Edmonton  business, who have always  given the Church a deal and sometimes charged nothing at all for the corn. 

CORN-OGRAPHERS

 

Those to blame for photographs taken over the years are:  Barry and Maggie Bullen, Brian  Massey,  Al Benson and Norm Hotte.  (There may be others who have escaped detection.)
 

CORN-GREGATING:  It is obvious from the definition provided earlier that one criterion for a successful Corn Roast is that it be a ‘social’ gathering. The Highlands Baptist Corn Roast certainly qualifies.    Members,      friends,   acquaintances -? Getting to know one another better?  Fellowship? Renewing friendships? Reviewing plans? Probably, all of the foregoing.

The male attendees await the event with great anticipation …. As shown in the photographs.

The men look forward to a feeding frenzy …… They can barely control themselves … and not having dishes to do afterwards either…let’s at it.  While,  of course,  some  may say they  are not dressed for  dinner…at least they looked dressed ready for the kill!!

Men use these occasions to exhibit their excellent taste in dress.

It is obvious these men have risen to the occasion.  They are to be commended for their decorous outfits. But after all it is to  be expected…what we can say…it just comes natural to us!!


The women on the other hand are ….

                                                       Cooking                              Mothering                                     Pondering


 

 They, of course during the proceedings, have engaged in other activities worthy of mention.  In these particular fields the women are far superior to other gender,  having studied hard and long. Who but a fool would argue with them!!
 

Clarity
 

 Decisiveness
 

Determination 

                            
                               
 Those of a more relaxed nature simply sit and entertain or are entertained. The age range is from very young to mature. The Bullen site, used more than  most,  offers a woodland setting…lots of things for     the children  (young and old) to do.

For the more energetic there is a volley ball/soccer area. Parents can relax; someone  is always looking  out for the children. 


Just a carefree afternoon all round!!  There would also be a fair number of birds and other wild life in the area….not that anyone would have time to check!! All in all a little bit of heaven on earth…. 
                               
 

CORN-TROL OF QUALITY

Quality Control is of the utmost importance to ensure that people keep coming back, year after year after year…

It’s a tough job, but, someone has to do it, and smile at the same time. We are happy  to report we have not lost a patron due to bad food!!
 

CORN-TINUITY: Some may worry as to the future of the Corn Roast…never fear… There are plenty of babies and youngsters just itching to get their hands on a cob of corn!!
 

And, as well, there were some young adults in attendance …. Where did those young men go to!! No doubt on the soccer/football field!!


 

THOSE WHO HAVE PASSED ON

TO A BETTER PLACE : It is inevitable that when an event has run for almost 30 years some of those who attended have passed onto to ‘a better place’… here are some captured on film…

 

TO ANOTHER PLACE: People move on or away from all kinds of organizations everyone who moved from the Corn Roast is pictured…..

The last page of this story will include some ‘diverse’ photographs….

 

PHOTOGRAPHS