The last few weeks of autumn are the perfect time to slow down and savour simple joys. The crisp air, colourful leaves, and cozy sweaters make this season special. Walking through parks, visiting pumpkin patches, or getting lost in a corn maze are fun ways to enjoy the outdoors. At home, the warmth of baking fills the air, along with pies, soups, and hot drinks spiced with cinnamon. Fall teaches us the beauty of letting go, reminding us to enjoy the present whether it's with a walk, a warm drink, spending time with friends and family or a quiet moment watching the leaves fall. 8
Photo by
Adan Shaikh
From left, local residents Shelby Bianic and Elin Laaksonen participated in an amateur pumpkin carving competition.
County Halloween festivities
By Adan Shaikh
Halloween is just around the corner, bringing excitement not just for children looking forward to dressing up and collecting candy, but also for adults looking to enjoy fall activities before winter takes over.
Fang-tastic Barbecue
Camrose Animal Alliance Rescue Society (CAARS) is hosting a fun, family-friendly barbecue on October 26 from noon to 5 p.m, at Broker’s Marine and Sport building 4746-41 Street.
At this free event, guests can enjoy food and play with adoptable pets. Children can dress up for a costume contest, and paint cookies for dessert. There will also be a pumpkin carving contest where participants can bring in their already carved pumpkins to be entered for a chance to win.
This event is being sponsored by Broker’s Marine and Sport and all proceeds from the barbecue go towards finding resources and care for the animals. It is the perfect way to enjoy fall activities while helping the animals in need.
Camrose and District Centennial Museum, with trick or treating set across the three heritage buildings: St. Dunstan’s Church, Likeness School, and the Pioneer Log House.
“We created this event to provide a safe space for kids to trick-or-treat. It can be a one-stop activity or an addition to their regular trick or treating routine,” shared Jayda Calon, the City’s recreation program coordinator. This year, the children will have to answer a riddle before they get their sweet treats. “We have partnered with The Sweeterie and they will be making colourable cookies for the kids,” commented Jayda.
In addition to cookies and candy, children can play vintage games crafted by the Men’s Shed, and participate in a range of Halloween-themed interactive activities. From crafts to games, there will be an activity available for all interests.
Oktoberfest in the City
For grown-ups looking to do something this fall, the Camrose Kinsmen Club is hosting Oktoberfest at Days Inn Norsemen.
Camrose Public Library will also take part in the festivities, bringing their button-making machine for kids to create custom pins. “I’m excited about the crafts, especially the Build Your Own Broom (BYOB) station,” said Calon. This event is the perfect opportunity for families to enjoy the rich heritage of Camrose while enjoying Halloween festivities.
Oktoberfest in Heisler
Enjoy a night of local food and brews as you dance to live music provided by Third Degree and Jarrid Lee.
Tickets are available by contacting camrosekinsmenclub@gmail.com
Haunt the Museum
Looking for more Oktoberfest adventures? Friends of Battle River Railway are hosting one on November 2 at the Heisler Community Hall only 45 minutes from Camrose.
City of Camrose and Camrose Centennial Museum Society are teaming up to offer a festive, family-friendly event on October 31 from 4 to 7 p.m.
This celebration will take place at the
The event kicks off at 4 p.m. and guests can enjoy a train ride, delicious local food like Heisler sausage and sauerkraut, and an amazing live performance by The River Jacks to keep you dancing all night.
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Adan Shaikh, Camrose Booster Carved pumpkins, hot drinks and beautiful colours of fall still have a few weeks left with us. It is the perfect time to get out and participate in some fall activities.
Learn new ideas in farming
By Adan Shaikh Battle River Research
Group (BRRG) and Stettler Agricultural Society are partnering to provide central Alberta farmers with an opportunity to learn about agricultural innovations on November 8. Starting at 10 a.m., the seminar will take place at the Stettler Agricultural Society building. The event is designed to highlight
advancements in technology that can help farmers optimize their operations.
“Innovation in agriculture can boost productivity and even make the job a bit easier for farmers,” said Kabir Makan, BRRG’s extension coordinator and the event organizer.
Attendees will hear from four notable speakers who are dedicated to pro-
viding solutions for central Alberta’s farming community.
Markus Weber
He is a professional agrologist and leader of LandView since 2015. His company specializes in training agricultural drone users through the Ag Drone School and Drone Spraying Clinic.
Continued on page 5
By Damien C. Kurek, MP, Battle River-Crowfoot
The media landscape is changing and it’s time to respond to this shift by defunding the increasingly irrelevant CBC.
