September 25, 2018 Country Booster by The Camrose Booster

The paper created EXCLUSIVELY for farm families and rural residents of east central Alberta

Always better â&#x20AC;&#x201C; always better read

16 Pages

September 25, 2018

Photo by Mike Ploner

g n i p o c S t u o it

Bryce Fleck, firearms expert at Canadian Tire in Camrose, takes a look through the sights of this rifle, in preparation for the deer hunting season which opens November 1. The season for upland birds and water fowl opened on September 1. Accomplished hunters are aware of the important steps they must take to have a safe season, which includes the detailed care and maintenance of their firearms. Country Booster staff writer, Lori Larsen, takes a look in this edition at shotgun and rifle safety as well as the rules and regulations surrounding the use of firearms in the Province of Alberta. You can find her story on page 12.

News Features

Inside...

A variety of merchandise and services: Farm supplies, equipment and services, auctions, homes, building supplies, financial, real estate hunting supplies and more!

Le Tour de lâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Alberta to celebrate 25 years . . . . . . . 3 Producers receive short-term tax relief . . . . . . . . . . 6 Firearm checks during hunting season . . . . . . . 12 Little House on the Slough Column by Lisa Kaastra . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

www.camrosebooster.com

Win a photo of your farm! See page 16

The COUNTRY BOOSTER, September 25, 2018 – Page 2

Le Tour de l’Alberta to celebrate 25 years By Murray Green

The Edmonton Bicycle and Touring Club has been organizing the Tour de l’Alberta for many years. Next summer’s edition on July 23, 2019 will be the 25th anniversary of the event. Allen Jacobson, manager of Tour de l’Alberta and Charles World provided tour information to councillors on Sept. 11 and invited them to take part in the event by greeting and serving refreshments to the participants. “The event started with Don Petty waking up one morning after the Tour de France and thinking we should have an event like that here. He phoned his friends in short notice to tour with him and they declined, so he completed 160 kilometres by himself,” recalled Charles. “We have gone from one rider to as many as 1,400 riders on our 20th anniversary. We anticipate heavy ridership with our 25th anniversary.” The tour starts and ends in Beaumont, but runs through Camrose County and has a stop at Miquelon Lake. It will be a celebration of cycling,

community and culture. Cyclists can ride 50, 100 or 160 kilometres. “This event is community friendly, inclusive and very engaging,” said Allen. “Every stop has food and refreshments. It is an opportunity to engage with the riders and volunteers and we are hoping that the reeve and council will join us. Last year, it was plus 30 at the event, so we need help passing out watermelon and hydration.” The two longest rides will have a stop at the Miquelon Lake Provincial Park. “Volunteers cut up watermelon, arrange snacks and hand out water. We extended the offer to help out to all of council,” said Allen. This past summer about 300 riders were in the 50km event, 500 in the 100km and 200 in the 160km distance. “Riders come from all over North America. We had one rider from Pittsburgh who was trying to take part in a 160km event in every state and province. We had the only 160km event in Alberta, so he was here,” said Charles. Councillor Doug

Murray Green, Camrose Booster Charles World, left, and Allen Jacobson, right, of Le Tour de l’Alberta presented Camrose County Reeve Don Gregorwich with items from last year’s event that goes through the Miquelon Lake area.

Lyseng asked about insurance. Both the riders and the event itself have insurance. “We have medical stations, motorcycle outriders and support vehicles going with the riders. In all, about 200 volunteers. I’m proud to say last year

we only had one case of heat stroke. Other than that is has been an accident free event for us,” explained Allen. “We go through about 30km of County roads. Again, we encourage everyone to get

involved with us on our 25 anniversary,” added Allen. “You have given a dimension to your event that I didn’t realize. You have given some depth to an event that is very community minded,” said Reeve Don Gregorwich.

Primary Care assists out patients By Murray Green

FOOD ARTISANS

Submitted Sherri Langford was the August winner of the Camrose County Food Artisans program that promotes locally grown products. She received a $100 value food basket. People are encouraged to enter their name for the September draw at Farmers’ Markets or the County office.

The Primary Care Network (PCN) system of looking after area patients is on course. Stacy Strilchuk, executive director, of the PCN updated both the City of Camrose and Camrose County councils on the progress of the PCN. “The province is putting a stronger focus on primary care. I believe that if we do it right in primary care within the community, such as prevention and selfmanagement, often you will see a reduction in hospital stay and re-admission. We want to have you in your home longer and be more active, and those are the good things that we want,” explained Stacy. Prevention is less costly than treatments and bed stays. “We are well situated to serve Camrose, Camrose County and the east corridor. We try to ensure we have enough health care providers to support the population. We know in our PCN catchment area we have about 36,000 people and 40 to 50 physicians,” added Stacy. “We are maintaining those numbers and our attachment rate is quite big. We are looking at a 95 to 97 per cent attachment rate in our catchment area. That means almost every patient that leaves our care has a family doctor to go to for follow up treatment.”

The PCN has done a good job in recruiting and keeping doctors in our area. “We went through a rough patch of doctors retiring, but we were able to attach patients to new doctors.” Another change for local doctors is the amount of time they spend visiting patients in the hospital. The hospitalist program allows the patients to see a doctor, without tying family doctors up by making rounds. “We have four really strong physicians that have taken on the responsibility as hospitalists. What that has done is quite incredible. One statistic that I have been really looking at is when someone is admitted, how long is their stay. On average we were quite high. We were at 10 to 11 days per patient. Some are complex and yes, they need to stay in that long. But, because of our program with the hospitalists, the discussion is happening around the time of admission.” The average stay at the hospital (St. Mary’s) is now down to seven days. “That is a huge shift. It’s one thing to say we are getting them out of the hospital quicker, but the other number I look at is re-admission rates. Our re-admission rates are coming down. Those individuals are being cared for in their own community,” said Stacy.

