HELLO DIAMOND VALLEY
Well winter is in the air, we started getting cooler mornings and below zero temperatures back in September. The Farmer’s Almanac says the weather will be warmer than usual this October for Southern Alberta, and the coldest weather will be in early to mid-December, late December, and late January and February. Not much of a surprise there.
Although this summer was one of the hottest we’ve had in a long time, it wreaked some havoc for our farmers’ crops. According to the Alberta Crop Report, extreme heat and little rain had a detrimental effect on most crops, except for feed barley, dry peas, and the top two grades of canola. The South Region reports as of September 15 that 64% of crops were in the bin, 7% in swath, and 29% were still standing. There was no second cut for dryland hay. What does this mean for beef prices? Cattle prices right now range from $120-$150 cwt (this means hundredweight, or 100 pounds), but cattle prices are expected to improve in the next three years. We have always got together with friends and purchased a steer from our local rancher, and our local meat cutter does it up. It is less expensive than the big stores and the meat is so tender and lean. We also get our eggs and chickens from our local Hutterite community, it is delicious, fresh, and less expensive also. Support your local farmers and ranchers when you can, it is worth it!
North West Mounted Police Sam Steele registered the first cattle brand in Alberta in 1880, along with his partner Percy Neale, and they called their brand “71”. But one of the most famous brands belongs to the OH Ranch, which was registered by Orville Hawkins (OH) Smith, along with his partner, buffalo hunter Lafayette French, in 1881. In 1883, Frederick and James Ings bought the cattle and renamed the ranch the Rio Alto, which means high river in Spanish. During WW1, the ranch was sold to Senator Patrick Burns, also known as the Cattle King. 1950 brought yet different new owners, Bill Ardern and C.W. Roenish. They changed the name back to OH Ranch. Now the year is 1987 and famous philanthropist Daryl “Doc” Seaman bought the ranch and set aside a portion of it which was known as the OH Ranch Heritage Rangelands. Doc helped support minor hockey, co-owned the Calgary Flames, and helped build the Saddledome, along with donating one of the largest amounts in Canadian history. Around 2009, Bill Siebens bought the ranch and donated the brand and the 8000 acre Southern section of the ranch to the Calgary Stampede Foundation. The Foundation continues to preserve the ranch’s environmental and cultural heritage values. For more of this famous brand’s history, visit experiencetravelguides.com.
In addition to beef and chicken, there are a wide variety of other meats and produce to choose from right here in our beautiful Foothills. Elk, buffalo, ostrich, pork, fish, lamb, turkey, moose, venison, honey, herbs, and fruits and vegetables are just some of the other options to make your dinner more interesting. If you do a little research on what’s available in our area, you may be surprised at the many different and affordable options that surround us.
The Turner Valley Legion hosts a Farmer’s Market on Sunday mornings, until it gets too cold to do it outside. They are redoing the menu and I just want to say thank you to the volunteers, Linda, Beth, Paul, and others on the team, they really are the ones who keep our Legion going through these strange times. They won’t be holding their famous Spook House this year as things are still uncertain, but are pleased to announce Thursday wing nights are still on, and they are bringing back Texas Hold ‘Em on Wednesdays at 7pm, and darts at 7:30. As always, children are welcome and you don’t have to be a member to enjoy the friendly atmosphere at the Legion. For more information, visit them on Facebook or call 403-933-4600.
October is Celebrate your Library month. Our Sheep River Library is in Turner Valley on Main Street, and they offer tons of programs other than just reading books. Use the internet, exercise, craft, attend one of their Out Loud Series, enroll your kids in one of their kid’s programs, or join one of their clubs and groups. They are also home to the famous Sheep River Ramblers, a hiking/walking group. One of the best and most affordable pastimes around, I think I paid $12 for a year library card, for more information, drop by or go to sheepriverlibrary.com.
October is also Fire Safety Month. Remember to test your smoke detectors, this should be done monthly and only takes a minute! Have a fire escape plan
for your home and practice it. There are many websites that offer tips on the above so make a plan to do this once and for all. Hopefully there will never be a fire in your home but just a little bit of time of planning and checking can avoid the nightmare of a house fire.
Another special day in October is International Aging Persons Day, on October 1. In 1948, the United Nations sought to promote the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by older persons. 1982 saw the U.N. starting to highlight the situation of older persons by adopting the World Assembly on Aging. Then in 1990 they proclaimed October 1 as International Day of Older Persons, and the first one was celebrated in 1991. Many of us have busy lives and sometimes our older family and members of the community are ignored. Personally, I love chatting with older people as they have a lifetime of experiences! How can we observe the principles of this special day? You can simply call up an older person and chat, offer to help with things that they may be finding to be a chore, or volunteer. Become an advocate. The U.N. says “enhanced attention to the particular needs and challenges faced by many older people is clearly required.” It’s important to recognize the essential contributions of the majority of older people and that they can continue to contribute to the functioning of society.
Have you been cleaning out your closets and would love to get rid of items that you no longer have a use for? Well, the Millarville Racetrack is hosting their annual Community Garage Sale on October 9. Prepay for your table which are $15 or 3 or more tables are $10 each. The Sale runs from 9-3. The Racetrack is also hosting a Halloween Howl on October 29. This event is a 50 plus year tradition and volunteers are needed to help host. If you can help out and make use of the Halloween costumes you have tucked away, please email melonie@mras-track.com. Just in case things get crazy again, both events are subject to cancellation, so please check before heading out.
Yay, the music is back! Beneath the Arch Concert Series is excited to present their first concert since the start of COVID, the Weber Brothers Duo. Since their teens, Ryan and Sam Weber have been playing music and have been backed by Ronnie Hawkins, Jeff Healey, and many more. Thanks to sponsors for this show, the Black Diamond Hotel, David Hough, QC, and Country Food Mart. The show is scheduled for October 23 at 7:30 and they will be asking for proof of double vaccinations at the door. For tickets or more information, visit beneaththearch.ca.
And the Red Deer Lake Church is pleased to present John Reischmann and the Jaybirds, a bluegrass and gospel group, on October 29. This group hails from all over, including San Francisco, Chilliwack, Spokane, and Los Angeles. The show starts at 7:00 in the beautiful church for a wonderfully unique experience. Also get your tickets early for Christmas with the Mabels on November 28 at 3 pm. For tickets or more information, visit reddeerlakeuc.com.
The Leighton Art Centre is a historical art gallery, museum, and art education center located on 80 acres near Millarville, and they hold exhibits most of the year round. They have launched a new juried group exhibit called “In the Open Air”, which is a special way of painting that captures light and colour on a landscape. The exhibit runs from September 11 – October 24, and they are open Tuesday -Sunday from 10-4. Admission is by donation. Leighton has its beginnings in 1974 and continues to operate today as a not for profit organization. For more info, go to leightoncentre.org.
Lastly, I see they are installing traffic lights at the corner of Big Rock Trail and Highway 7, or the “S” bends as we like to call it. They should be up and running by the time of publication so please be aware of the new lights and please pay attention, as this intersection has been the site of several accidents.
If you have any events or news happening for November, please email me at elaine.w@telus.net. The deadline for this issue is October 15.
Happy Autumn!
Elaine Wansleeben