Backed by over $1 billion in federal tax money, this inefficient behemoth competes against small and independent media outlets for viewers and advertising space, shows a clear political bias and has programming that is increasingly not relevant to Canadians. These failings and increased irrelevance are all at the expense of hardworking Canadian taxpayers.
Many Canadians are struggling to pay bills, put food on the table, find affordable housing, and walk safely in their communities. Canadians deserve a government focused on reducing taxes, cutting costs, building homes and addressing the root causes of crime. And the creative sector is one that Canada excels at, yet under the Liberals they are trying to control what “Canadian Content” is and push a particular version of Canada that fits their bias.
There was a case to be made for CBC in the past, at a time when our large and growing country needed to be connected, both rural and urban, but with the changing media landscape CBC finds itself without viewers and without content that people want to watch. Cultural content that focuses on Canada, our people, and our history is valuable and important, but outside of some nostalgia for public broadcasting, it far extends beyond what CBC offers. This coupled with other Liberal censorship laws is making Canada a less free place for freedom of speech and expression.
Prime Minister Trudeau and his allies, including CBC president and CEO Catherine Tait, showcase the irrelevance and entitlement of the organization daily. Tait’s annual compensation ranges from $472,900 to $623,900. Yet, she claims the CBC is underfunded and must “stretch limited resources to meet our mandates.” Ironically, her version of “stretching resources” includes cutting around 800 jobs, while at the same time distributing over $18 million in bonuses (labeled performance pay), while not meeting many of their performance mandates.
When questioned about these bonuses, Tait refused to disclose the recipients and refused to answer basic questions about her own compensation. The real question is not whether she received a bonus, but how much she got even when the organization failed to meet basic objectives. Common sense would suggest that bonuses get paid when things are going well; not at CBC, where it seems they have a backwards approach to this. In fact, we recently saw that CBCTV advertising revenue further plummeted by another 10 per cent last year, with the latest annual report indicating a continued decline as TV audiences dwindle.
Just a year ago, it was reported that the CBC’s English-language television audience accounted for only 4.4 per cent of the prime-time viewing market, down from 7.6 per cent five years earlier.
The CBC’s inability to deliver programs that resonate with viewers, coupled with the trend of Canadians migrating to digital and streaming platforms, illustrates that the CBC is irrelevant to Canadians. In fact, when debating this very issue with former Heritage Minister, now Minister of the Environment, Steven Guibeault, a number of years ago, he bragged about some primetime shows that had recently won awards…to which I pointed out that they were produced by private studios and were most watched on other streaming platforms online.
Effectively meaning that they would have been successful without the CBC and the massive taxpayer subsidies.
Conservative Party of Canada leader, Pierre Poilievre and our common-sense team of MPs is calling for the defunding of the CBC to save taxpayer dollars and promote a free and competitive broadcasting space in Canada. This change would allow Canadians to choose what they watch, allow creators to create content people want, enable media entities to thrive based on merit, and ensure that employees receive fair compensation for their performance.
It’s time to reconsider the CBC’s outdated role in our media landscape and prioritize the needs of Canadians over big, bloated bureaucracy.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding this column, you are encouraged to write Damien at 4945-50 Street, Camrose, Alberta T4V 1P9, call 780-608-4600, text 403-5755625, or e-mail damien.kurek@parl.gc.ca. You can also stay up to date with Damien by following him on social media @dckurek. If you are in need of assistance regarding a federal government program, or need assistance and don’t know where to turn, feel free to reach out to MP Kurek’s office.
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Learn about new ideas in Agriculture
Continued from page 2
Markus is passionate about using technology and data to enhance farm management, with a focus on profitability and sustainability. Having grown up on a large mixed grain and cattle farm near Camrose, he was an early adopter of innovations like electronic tagging for cow-calf herds and variable rate fertilization. He holds degrees in agriculture, law, and an MBA from the University of Alberta.
Mark Olson
Founder and president of Flokk, Mark Olson will also be joining to share insights into how his Albertabased AgTech company is addressing challenges in cattle herd management. Flokk develops digital solutions aimed at improving sustainability, traceability, and productivity. Their handheld device was created in response to real-world issues, offering farmers a practical, cost-effective tool that simplifies record-keeping while benefiting both livestock and the industry.
M. Derek MacKenzie
A soil scientist with more than 25 years of experience in soil biogeochemistry, M. Derek MacKenzie will also present his research, which focuses on how natural and
human disturbances, such as wildfires, affect ecosystem processes, which is a growing concern in central Alberta. His studies include the role of soil organic matter stability and the long-term impact of pyrogenic carbon from fire on soil health. At this event, he will be talking about The Database for Alberta Soil Health (DASH), a project which will incorporate historic and current soil health data into a publicly accessible management tool for farmers.
