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Smart 55: Pioneer shares brand

Rudy Johnson (right) and family friend Adele Hamilton on Saturday night at the Laughing Loon Restaurant a "Branding Party."
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Rudy Johnson (right) and family friend Adele Hamilton on Saturday night at the Laughing Loon Restaurant a 'Branding Party

Rudy Johnson (right) and family friend Adele Hamilton on Saturday night at the Laughing Loon Restaurant a "Branding Party," held  to celebrate Highlands Irrigation Ltd. 40th year in business anniversary.

Clients and guests of Dick and Donna Ford were invited to bring their brands and "brand" them on old rails from the Rudy Johnson Bridge.

Pioneer Log Homes replaced some planks on the "Rudy Johnson Bridge"and was wise enough to save the old boards not knowing where or when they would be used.

During the renovations and addition of the new patio at the Laughing Loon restaurant they found a spot!  Now customers of the Laughing Loon restaurant can enjoy the history on the deck.

With the success of the "Timber Kings" TV show, HGTV took this opportunity to film this unusual celebration for the fall season.

Rudy and Helen Johnson purchased the "Buckskin Ranch" (18 km from Williams Lake) from Jim and Peggy Keefe in 1960.

Tradition dictates that the "brand" stays with the ranch, so the Johnson's inherited the brand which had been brought all the way from Colorado with the Keefe's in the early 1900s.

The iron brand is over a 100 years old and consists of a lazy "T" laying down and "I".  The "Buckskin" brand was one of many included in the Branding Party.



Monica Lamb-Yorski

About the Author: Monica Lamb-Yorski

A B.C. gal, I was born in Alert Bay, raised in Nelson, graduated from the University of Winnipeg, and wrote my first-ever article for the Prince Rupert Daily News.
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