The system now works better because patients know there will be a bed for them, they know how long the stay will be and they know care will be available once they leave the hospital. “Our patient-doctor attachment is high, but there are still some patients that don’t want a family doctor. That is their choice, we can’t force them. We encourage them to go to followup appointments. Because family doctors don’t have to run to the hospital, they are opening up clinic time to see more patients. We are opening up the access and maybe even seeing the patients the same day. The three week wait between booking and going to an appointment has now been reduced to about one week.” Primary care has had some positive impacts in the area of mental health. They are branching out into the rural areas and talking about stress that farmers have this time of year at harvest. “We are trying to be more pro-active and help people that are in crisis. We are already talking about prevention,” Stacy added. She wants to see the mental health program help the youth through programs at schools and universities to connect those between 11 and 24.

The COUNTRY BOOSTER, September 25, 2018 – Page 3

INVITATION TO TENDER FARMLAND STANLEY HELGELAND hereby offers the following land for sale by tender, subject to the existing reservations on title: MERIDIAN 4 RANGE 18 TOWNSHIP 49 SECTION 12 QUARTER SOUTH EAST CONTAINING 64.7 HECTARES (160 ACRES) MORE OR LESS. EXCEPTING THEREOUT: ALL THAT PORTION SHOWN COLOURED PINK ON PLAN OF GAS PIPELINE RIGHT OF WAY FILED AS PLAN 7159ET CONTAINING 0.547 HECTARES (1.35 ACRES) MORE OR LESS EXCEPTING THEREOUT ALL MINES AND MINERALS The existing bins are included “as is”. Tenders are to be submitted in sealed envelopes marked “Helgeland Tender”, to Andreassen Borth, Barristers and Solicitors, #200, 5870-51 Street, Camrose, Alberta T4V 1S1, on or before 12:00 noon, November 5, 2018, and shall be accompanied with a cheque for $5,000.00 payable to Andreassen Borth In Trust, and GST number. Tenders will not be opened in public. The highest, or any, tender not necessarily accepted. Unsuccessful tenderers will be notified by mail, and their cheques returned. Successful tenderer shall be obligated to complete the purchase on or before December 14, 2018 and their cheques shall constitute a deposit towards the purchase price. For further information, or to view the property, please contact Stanley Helgeland at 780-608-5423.

Barley in cattle rations By Agri-News

Due to hot and dry conditions this year, bushel weight of some grains is much lower than what is considered normal. Barry Yaremcio, beef and forage specialist at the Alberta Ag-Info Centre, outlines how to best use it as feed. “Feedlots and elevators are more than willing to take the heavy weight barley without any hesitation or discounts. When barley bushel weights are below approximately 46 lb., the number of marketing options start to shrink, and there can be significant price discounts when the contract is negotiated.” Feeding light bushel weight grain to cattle is an opportunity to utilize a product that is discounted in the market but retains its value in a cow, backgrounding, or home finishing program. Research from the mid-1980s conducted by Dr. Gary Mathison and Dr. Larry Milligan from the University of Alberta, compared average daily gain and feed conversion efficiency when finishing steers were fed barley with different bushel weights. Bushel weights varied from a low of 34 lb. to a high of 51 lb. The 47 lb. barley was considered to be of “average quality,” and 90 steers were fed a 90 per cent concentrate diet for 84 days. “They reported that light barley contained less starch and protein, but more fibre and ash than the heavy barley,” explained Yaremcio. “The results indicate that there is no difference in average daily gain between the different bushel weight grains. Feed conversion efficiency was less efficient for the lightweight grain at 7 lb. of feed to produce 1 lb. of gain, and the heavy barleys were required only 6.7 lb. of feed to produce 1 lb. of gain. The reported difference

in feed efficiency was four per cent. They also found no differences in efficiency between the steam-rolled and dry-rolled barley.” Yaremcio added that in other trials, the loss in feeding efficiency between feeding whole or rolled barley to feedlot steers or mature cows ranged from 12 to 15 per cent. “With barley at approximately $5.00 per bushel, it is economical to process the grain if the processing cost is less than $0.60 to $0.75 per bushel. “To optimize grain feeding efficiency, grain should be rolled prior to feeding feedlot animals and mature cows. A properly processed barley grain should have a processing index between 75 and 81 per cent,” noted Yaremcio. “In other words, the weight of the processed grain should be between 75 and 81 per cent of the whole grain bushel weight.” Yaremcio uses a 48 lb. barley as an example. “It should weigh between 36 and 39 lb. after rolling is complete. When barley is processed to this extent, digestibility is optimized and problems with acidosis is reduced. If the processing index is too high—over 81 per cent—insufficient processing results in a loss in efficiency. If the processing index is too low—below 75 per cent—the grain is over processed which could cause sub clinical acidosis which reduces feed intake and animal performance.” Spending time to adjust the rollers to obtain a 75 to 81 per cent rolling index is worth the time and effort. “If the rolls are not reset, a light-weight grain will pass through the mill and will not have the processing to optimize utilization. This will reduce performance, and in the long run, net dollars when animals are sold or overall cost of feeding cows is calculated.”

UAlberta Agroforestry

Research Information Session Wednesday, October 10th, 2:30-4:30 pm 1/2 mile north of Kelsey An outdoor field event presented by forest soils professor Scott Chang and the agroforestry research team at the U of A Department of Renewable Resources.

Hot Drinks and Refreshments provided

Learn how to increase soil carbon storage and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from soils in agricultural fields using manure and biochar applications, and by planting trees. This important research is happening here in Camrose County!

