Alberta 2010 I can see for miles

After DC, we flew into Alberta, Canada, where we were warmly greeted by Steve Larocque (Beyond Agronomy) and Karen Daynard, both fellow Scholars. Steve had organised this leg of our tour and I was looking forward to it.

Alberta is a land full of rolling hills of crop after crop devoid of any tree of consequence. A population of pick ups on steroids that the US would envy was the norm.

Once again, the talk of too much rain was on the agenda. So much so that wheat planting had been delayed and in some cases abandoned leading up to our arrival. Yellowing of flooded crop was apparent and common (which is uncommon for the area).

A highlight of the trip for me was a farm stay with John Mills, a young farmer who's approach to farming was as interesting as it was innovative. His approach to running his business (Eagle Creek Farms) is diverse, with a “U pick” (you pick the produce yourself) garden, a seasonal maize and sunflower maze that would be best described as agritourism and Seed Potato business. John is also selling the shares in a “season” and whatever is produced in it. He drops off the produce to all his shareholders at a predetermined sight. A little different to just waiting until harvest and taking a price.

A visit and lunch with Ben Wooley of Sunterra was also noteworthy. This is a farm business that has become vertically integrated and is now taking market share from the large supermarket chains. With a base in livestock production focused on beef, sheep and pigs this business butchers and then markets its own product in it's 9, soon to be 10, retail outlets. Their strength lies not in cheap produce, but in the stores themselves. Just walking in to one will fill your senses with the aroma of food being cooked and prepared. Glass cabinets full of inviting treats from cheese to coffee scrolls fill the store. Chefs preparing and cooking food in clear view, willing to give advice freely to the customer all add to their stores appeal. I would best describe it as a hybrid supermarket. You can sit down for a meal or shop for the ingredients that make up that meal.

Manson farm was also an interesting visit with cows worth over a million dollars in their possession. The blood stock of milking cows was not unlike race horses in their ownership. I was surprised at the fact that some were syndicated and worth larger sums of money than I ever thought. We were all amazed when they escorted out the largest cow I have ever seen in my life. Standing one and a half metres at the shoulder she dwarfed every other Holstein I saw on our entire trip.

Steve did a great job on this leg of our trip and I have only covered a small fraction of what he showed us. His knowledge and contacts proved to be varied and valuable. Our time went all too quickly in Alberta.