Town of Vonda, Saskatchewan

Moonshine Still Designer: Laurent and Ronald Bussiere

When Built: 1997 Dimensions: Unknown Construction Materials: Steel Location: South end of Main Street on Buffer Avenue (South side).

Reason for Building:

Built for the 1997 Vonda Homecoming.

Additional Information:

The plaque at the still reads as follows:
World's Largest Still
From the 1910's and on thru the years of prohibition, Vonda and Vicinity was known as the "Moonshine Capital". This is a large replica of a still used to make homebrew for personal use for special functions or selling as most of us know "Bootlegging."
The small unit is a genuine still that individuals have used. The basic concept and principle has not changed over the years.
"The mash" a mixture of sugar fruit, potatoes, grains etc. is allowed to forment.
When ready it is strained and the liquid is pumped into the broiler area. A heat supply is started. When the mash liquid is boiling the vapor rises and is forced through condensing cell turning it into a liquid or "Moonshine." This is collected into jugs or bottled and allowed to age. Sometimes products were able to clarify and speed this process up. It is said local home brewers could tell where and who made it by the taste and the color.
This replica was built by Laurent Bussiere and his son Ronald for the 1997 Vonda Homecoming. They donated it to the Town of Vonda and it was permanently installed on this site in 1998 with the assistance and approval of the Chamber of Commerce.

A Rockpicker is situated besides the still. Vonda is the home of Highline Manufacturing, makers of farm equipment including rockpickers. This particular piece was the first won built. It was built by Rosaire and Laurent Bussiere in 1959/60.

Information Source: Plaque at the Monument

Pictures Source: DMY