Rain, snow or shine! See previous research at aggp.ualberta.ca

WHERE? In the field on the west side of Range Road 183, 1/2 mile north of Kelsey. Approx. 42450 Rge 183.

Questions? Want to know more about our research?

(GPS use coordinates: 52.85091, -112.54484)

CALL, EMAIL or WRITE: Jonathan Tieu, research assistant (587)718-0571 jtieu@ualberta.ca

This event is possible thanks to the generosity of landowner participants and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

MAILING ADDRESS: University of Alberta, 442 Earth Sciences Building, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E3

University of Alberta DEPARTMENT OF RENEWABLE RESOURCES

Mowat family century farm award By Gladys Mowat

It all began with great-grandmother Louisa Humbke, who moved from the Dakotas in the early 1900s with her family in search of a homestead in the Gwynne area. In 1904, they chose the west half of NW 12-4622-W4 on which to build a home and soon after, a small log barn. In 1905, my grandparents Alvina Humbke and Dave Fontaine were married. To this union, five children were born: two girls–Emma and Gladys, and three boys– George and the twins, Wilfred and Alfred. My grandparents were very active in the community. Grandpa Dave played his violin for many barn dances and socials in the area. They spent much of their time clearing land and milking a few cows–it was the way of life back then. After 30 years of farm life, they retired and moved to Wetaskiwin. My dad, Wilfred Fontaine, son of Alvina and Dave, took over the farm and, in March of 1935, Dad married Clara Nygaard. They had two children– myself, Gladys, and my sister Gloria. We went to Verdun school and then on to Wetaskiwin to finish high school. The farm continued to grow with the building of a hog barn and a chicken barn, as well as a remodel of the original log barn to continue milking cows and house baby calves. My dad farmed for years with horses, seeding

Murray Green, Camrose Booster

Art, left, and Gladys Mowat received a plaque from Camrose County Reeve Don Gregorwich to commemorate the century mark of their family farm.

wheat, oats and barley for feed for his livestock. Any extra grain was hauled and sold to elevators in Bittern Lake and Gwynne. When power came through the area in the mid 1940s, dad drove to Calgary to apply for it and was one of the first farms to get the benefit of lights and a refrigerator. It was during this time that he purchased his first tractor. In 1952, Art Mowat came from Gull Lake, Saskatchewan to visit his sister Marjorie Fontaine when he first met me, Gladys. In October of 1955, Art and I were married and we worked with my parents until their retirement in 1957. They enjoyed their retirement between Watson Lake, Yukon and their move to Wetaskiwin in 1974.

While Art worked in Wetaskiwin for Imperial Lumber, I looked after the farm, raising hogs, beef cattle, grain and milked cows. Our farm continued to grow with the addition of four sons–Mark, Skip, Cory and Wade, who have all purchased land around us and, with their families, continue to grain farm, alternating crops of canola, beans, peas, wheat, oats and barley. We are proud to see the sixth generation now taking over and continuing this family legacy and who knows, maybe a seventh generation? The secret to success on a family farm is to help each other and all work together. Art and I are truly blessed.

The COUNTRY BOOSTER, September 25, 2018 – Page 4

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The COUNTRY BOOSTER, September 25, 2018 – Page 5

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LAND LOCATION: 6 miles south of Rosalind, AB CONTACT NUMBER: 403-556-3655 ROSEHILL AUCTION SERVICE LEGAL DESCRIPTION: SW 1/4, Section 16, Township 43, Range 17, West of the 4th. Consisting of 160 acres ±, Beautiful full quarter section in Camrose County 6 miles south of Rosalind, AB. This 160 acres of grass with new fence, corral and catch pens, and a 180’ x 70’ dugout, this quarter is a great opportunity for anyone in search of hard to find grass. This quarter also offers stunning views with rolling hills which would be ideal for a building site. Yearly oil lease revenue is also an additional benefit. This is a great opportunity to buy a full quarter of land, to be sold by unreserved auction. Lease Revenue: $2,400.00 yearly 2018 Taxes: $210.31 Please check website for Drone Video.

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A deposit of 10% of the final bid payable to Rosehill Auction Service Ltd. will be required at the time of the auction, with the balance due on or before November 23, 2018. If the purchaser fails to meet the terms of the contract the deposit will be forfeited as liquidated damages. The property will be sold UNRESERVED to the highest bidder.

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The COUNTRY BOOSTER, September 25, 2018 – Page 6

Producers receive short-term tax relief By Murray Green

Its always a great day when you don’t have to pay your taxes. Livestock producers can defer paying taxes under the new tax relief provision issued by the federal government. Extreme weather conditions have caused feed shortfalls in several provinces, which has led to designated regions in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Quebec being eligible for

livestock tax deferral provision. An initial list of these designated regions, where livestock tax deferral has been authorized for 2018 due to drought or excess moisture conditions, is now available. It includes several areas east of Camrose. The livestock tax deferral provisions allow livestock producers in prescribed drought, flood or excess moisture regions to defer a portion of their

2018 sale proceeds of breeding livestock until 2019 to help replenish the herd. The cost of replacing the animals in 2019 will offset the deferred income, thereby reducing the tax burden associated with the original sale. Eligibility for the tax deferral is limited to those producers located inside the designated prescribed areas. Producers in those regions can request the tax deferral when filing their 2018 income tax returns. “This year’s growing conditions across several provinces have brought many challenges to Canadian livestock producers.