Logan Skori CEO of AgGene, Logan Skori will speak on the use of CRISPR gene editing in agriculture. With over a decade of farming experience near Kinsella, Alberta, and a background in crop production advising, Skori combines hands-on knowledge with biotechnology to enhance crop production and nutrition.
This seminar offers farmers a chance to engage with experts and explore new tools to enhance their farming practices and yields. Interested individuals can register for this event online at www.battleriverresearch. com/events, lunch will also be provided at this event.
Canadian Foodgrains Bank’s growing project in Edberg
By Adan Shaikh
Volunteers led by Brett Jans gathered southwest of the Village of Edberg on September 27 to harvest 90 acres of wheat for the Canadian Foodgrains Bank. In only an hour, the hard-working farmers produced 5,300 bushels of wheat to be donated to the organization.
The Canadian Foodgrains Bank is an organization on a mission, to fight world hunger and create food security in impoverished nations and has over 30 active projects in Alberta. This partnership consists of 15 Canadian churches and church-based agencies nationwide which share the purpose of growing not just food, but also hope in the hearts of many.
It all began when Canadian farmers sent their surplus harvest to families fighting famine in Bangladesh in 1974, and since then it has become a major operation. Through projects like the one in Edberg, farmers and communities across Canada plant, grow and sell
Steven Herbert, Photo Edberg area families Pearson, Dawbin, Lidberg, Goosen, Schoff, Wideman, Herbert, Pluim, Jans, Hiebert, and Friesen, along with AgriTerra and Lee Transport, worked together with nine combines, four trucks and a grain cart to complete harvest.
crops, donating the proceeds to help those in need.
Terry Gabert has donated his land for the Edberg project for over a decade now and the local families and businesses support his initiative by lending a helping hand. In the fall, Dustin Sand harrowed and Doug Johnson applied fall herbicide.
Spring herbicide and swathing were handled by the Carlsons. Echo Ridge Seed Farm provided the seed, which was planted by Battle River Implements, while Bashaw Seed Cleaning Plant treated the seed. Crop Management Network transported the inputs, and in-crop herbicide was applied by Gregg Pearson. Syngenta donated fungicide, which was applied by Wetaskiwin Aerial Applicators, Wild Rose Co-op Agro donated Roundup and David Lidberg handled desiccation.
“Seeing something like this where the community comes together in support of a project is encouraging. We seem to live in a
Steven Herbert, Photo Edberg Growing Project is one of many projects that Canadian Foodgrains Bank has in Alberta.
world where people are becoming less willing to sacrifice for others all the time, so to see members of the community offer their time and resources year after year like this, it makes me proud to come from the roots that I do. New volunteers are always welcome, and new projects can always be started,” shared Steven Herbert from Edberg. He documented this year’s harvest event and has been involved with the project for some time now.
On harvest day, families and businesses gathered to complete the harvest, and additional support came from Cargill, Crop Management Network, and Echo Ridge Seed Farm. ATB Financial provided lunch for volunteers and crop insurance was donated by Agriculture Financial Services Corporation (AFSC).
The whole community played a role in the success of this project and their efforts and labour will have an impact far beyond our borders.
A cost-effective way to crank up your fall soil samples
By Warren Ward
The most common soil sampling practice is to collect one composite sample per field using a low-cost way to take your composite samples to a new level.
An appropriate composite is based on 12 to 20 subsamples or “cores” collected from the most productive areas of a field. These are usually mid-slopes. For this one primary composite sample, you want to avoid collecting from hill tops, low spots and saline areas. This mid-slope composite will help you select an appropriate fertilizer blend and rate that supports those most productive areas.
However, by avoiding the low-producing areas–the hill tops, the low spots–you may be missing critical insights to boost yield potential in those areas.
You can’t blend samples from low-producing areas into your primary mid-slope composite. The resulting average will produce soil test results that are almost useless. So you need more samples. The extra cost of a second, or third, targeted composite from that field may reveal some interesting issues that could be solved, or at least improved, with localized management.
A few potential target sample sites: an area always subject to lodging. Does it have high organic matter that kicks out a lodge-inducing nitrogen
boost? It may be possible to reduce nitrogen rates in that area.
