Inshallah Dairy Farm (1900-1928)
Inshallah Dairy Farm, 71 Ward Road, c. 1908. See it on PastVu.
Inshallah Dairy Farm was one of the companies profiled in Twentieth Century Impressions of Hongkong, Shanghai, and Other Treaty Ports of China (1908), by Arnold Wright.
“Some nine or ten years ago a mild outbreak of cholera in the Shanghai induced several foreigners to discuss the advisability of starting a farm, managed on Western lines, for the purpose of supplying milk of guaranteed purity, vegetable produce grown in cleanly surroundings. Mr. A.M.A. Evans, who have just at that time returned from Australia, where he had been buying up horses, cows and other livestock, undertook to carry out the idea, provided sufficient support was forthcoming from the leading local hotels, clubs, and private consumers. This support having been promised, Mr. Evans proceeded with the establishment of the Inshallah Dairy Farm, which was opened in 1900. The farm comprises 120 mow of land in Ward Road, in the Eastern district of the Settlement.
“A comfortable farmhouse has been built, together with a dairy, a byre with accommodation for eighty cattle and forty horses, a piggery, pigeon-cote, rabbit-burrow, and fowl runs. As there are no commons or grazing grounds in or around Shanghai it was found necessary to lay down grass - an expensive process - for seed had to be imported and experimented with to see if it would stand the variable climate. In the absence of a serviceable water supply recourse was had to an artesian well, from which water is drawn by means of a patent windmill pump. The best of cattle have been imported, and under expert supervision the farm has been able to meet the increasing demand for milk, cream, and butter. Poultry, eggs, pigeons, rabbits, flowers, and vegetables are also supplied. An experienced florist superintends the horticultural department, and is able to give special attention to orders for table decorations for private and public functions.
“The general agents for the farm are Messrs. Evans & Co., of No. 32, Nanking Road, Shanghai.”
Inshallah Dairy Farm & Stock Co. ad from 1916.
Twenty years later, in September, the farm was about to close, and the North-China Herald ran a farewell article on its pages.
“Having seen that the Inshallah Dairy, one of the oldest in Shanghai, was to be sold, the writer set out to visit it one day last week. One does not, of course, expect to find real farms out here, but one would imagine that all the dairies look much alike and would be easily distinguishable from the roadway. But not so the Inshallah. To find it one should rather look for a little doorway framed in a pergola porch, nestled beside a small bay window full of plants, all many miles away down Ward Road. The door is usually open a crack and certainly looks inviting, so that one has no trepidation in pushing it just a little further and slipping inside, into a flat courtyard, with a wooden building of the house above and on both sides. Here in the doorway almost one realize it’s just the one thing China lacks, the smell, or rather smells, of a real farm...
“Here at the threshold of the dairy the smell of earth and growing things first reaches one, then a little further, the glorious smell of fresh-cut grass lying in the sun, the smell of crushed meals, bran and maize, the smell of cow sheds, clean and fresh, and all the hundred and one smells, separate and yet one, without which no farm, in the foreign sense of the word, could be true, and if true, would be how dull and uninspiring a place!
“The Inshallah Dairy, the translation of whose name signifies “Under the protection of the Almighty”, was founded some 35 years ago by Mr. A.M.A. Evans, the present owner, who has now decided to retire from business. First it was started as a sideline only, for Mr. Evans had spent all his younger years on the farm, had learned to love animals, and found his happiest hours when working among them. Few jersey cows were imported, pigs and Hans had their place, and even if you geese and the rabbits joined in. Then Shanghai residents, who had heatherto only had unsound milk from Chinese dairies, asked one by one if Mr. Evans could arrange to supply them with milk. He did so, and gradually the farm developed, until today at the Inshallah Dairy and its grazing grounds at Chunking Road, there are 63 cows and several bulls, all pedigree animals rear by Mr. Evans from stock imported from the Carnation Farms in Canada. The rabbits, the pigs, and the geese have disappeared, but still there are a few hens who supply eggs, and the garden in which all manner of vegetables and flowers are grown for sale.
“When the farm first started at 71 Wards Road, on 120 mow of land with 80 graves scattered over it, it was far away from Shanghai, and complete peace reigned down there day and night. The Aermotor, which pumps water for the farm, was a well-known landmark for ships sailing up and down the river, but now it is hidden by many buildings and factory chimneys. The town has gradually crept down the road and close to the once isolated farm there is now the Luna Park, and trams and buses, motors and lorries stream up and down past the entry. But the farm itself lies behind the road and little can be heard of the passing traffic.
“The first building one passes on walking through the grounds is that on which stands the Aermotor windmill which crushes grain for the cattle food. The wheel of the mill is 16 feet across, but it has stood there firm as a rock since the day it was set up 25 years ago, through storm and typhoon, and works to this day as well as ever it did. The pump two, is 32 years old, and since it was erected its standards and supports have not moved one half-inch despite all the wind and weather, and it is still working smoothly and quietly, only asking one can avoid a month to keep it in good condition. The use of this pump, however, does not imply that water is not laid on at the farm - to the contrary, it is, but the expense of using waterworks water for all the vast amount that is needed for washing the cattle sheds and watering the grounds would be terrific, while the pump supplies water of the cost of one can of oil a month.
“There are other buildings on the land, besides byres and bottling sheds - houses, two new and the one in which Mr. Evans lived on when the farm was first begun, and the poultry yard sheds - but for the rest the ground is given over to pasture land for the cattle to roam in every fine day.
“From going around the farm with him, one gathers immediately how fond Mr. Evans is of all his animals, and how they care for him. Practically each animal, if he dares to pass without stopping to speak, moos gently at him until he comes back to fondle her, while she noses around and shows how much she enjoys his caress. Naturally, Mr. Evans has many interesting tales to tell of his experiences in China since 1880, and rarely has he had any trouble with his animals.
“Once there was a bull who as he grew up became troublesome and used to chivvy the Chinese who use the right of way across his field. But with Mr. Evans he was so docile that for a long time his owner could not believe the things that were told against him. However, one day Mr. Evans went to the field himself and found two old Chinese women huddled in a corner, baskets overturned, with the bull standing looking at them. Mr. Evans went up, took a hoe from one of the women, and gave the bull a beating until he retired. The bull apparently resented such treatment, and a week later when he was being treated with a gore wound, he suddenly turned on Mr. Evans, when he had his back to him reaching for medicines, and tossed him. None of the Indians and Chinese standing around made the slightest effort to help, but Mr. Evans knew the ways of bulls, so instead of getting up he just lay where he was. When the bull approached he gave him a hearty kick on the nose. The bull retired rapidly but came again only to receive the same treatment, at which he was so insulted that he simply turned around and marched straight into his stall! “That”, said Mr. Evans, “is the only time I have ever been tossed”, but he agreed that it was an uncomfortable experience, although he luckily got off with only a bruised rib.
“For six years before he came to China, Mr. Evans, who is now in his 72nd year and still gets up at 1:30 AM every day, was in India, with the transport and had control at times of over 2,000 animals - elephants, mules, horses and camels. Of these times, too, Mr. Evans has many wonderful tales to tell. When he retires from business, Mr. Evans will probably remain in China, but if it is possible, he will go to Canada.”
Mr. A. M. A. Evans, founder and proprietor of Inshallah Dairy Farm. North-China Herald, 29 September 1928.
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