The government has prioritized the approval of the Livestock Tax deferral to give farmers more certainty about their financial situation and help them keep their businesses strong, while growing the economy and strengthening the middle class,” said Lawrence MacAulay, Canadian Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. Low moisture levels in the spring and summer resulted in significant forage shortages for livestock producers, especially in the southern regions. One option for producers is to reduce their breeding herd

in order to manage feed supplies. In addition to the livestock tax deferral provision, producers have access to assistance through existing Canadian Agricultural Partnership Business Risk Management programs, which include AgriInsurance, AgriStability and AgriInvest. Camrose County council did not declare the surrounding area a disaster zone as far as a lack of good crops. However, a lot of moisture in September has delayed harvest and could reduce the value in the crops.

Keeping Up with the Cat Clan By Lisa Kaastra We have a Kardashian-clan cat problem, and the drama is real. It started, of course, with only one. Prince, a stately marmalade feline of superb masculinity, ruled the acreage with a raised tail and took his nightly walk along the fence to see that everything was in its place—including the dog. Then my sister-in-law brought home Meeko, a delightful, dark-furred cuddler, who was welcomed under Prince’s tutelage. He quickly found his place and adapted to life on the farm. But then came Bailey and Blakely, a brother-sister combo and Boots was a white-footed lost soul, found at the end of the driveway at the start of a snowy night. By spring, Blakely was a teen-aged mama, with the solesurviving female kitten by the name of Tiger Lily. Already we had an on-going fight amongst the three males as to who was really in charge of the farm (no, not the dog) and who was most fit to continue the interbred family tree. Because from the looks of it, both mother and daughter cats were now vastly pregnant, from one male or another. “Prince has to be the father,” my husband said confidently, peering at the clan of cats congregating outside the sliding door. We were sitting on our parent’s living room couch, overlooking the back porch. I briefly glanced at an article on my phone, unconvinced. “You never know. It seems that cats have quite the breeding habits...” Without warning, Prince and Boots started the first growls of a fight, with Meeko slinking off unseen towards the slough. I ignored them and turned back to the article, scrolling down. “Apparently kittens in one litter can sometimes have different fathers,” I gave Blakely a suspicious glance, while she purred off to the side. Fickle creature. “And females can be pregnant with the next litter before they’ve even given birth...” I couldn’t stop reading now and my husband’s face reflected my confusion. “Can this be for...” I was cut off, Boots and Prince now in an all-out war, with the dog below the deck, foolishly begging to weigh in. The creatures were in the middle of producing their own melodramatic reality and the climax was happening outside the living room window. Within a few swats and calls, the scrap was over, and Prince sat up on his haunches, the temporary victor. I looked at him and rolled my eyes, “You’re ridiculous,” I told him. He licked his lips and gave me a scowl in return. Several weeks later, a handful of kittens showed up on the back deck. They arrived with Blakely, but fed from Tiger Lily. Three had stripes to match Prince’s markings… one was jet black…and another had white little boots on his feet. Prince came and stood by the porch door, staring into the house with the same permanent scowl, aware that his farmyard hierarchy and bloodline were in peril. “You’ve got problems,” I told him. He rolled his eyes and stalked away. Maybe next time, we’ll stick with just the one.

Al Zimmerman Photo A flock of specklebelly (white-front) geese came in for landing in a stubble field in Camrose County. The cooler temperatures have migratory birds beginning their long treks to warmer climates.

Funding to support irrigation efficiency in rural Alberta By Agri-News

Applications are being accepted for the Irrigation Efficiency program under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership (the Partnership). Marie Schussler, irrigation management technologist at Alberta Agriculture and Forestry, outlines what producers need to know before applying. The purpose of this program is to increase water savings and reduce energy use in irrigated agriculture by assisting producers with the purchase of more efficient irrigation equipment and systems. “We provide grants to producers for purchasing new low pressure centre pivots or the purchase of equipment to upgrade existing pivots,” explained Schussler. “A big change to the Partnership from Growing Forward 2 is that we have included drip irrigation to our funding list as well. Not only does this help Alberta’s producers,

but agriculture stakeholders and the environment all benefit from reduced water and energy usage.” Any active producer who owns an irrigated agricultural operation in Alberta can apply. “It does not matter whether your water source comes from a district license or private water license,” added Schussler. The amount of the grant that producers receive depends on the type of update being planned. “If the farmer is purchasing a new low-pressure pivot that covers more than 20 acres, they may be eligible for a $15,000 grant,” says Schussler. “Equipment upgrades to an already existing pivot can be eligible for a 40 per cent cost share, to a total of $5,000. Examples of eligible equipment are sprinkler and nozzle packages, control panels, and variable rate irrigation.” Producers can apply more than once, but each

parcel can only receive one grant in the lifetime of the program. “However, if producers have more than one parcel, they can apply again on the remaining parcels. The more parcels or irrigation systems a producer has, the more they can apply,” she added. In Alberta, the Partnership represents a federal provincial investment of $406 million in strategic programs and initiatives for the agricultural sector. The Irrigation Efficiency program is one of the 15 programs that will be offered in Alberta through the Partnership funding. This program is scheduled to close in five years on March 15, 2023. For more information about the irrigation efficiency program, contact Marie Schussler at 403381-5532. For application forms, terms and conditions, long-term irrigation plans visit webpage cap. alberta.ca.

The COUNTRY BOOSTER, September 25, 2018 – Page 7

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Fire truck tanks to be replaced

Lori Larsen, Camrose Booster The Kingman Regional School Museum and Teahouse, located at 222 Main Street in Kingman, offers a glimpse into the past with the charm of a 1938 Farmington country school.

