Morris Rod Weeder Invention Celebrated In Canada

Morris Rod Weeder Invention Celebrated In Canada For nearly 50 years, the Morris Rod Weeder helped shape farming practices across Western Canada, earning a reputation as one of the most influential agricultural innovations developed on the Prairies. Invented in 1929 by George Morris of Bangor, Sask., the machine was specifically designed to tackle a challenge familiar to prairie farmers: controlling weeds in rocky soils without damaging valuable cropland. In 2025, the invention of the Morris Rod Weeder was officially designated a national historic event, acknowledging its impact on Canadian agriculture and the ingenuity behind its creation. The nomination was submitted by Dr. Merle Massie, a professional historian specializing in Western Canadian history. “Looking at what we should celebrate and uplift in Western Canada, I found some amazing agricultural inventions,” Massie says. “There were constant innovations to match our new Canadian landscape as the techniques we brought from Europe didn’t always work here.” The designation process involved the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada, which evaluates nominations for nationally significant people, places and events. After Massie presented the case for the Morris Rod Weeder, Parks Canada historians conducted additional research and ultimately supported the nomination before returning it to the board for final consideration. A key factor in the Rod Weeder’s significance was its innovative design. The machine sheared weed roots beneath the soil surface while leaving crop residue in place, helping retain moisture and reduce soil disturbance. These advantages made it especially effective for dryland farming across the drought-prone Prairies. Additionally, Morris introduced an automatic, spring-loaded trip mechanism that allowed the machine to pass over buried stones and quickly resume operation without damage. “Morris’s tripping mechanism kept it from breaking apart when it contacted a stone. It would lift and go up and over the stone before quickly reengaging,” Massie explains. She describes the Western Canadian Morris Rod Weeder as unique and special because it solved so many regional problems, including contacting the weeds with as little soil disturbance as possible. “Farmers loved it once they saw it in action. Very few farms in Western Canada didn’t have one at some point, as it was ideally suited for efficient dryland farming in Canada’s 20th-century prairie drought conditions.” To commemorate the achievement and designation, a bronze plaque marking the invention’s historic significance will be installed at a publicly accessible location. Potential sites include Bangor, where Morris developed the machine; the Western Development Museum in Yorkton; or a site in Regina. “Morris is a name synonymous with farming in Western Canada, and the company is still in existence, going on nearly 100 years, currently as part of Superior Farm Systems,” Massie says. “The name and reverence for George Morris lives on. There are rod weeders, and then there’s the Morris Rod Weeder.” Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Dr. Merle Massie, The Do More Agriculture Foundation, P.O. Box 31044, Broadway & Taylor, Saskatoon, Sask. Canada S7H 2B0 (merle@domore.ag; www.domore.ag) or Western Development Museum-Yorkton, Box 98, Hwy. 16 A West, Yorkton, Sask. Canada S3N 2V6 (ph 306-783-8361; www.wdm.ca).

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