There are many different ways of life in the world and even in Alberta there are variations that may surprise you.
The Hutterite way of life is based on religious belief and requires their community to be selfsufficient.
It is based on community ownership of property - no individual owns anything. It is also democratic as each leader is invented and can lose their position if the majority believe he isn't doing it properly.
The Birch Meadow Colony is one of several Hutterite colonies in the north Peace and the Fairview Rotary Club had a tour of it July 7 with their minister, Solomon Wurtz.
The colony raises its own food as well as selling hogs, chickens grain and canola.
For their own consumption, they have chickens for eggs and cows for milk, as well as ducks and geese.
The grain and canola and peas they grow supplies the feed for their animals - which they mill
themselves so they know exactly what goes into the feed.
Although their lifestyle is simplistic - no televisions, radios, or computers except as required for work - their farm is very high tech.
The pigs all wear tags which identify them to a computerized feeding system.
The Hutterite way of life is based on religious belief and requires their community to be selfsufficient.
It is based on community ownership of property - no individual owns anything. It is also democratic as each leader is invented and can lose their position if the majority believe he isn't doing it properly.
The Birch Meadow Colony is one of several Hutterite colonies in the north Peace and the Fairview Rotary Club had a tour of it July 7 with their minister, Solomon Wurtz.
The colony raises its own food as well as selling hogs, chickens grain and canola.
For their own consumption, they have chickens for eggs and cows for milk, as well as ducks and geese.
The grain and canola and peas they grow supplies the feed for their animals - which they mill
themselves so they know exactly what goes into the feed.
Although their lifestyle is simplistic - no televisions, radios, or computers except as required for work - their farm is very high tech.
The pigs all wear tags which identify them to a computerized feeding system.
If they have already eaten, they can't get more food. Sows that are pregnant get a different diet than lactating sows than sows which have just had their piglets weaned.
Hogs destined for market go when they reach a target weight, and the scale is built into the floor.
Hogs destined for market go when they reach a target weight, and the scale is built into the floor.
If they have reached that weight, a gate opens for them and once through they can't go back.
The colony sends about 11,960 hogs per year to market.
The brooder barn where chickens are raised is likewise high tech and sends raises about 2,200 chickens for market (although some of those are kept for their own consumption).
The human members of the colony don't get as much high tech management, but they do all get equal treatment.
The brooder barn where chickens are raised is likewise high tech and sends raises about 2,200 chickens for market (although some of those are kept for their own consumption).
The human members of the colony don't get as much high tech management, but they do all get equal treatment.
All housing units are the same with three bedrooms upstairs and three downstairs, but minimal kitchen facilities.
Meals are eaten communally, cooked in a central kitchen, with the women taking turns cooking and baking.
Religion plays a major part, with two services Sunday.
Meals are eaten communally, cooked in a central kitchen, with the women taking turns cooking and baking.
Religion plays a major part, with two services Sunday.
The church looks more like a community hall and is plain but with comfortable benches for long services.
The colony has its own school, with separate classes for german in addition to the regular Alberta curriculum, and although some colonies let their children go to school longer, at the Birch Meadow Colony they go only to grade 8 or 9 (for those who are good at it).
The young men get a different job every year, so when they need to assign a new chicken boss or cow boss, they know who will do best at it.
The colony ended their tour for the Rotary club with a great dinner for them and finished the dinner with a beautifully sung grace.
The colony has its own school, with separate classes for german in addition to the regular Alberta curriculum, and although some colonies let their children go to school longer, at the Birch Meadow Colony they go only to grade 8 or 9 (for those who are good at it).
The young men get a different job every year, so when they need to assign a new chicken boss or cow boss, they know who will do best at it.
The colony ended their tour for the Rotary club with a great dinner for them and finished the dinner with a beautifully sung grace.