Camrose County will be replacing tanks for the Camrose Fire Department to use on the pumper truck housed at the City of Camrose Fire hall. Eight replacement breathing apparatus tanks have been purchased for use on the pumper truck. “I move that Camrose County council approve the re-allocation of $10,000 within the 2018 fire operational budget, specifically $10,000 from regional fire-hired contractors to the Camrose Fire Department as a shared cost,” said councillor Brian Willoughby, at the regular Sept. 11 council meeting. Administration received this information after last year’s budget process, so it had to reallocate funds from the regional fire coordinator budget to cover this request. The funds in the hired contractors account were available to cover fire investigations and it is unlikely these funds will be needed in 2018. “We have money in the fire-hired contractors budget for fire inspections that we haven’t spent yet this year. We have $40,000 in that budget, so our recommendation is to transfer $10,000,” said administrator Paul King. As per the fire agreement, Camrose County is responsible for the cost of all equipment on the County-owned pumper. Administrator King indicated to council that the purchase of the breathing apparatus tanks were not included in the 2018 budget. He said the tanks have an expiry date and after that they have to be replaced. King reviewed the proposed changes to the Fire and Emergency Services Agreement with the City of Camrose. “It talks about who is responsible to indicate the replacements and since the vehicle is in the city’s hands, the agreement is to have them look after that.” Councillor Cindy Trautman moved the motion that included adding an additional year to the agreement that would expire in 2019.

The COUNTRY BOOSTER, September 25, 2018 – Page 9

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Al Zimmerman Photo In a scene typical to the prairies, these Alberta pronghorn graze a pasture in Camrose County alongside an oil pumpjack – another familiar Alberta sight.

The COUNTRY BOOSTER, September 25, 2018 – Page 10

Lack of summer moisture hurts pastures in area By Agri-News

A lack of moisture has curtailed pasture and hay production in many areas of Alberta this year. Dean Dyck, farm business management specialist at the Alberta Ag Info Centre, compares buying feed for cows to moving them to a custom operator to feed and care for those animals. “Feed and hay prices have risen dramatically from a year ago. Producers are faced with either buying expensive feed or moving their livestock to feed if they want to keep ownership and equity in their animals. Choosing an option depends on the economics of each alternative,” explained Dyck. The first step is to calculate the cost of putting feed into the feed bunk. This is the sum of the cost to purchase the feed, along with shipping costs, yardage charge on the farm, the opportunity cost of labour for feeding the animals, and shrink and waste. “For example, if each cow needs about 35 pounds of hay per day to maintain her, it will take about 7,500 lb. or approximately 3.75 tons of hay over 215 days,” says Dyck. “Feeding days are suggested to be longer this coming winter due to a lack of fall grazing opportunities and to give pastures time to recover from lack of moisture. If good quality hay costs about $200 per ton, the total cost of the hay will be $750 per animal. Shipping charges to transport the hay to

the farm need to be added. According to Alberta Agriculture and Forestry’s custom rate survey, freight charges are approximately $6 per loaded mile. If hay is picked up 100 miles away, the cost will be $600 per load. Assuming 18 tons per load, the freight cost is $33 per ton or $123 per animal for the 215 days.” Yardage charges on the farm include the cost of operating equipment, corral cleaning, utilities, and wear and tear on facilities. Using approximately $0.70 per head per day for “at home” yardage, the total cost of hay delivered to the farm is $1,026 per animal for 215 days. “This example assumes that there is less than 15 to 20 per cent of wasted hay per day and that the farmer has no opportunity cost for labour,” said Dyck. “That is, if the owner can use the labour to generate alternative income, then the opportunity cost of not feeding cattle must be added to the cost of purchasing and hauling feed.” The second step is to calculate the cost of moving the animals to a custom operator and pay for the feed and care there. This is the sum of shipping the animals to and from the lot, along with the cost of feed at the facility, and the yardage charge by the feeder to care and feed the animals. “If the price of hay is the same at the custom feeder, the cost of feed would be $750 per animal,” added Dyck. “However, the

LACK OF FEED

Lori Larsen, Camrose Booster A lack of pasture in the summer could mean feeding indoors begins sooner than planned for area livestock producers.

cost of freight for moving the cattle to and from the feed yard has to be factored in. The average custom rate for hauling cattle is about $5.50 per loaded mile with 50 cows per load. A 100 mile round trip cost will be $22 per head, making the total cost of hay and hauling $772 per head for 215 days. If the feeder charges $0.85 per head per day in yardage, the total cost will be $954 per head for 215 days, or $72 per head lower than the cost of buying feed. “These are just exam-

ples and you must figure your own costs including the purchase price of feed and the cost of shipping hay and cattle,” said Dyck. “Comparing the two options, if the cost of feed is the same for the producer and the custom feeder, the primary factors in making your decision are the distance and the cost to ship the hay or cattle, the yardage charge, and the amount of feed waste. If you are considering custom feeding, both parties should agree on a body condition score going into and

coming out of the feed yard as well as a fairly accurate estimate of pregnancy. “Saving the most equity in the cows should be the primary goal,” concluded Dyck. “Evaluate your decision based on your riskbearing ability, market outlook and distance/availability of feed or custom feeding operations. After considering all the factors, choose the best single or combination of alternatives that will give you the best change at preserving equity.

