One Log at a Time

Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither was Galt or any other village for that matter. Here's an interesting illustration taken from A History of Canadian Architecture Vol. 1 that demonstrates the growth of a Loyalist homestead in Upper Canada. Note that if a building was still structurally sound it was kept and re-purposed; the 1784 log cabin eventually becoming a pig shed for example. Many of the buildings are located close together - as much for safety as for ease of completing the many daily chores required of the farmer. While most trees certainly would get the axe, others were kept as a means of shielding the home from sun and wind. Fences were not only handy, they were a legal requirement in many districts - keeping your animals from wandering onto your neighbours' pasture or from obstructing narrow roads.

Sources

Harold Kalman's A History of Canadian Architecture, Vol. 1

Further Reading

Images of extant log homes in the province can be seen on the Ontario Architecture website