Try hill tops because high ground often has low organic matter and retains less moisture. These factors will reduce yield. But perhaps low sulphur, or some other nutrient shortage, is also a factor in lower canola yields. Some targeted sulphur could help hill tops.
Low areas with low yields. Is salinity the problem? Or something else?
With a targeted sample, you may find a low-yielding area critically low in potassium, for example, while salinity is fine. You never know until you test.
Targeted samples could prompt some low-tech, targeted nutrient applications that could boost yield results. With a few hundred dollars’ worth of extra samples, you could greatly improve the productivity of acres not benefiting from the blanket nutrient application based on one primary composite sample from your top-producing mid slopes.
Here are the steps to collect composite samples from a field. If hiring someone to collect your samples, they will usually follow this practice: take 12 to 20 sub-samples. If just doing one sample per field, gather these cores from the most-productive areas. This is usually mid slopes. If you are also targeting a problem area with a second
Submitted
blends for each depth.
Don & Cathy’s share:
This is Cathy and Don with their horses, Johnny and Diesel. In 2023, they got a $5,121 profit shares cash payout from Vision, which they put towards their favourite pastime – mounted shooting. The sport involves shooting targets with blanks while racing a course. It’s a challenge that demands horsemanship and a skilled hand. It also demands a bit of cash, says Don, which puts a share of the profits right on target. What’s your share ?
people. Real results.
composite sample, collect a separate set of cores from that specific area. Divide each core into two or three soil depths and put them into separate pails. Have a pail each for zero to six inch deep and six to 24 inch soil depths, or a three-way split of zero to six, six to 12 and 12 to 24. With the 12 to 20 subsamples separated by depth, blend those samples to create one composite
sample per depth. Do not blend these with your second set of composites from a targeted area. Keep them separate. Submit each composite and each depth in its own sample bag. The benchmark composite: Farms could GPSlocate one average acre in the field and use that pin as a sample point each year. This can provide for more accurate comparison of
samples year after year and is faster for the sampler. Ward is an agronomy specialist with the Canola Council of Canada. To learn more about soil sampling, check out the nutrient management chapter at CanolaEncyclopedia.ca, or the Canola Watch fundamentals article Soil sampling–timing, technique, interpretation” at CanolaWatch.org
When soil sampling, divide each core into two or three soil depths and put them into separate pails. Submit separate composite
County supports STARS missions
By Murray Green Camrose County
continues to support the STARS program.
Municipal relations liaison Shannon Paquette of the STARS Foundation updated council on the flight activities this year at the October 8 council meeting.
“I move that the presentation from the STARS Foundation be accepted as information and the request for a $2 per capita pledge of support be referred to 2025 budget deliberations,” said councillor Carlene Wetthuhn.
Shannon updated council on the work STARS is doing in the local community.
“STARS receives government contributions of $15 million, which covers almost half of the direct operating costs of $34.2 million. Donations, fundraising and lotteries are needed to cover the other 56 per cent of direct operational costs in Alberta,” explained Shannon.
She pointed out that nine new rural municipalities and 14 urban municipalities have joined to help them to give STARS 94 per cent of Alberta municipalities in partnership with them.
STARS averages 35 missions per year into Camrose County. However, this year the number sits at 22. In 2023, STARS had 44 missions into the area.
In the 2024 mission report, 19 have been Camrose (St. Mary’s) Hospital critical inter-facility transfers, two near Camrose and one near Bashaw.
“We have had 15 residents flown since last update, 308 total residents flown since 2010. Accidents and illnesses happen anywhere,” Shannon added.
The STARS emergency link centre is integrated with all dispatch centres and resources. The helicopters also have precise mapping coordinates, dispatches HALO and HERO response, and are called out for 37,000 emergency requests per year.
STARS transports physicians for medical and procedural guidance, every critical call/all modes of transport, ground ambulance, rotary wing, fixed wing, schedule logistical arrangements with receiving doctors and hospitals and offer virtual care supports to rural health care professionals.
They have been inno-
vative leaders with night vision goggles, universal blood units increased to four and a massive hemorrhage protocol.
Alberta’s STARS has competed and won lifesaving competitions at the International Air Medical Transport Conference. In fact, they have placed in the top three for 21 years.
“Camrose County averages 35 missions per year and STARS provides physical and virtual response. Together, we enhance rural health care, provide 24/7 access to STARS across Western Canada at no cost to the patient, said Shannon. “A life is saved every day, your partnership makes it possible.”
Murray Green, Camrose Booster
STARS municipal relations liaison Shannon Paquette of the STARS Foundation, fourth from left, presented Camrose County councillors and Reeve