Brady family celebrated century farm award in the summer By Corinne Brady

A long time ago (over 100 years), William James Brady came to Canada from Ireland in 1911. He settled in Little Beaver Lake School District, later named “Central Valley” at Ferintosh. After getting settled, his wife Maude Brady joined

him in 1911 with their four young boys: Godfrey, Fred, Eric and Desmond. They came by boat from Ireland to eastern Canada and took the train to Alberta. They were among the first passengers on the train that crossed over the wooden trestle bridge

at Duhamel. In December 1915, Brian Brady was born at Ferintosh. W. J. Brady purchased the NW 17-4420-W4 and his wife Maude purchased the quarter. In the spring of 1917, Mr. and Mrs. Brady and their five sons moved to the farm. They lived there

Murray Green, Camrose Booster

Dean, left, and MaryAnn Brady received a plaque from Camrose County Reeve Don Gregorwich to honour the century mark of their family farm.

until 1929 when their son Eric took over the farm. W. J. and his wife bought onehalf section 14-44-20-W4th which was west and north of the hamlet of Edberg. They, with their boys, moved to Edberg and Eric farmed this half as well as his; remember, back in those days all the farming was done by horses. Eric met his love of his life, Clara Abott from Tofield, and they used to write letters to each other and send them on the train from Edberg to Tofield and then wait for an arrival of a letter in return. We still have those letters. Clara was a teacher and came to Edberg in 1929 to teach Grades 1 through 5. Clara and Eric were married in July 1933. They lived on the farm with their family of six daughters and one son. Desmond, the only son of Eric and Clara, helped his dad with the farming. Eric milked cows and Clara taught school in Edberg until 1971, when they retired and moved into Camrose.

The day they left, we took over the cows and packed up our little family and moved to the farm from Edberg where we were living in gramma and grampa Brady’s house. In our family, we had three boys and two girls and, yes, the older ones had to help with chores too, before and after school. We, at that time, purchased another quarter of land (SE 20-44-20-W4) and had to purchase more machinery. We are the third generation to take over the original Brady farm. Des and Corinne are still living on the farm now owned by their son Dean and MaryAnn who built a new home in time for the “100 Year” party that was held from July 7 to 9, 2017. We had over 100 people attend that century party. Dean and MaryAnn have three children who are all grown up and living away from home, but they too help their mom and dad when they return. Dean and MaryAnn both have off-the-farm jobs too, as well as a large beef cattle operation.

The COUNTRY BOOSTER, September 25, 2018 – Page 11

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The COUNTRY BOOSTER, September 25, 2018 – Page 12

Firearm checks during hunting season

Lori Larsen, Camrose Booster Camrose Fish and Wildlife district officer Lorne Rinkel inspects a shotgun to ensure proper procedures are being followed and users are abiding by the law when it comes to using, transporting or possessing firearms. By Lori Larsen

They are powerful and dangerous and in the wrong set of hands, deadly and with hunting season upon us, the presence of firearms is inevitable. Everyday police, fish and wildlife and peace officers literally put their own lives at risk to ensure public safety when it comes to the proper handling of firearms and that people are abiding by the law when it comes to possessing, transporting and using them. Know the law

To begin with, it is unlawful to hunt with any restricted or prohibited firearm as defined in the Criminal Code. While non-restricted firearms, commonly rifles and shotguns, are allowed for hunting, it is important to know that the proper non-restricted firearm and ammunition must be used for hunting certain species. “Over the past few years I have noticed a proliferation of non-restricted semi-automatic AR-15 and SKS style weapons being used in the field by hunters,” said Camrose Fish and Wildlife district officer Lorne Rinkel. “These firearms are being chambered in both big game and bird game cartridges. It is very important for big game hunters to remember that regardless of the

firearms action type, their magazines cannot hold more than five centre fire cartridges rounds, and in the case of firearms used for migratory bird game, the limit is three shotgun shells.” Rinkel also reminds hunters that full metal jacket ammunition is illegal for hunting big game animals and the minimum calibre remains at 6 mm or .243 calibre. Shotguns with a gauge (calibre) .410 or smaller also can not be used to hunt big game. “A huge variety of magazines are available for these types of firearms,” continued officer Rinkel. “But users must ensure that the magazines are “pinned” to the legal limit of the shooting activity being pursued. Unlawful magazines may constitute the unlawful possession of a restricted/ prohibited item under federal legislation, and result in seizures and a criminal record if convicted.” Rinkel suggests citizens consider the “one plus rule” in regards to firearm safety. “If you can see a round in your firearm, always assume there is another in the action of that firearm. Along with this, remember to check your ammunition to ensure it is for that specific firearm. Numerous bulk and

metric sized ammunition is readily available at very low cost, and may not fit in your firearm.” Wildlife Act

In accordance to the Wildlife Act (Alberta) Section 52(1), no person shall discharge a weapon or cause a projectile from a weapon to pass within 200 yards of any occupied building. This section does not apply to owners or occupants of the land or any person having immediate possession or control of the land or any person authorized by the above mentioned people, where the building is situated. Section 53 of the Wildlife Act states that no person shall discharge a firearm at night, as per the prescribed period outlined in Section 28 of the Act (between one-half hour after sunset and onehalf hour before sunrise), except at a lawful established and operated shooting range. The regs

As well as the laws set out in the Wildlife Act, the 2018 Alberta Guide to Hunting Regulations provides rules and restrictions with regards to firearms, some of which include: It is unlawful to set out, use or employ any of the following items for the purpose of hunting any wildlife: an arrow equipped with an explosive head, a

firearm that is capable of firing more than one bullet during one pressure of the trigger or a firearm that can be altered to operate as such, a shotgun of a gauge greater than 10, a device designed to deaden the sound of the report of a firearm. The regulations also state that it is unlawful to have a loaded firearm (live ammunition in breech, chamber or magazine) in or on, or discharge a weapon from a boat unless the boat is propelled by muscular power or is at anchor and the person is hunting, or any kind of aircraft or vehicle whether it is moving or stationary. Of note, ammunition may be carried in a magazine that is not attached to the firearm. It is also unlawful to discharge a firearm from or cause a projectile from a firearm to pass along or across: a provincial highway, a road that is paved, oiled, graded or regularly maintained, unless the road is held under any active disposition under the Public Lands Act or under an order under the Surface Rights Act, or the person is hunting game birds with a shotgun under the authority of a licence. Residents are advised that if there is no iden-

tifiable ditch or fence to mark the outside edge of the roadway, the roadway extends 20 feet from the edge of the traveled portion. It goes without saying that hunting while impaired by alcohol or drugs is not only illegal but extremely dangerous. Rinkel indicated the importance of hunters to obtain consent from the owners or occupant of all occupied private land prior to entering, hunting wildlife or carrying a firearm on that land. Hunters under 18 years old must be accompanied by a parent, legal guardian or by a person 18 years of age or older who has written permission from a parent or legal guardian in order to hunt with a firearm. For more information on hunting in Alberta and proper use of firearms used for the purpose of hunting, visit the Alberta Regulations at www.albertaregulations.ca. If you suspect any unlawful activity involving hunting, fishing or serious abuse of public lands or have encountered dangerous wildlife, report it to Report A Poacher either online at www.alberta.ca/ report-poacher or by telephone at 1-800-642-3800.

The COUNTRY BOOSTER, September 25, 2018 – Page 13

Ask for permission and use respect on private land By Lori Larsen

Hunting, when done legally and ethically, can be a popular way to get out and enjoy the great Alberta outdoors, obtain sustenance all the while helping to protect and conserve natural resources. The key to a successful hunt is to abide by all the laws and regulations set out, so this recreational activity remains available for generations to come. In an effort to ensure that hunting, fishing, hiking on private land remains accessible, one of the most important rules is to obtain consent from the land owner, occupant or person appointed by the landowner. It should be noted that a landowner/occupant is not obligated to post (no trespassing) or fence their land. Permission for any private land must be obtained. Verbal permission is acceptable, however it is strongly recommended that written permission be obtained and kept on your person or in your vehicle while on the land for which consent was granted. If and only when you receive permission to be on private land, the golden rule is to use respect and follow a few simple but appreciated guidelines. When seeking permission from landowners or occupants do so at a reasonable hour and in person. Clearly identify yourself by providing photo identification and your phone number. This will go a long way in establishing trust. Continued on page 14

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The COUNTRY BOOSTER, September 25, 2018 – Page 14

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Hunters – Ask Permission

Ask permission and use respect Continued from page 13

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Lori Larsen, Camrose Booster Many landowners will post no trespassing signs to deter people from accessing private land, however there is no obligation for them to do so. Always obtain consent before going on private land.

Inform the landowner of approximate times you intend on accessing the land and remember if granted permission it may infer only yourself not groups of people, unless you tell the landowner/ occupant otherwise. If there will be more than yourself, keep the numbers to a minimum. Outfitters and guides must inform landowners, when requesting permission to hunt on their land, that they are a guide or outfitter and they are accessing the land with a paying client. Disturb the land as little as possible. Walking, if an option, does far less damage to fields, roadways and other land areas than heavy vehicular traffic. Stay out of crop fields with vehicles. If you are using a vehicle, stick to trails approved for use and avoid muddy areas that may result in vehicles getting stuck or causing ruts. If gates are open keep them open. If gates are closed then keep them closed. Always use basic firearm safety, keeping in mind the presence of livestock, buildings and neighbour-

ing residents. Remember, it is unlawful to discharge a weapon within 183 metres (200 yards) or cause a projectile from a weapon to pass within 183m of any occupied building. Do not build fires or permanent structures, use portable tree stands or ground blinds. If you packed it in, pack it out. Never leave garbage, spent shells, remains of field dressings of animals on the land. Leave the land as you found it. If you observe other hunters/users on the land report it to the landowner/occupant. They may be there without consent and could ruin it for those who have been granted permission. Even if granted consent to be on private land it is important to remember that the landowner/ occupant can revoke that consent at any point. Be respectful of their right to do so. If you suspect any unlawful activity involving hunting, fishing or serious abuse of public lands or have encountered dangerous wildlife report it to Report A Poacher either online at www.alberta.ca/ report-poacher or by telephone at 1-800-642-3800.

The COUNTRY BOOSTER, September 25, 2018 – Page 15

Berkholtz family honoured with century farm award By Neil Berkholtz

My grandfather Samuel Berkholtz (born in Poland) came to Canada in the early 1900s; his wife and two children came later. They originally homesteaded at Joseph Lake. His wife and infant son passed away there. On April 26, 1906, Samuel married Rosalie Buss and moved to the Hay Lakes district where they purchased the homestead from the Canadian Pacific Railroad on Feb. 3, 1911. The location was NE 15-48-22-W4. They had nine children (Leo, Ida, Sam Jr., Ted, Jack, Helen, Robert, Elsie and Paul) and lived in a two-room house. In 1928, they built a big house and installed a light plant for electricity (the first in the area). They pumped water from a well into a huge tank in the basement so they were able to pump water inside the house, which saved them much work. Samuel had a ten-

horsepower stationary engine, which he used for grinding. He was able to do custom work for the neighbors who brought their grain in sacks to grind. A threshing machine was also powered by the stationary engine mounted on a wagon and drawn by horses. This threshing unit also helped neighbors in the area. Rosalie raised ducks and geese and was up at dawn to start plucking. Their six-acre field was planted in potatoes which kept the family digging for weeks. The potatoes were then hauled and sold in the Hay Lakes and Camrose areas. My father Jack Berkholtz loved competitive sports and would compete in the ball tournament at the annual sports day for the top prize of a whopping $2. In July 1942, Jack left home to serve in the army for four years and returned home in 1946, when he was reunit-

Pregnancy check your cow herd By Agri-News

In a year where feed supplies are tight, knowing which cows are pregnant and which ones are open provides options that may not otherwise be available. “Feed can amount to two-thirds of a beef operation’s total costs,” said Dean Dyck, farm business management specialist at the Alberta Ag-Info Centre. “Carefully considering the feeding program could mean the difference between profitability and red on the bottom line of the balance sheet. With feed costs on the rise, keeping the open animals could cut into profitability.” Strong culling practices can also help reduce the feed requirements of the herd. “Feed costs could vary from just under $2 per cow on a straw/grain/ canola meal diet to almost $3.25 per cow if she is fed a straight hay diet,” explains Barry Yaremcio, beef and forage specialist at the AgInfo Centre In a herd of 100 cows, the cheaper ration would save $124 per day.” Knowing the status of each cow provides the chance to wean her calf early if she is open and to take advantage of the market. “If an open cow is thin, weaning early allows easier fattening for market,” said Andrea Hanson, livestock extension specialist with Alberta Agriculture and Forestry. “Preg checking yearling heifers early allows the open ones to be

sold at an age that would still bring top dollar.” New ultrasound technology means that a pregnancy can be detected as early as 40 days. “Speak with your veterinarian to determine what they require and their schedule,” said Hanson. “Then, develop a game plan for preg testing this fall.” Hanson adds that some producers this year have tightened up their breeding season as a way to identify the most fertile cows of the herd. “They are exposing replacement heifers to a bull for 30 days, with a 45 day exposure for the rest of the cow herd. Adequate bull power is very important in this scenario to ensure the females who are fertile are bred in a small window of time. While this system for breeding may seem extreme, in a year when feed supplies are tight and costs high, looking for excuses to cull are not a bad idea and will create a very productive herd for the future.” For a commercial cattle producer, profitability of the operation depends on the GOLD management indicators: G–growth of the calves, O–open rate, L–length of calving, and D–death loss. “Bottom line is pounds of calf weaned to cows exposed to the bull,” noted Hanson. “Any cow not pulling her weight by raising a calf needs to be culled so she isn’t eating up the profits of the operation.”

Murray Green, Camrose Booster

Camrose County Reeve Don Gregorwich presented a plaque to Crystal and Neil Berkholtz to honour the century mark of their family farm.

ed with his parents on the farm. Samuel Sr. and Rosalie retired to Hay Lakes in 1948 when Jack purchased the quarter from his father. Jack married Anne Metzker on Nov. 10 of that year and they had three children, Dwayne, Neil and Sheila. Jack farmed primarily with horse and plow and in 1947, purchased his first tractor. With the assistance of his tractor, he was able to acquire more land–grain farming and hay/pasture land on 240 acres. Jack,

Anne and family had to milk cows, range cattle, chickens, ducks and pigs. Dwayne Berkholtz, my brother, then bought the land from Dad in 1981 and later died on Aug. 27, 2005. While farming, he raised hogs and beef cattle and continued with grain and hay. My wife Crystal and I, Neil Berkholtz, inherited the original homestead in 2005. We have three children–our first daughter Shannon, a son Nolan and our second daughter Paige. Nolan and Paige

continue to help on the farm. We received the Alberta Century Farm and Ranch Award in July of last year. We previously had a mixed farming operation and a cow-calf herd. We grow and harvest canola, wheat and barley as well as making hay and maintaining pasture land. This is a transition year for us as we sold our cow-calf herd in January. We will continue only with grain and oilseed farming in the years to come.

Camrose County updates snow plowing policy for driveways By Murray Green

Camrose County council approved revisions to the existing driveway plowing policy that came into effect last year. Revisions include charging a fee for this service. All residents will be informed that if they are requesting a driveway plowing, they are subject to the conditions of the new policy. “It is felt by administration that the current fee for service is having the intended effect. It has reduced the number of unnecessary driveway plowing requests,” said Zach Mazure, assistant manager of public works at the Sept. 11 regular council meeting. “The proposed revisions to the policy are meant to allow for a more streamlined process, while still maintaining the general basis of the overall policy.” Changes include inte-

grating the save harmless liability form directly into the policy to eliminate the need for it to be signed by each individual user. Allow for payment either in advance, or by invoice after the service has been completed. “These two small changes are expected to make the administrative process of getting driveways cleared simpler, and also more user-friendly for the rate-payers requesting this service. It is also expected that through these changes, individuals can request services directly at the grader-operator level if they encounter them in the field. Further, the requirement to come in to the office for signing up will also be removed with the removal of the individual save harmless forms,” explained Mazure. Snow removal operation will proceed as soon as snow ceases to fall and/ or as soon as it is safe

to do so in the opinion of the grader operator in the area dependent upon snowfall amounts and current weather conditions. Snow removal operations will proceed as per the Priorities for Snow Plowing. Grader operators are to open up roads in the most efficient configuration for their area keeping in mind plowing priorities, fuel consumptions and minimal high blade travel. Landowners or renters requesting snowplowing services understand and acknowledge that the County agrees to do the work providing that a save harmless agreement excludes the County from any and all losses, costs, damages, actions, causes of action, suits claims and demands resulting from anything done or omitted to be done by the County in the performance or purported performance of such work.

The COUNTRY BOOSTER, September 25, 2018 – Page 16

Win a photograph of your farm!

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The farm appearing in this photograph is located in the Camrose trading area. If you recognize it as yours, come to the Camrose Booster, 4925-48 Street, Camrose. You will be presented with a free 8” x 10” color enlargement of the photo.

• This week’s prize must be claimed by October 4, 2018. • This week’s Mystery Farm is sponsored by the businesses on this page.

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