The idea of the Alberta Bound Beef trip surfaced two years ago in the thick of the pandemic. A few members of the Ontario Agricultural College Beef Science Club were chatting about how Zoom calls and online classes aren’t substitutes for hands-on learning and being face-to-face. They joked about travelling to places they couldn’t go because of restrictions and shared worries that they weren’t going to get the full university experience that they desired.
Last year, when I was in my first year at the University of Guelph, we rekindled this conversation as restrictions lifted. Our club banded together and came up with a plan to get undergraduate beef enthusiasts “Alberta Bound,” immersing themselves in Canadian agriculture.
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From there, our executive divided and conquered. Some members of our team went to work seeking sponsorships, primarily from businesses and organizations based in Ontario. As an events co-ordinator, I was responsible for the group as soon as we got off the plane in Alberta until we arrived back in Ontario. This was the perfect role for me because I was the only Albertan on the trip, and I had a vision of what I wanted my classmates to see and experience. I feel so fortunate to have been raised in a family and community where making meaningful friendships with people who are a generation or two older than me is encouraged. The kindness shown by everyone who hosted us on the trip was genuine. People welcomed us with open arms and shared the inner workings of their operations with our group. This trip could not have happened without many generous sponsors and supporters, and our group is very appreciative and thankful for their dedication to the young adults pursuing agriculture at the University of Guelph.
One thing that might surprise people is that we pulled off this entire trip without a faculty advisor. I remember being the last student to get on our tour bus at the Calgary airport. The bus driver shook my hand with a confused look, and asked “Where is your adult advisor?”
I responded with “Hi, nice to meet you, that’s me. I’m Carmen and I’m 19 so technically that makes me qualified …” When we bid our goodbyes a short six days later, he told us that we were the most responsible group he had ever had and that it was one of the most interesting trips he’d ever driven. It had been fun to include him as we toured such a varied set of operations.
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Our goal was for students passionate about agriculture to have an opportunity to see how western operators run their businesses in the agricultural industry compared to those in Ontario. To get a full understanding, the itinerary had a variety of stops including a Hutterite colony, feedlots, purebred and seedstock operations, Waldron Ranches grazing co-op, conversations with association professionals at the Canadian Angus Association and more. We even veered away from beef one afternoon to see an amazing family-owned and operated, cutting-edge potato farm. What’s better than a real-life tour of ‘meat and potatoes’? We also had to make time for a little sightseeing in and around Banff and a quick stop at Irvine’s, Canada’s largest western store. All these stops happened over six days. Having 45 people experience this trip was so amazing, as students came from a variety of backgrounds and with different interests. These Ontario students were from beef operations and feedlots, some came from dairy farms, and all came with an interest in the broader agricultural industry. The level of excitement was contagious as we travelled from place to place, and our hosts felt that and fuelled it with their stories and teachings.
Everyone took something unique away from the trip and there was no “favourite stop” as different locations spoke to some people more than others. Banff and Lake Louise fulfilled the classic “tourist needs” for the group. For agricultural stops, some of the students more passionate about crops enjoyed Westway Farms, because Andie Schmidt graciously organized for her Pioneer seed rep to come out and explain their rotations, the types of seed they planted and why. Perry Potato Farm was a unique stop as there were no cattle, but getting in the field during full-fledged harvest and in the preparation facilities was super neat. Soderglen Ranches was also a highlight as students had never seen that sheer number of animals in one operation being marketed for bull sales and intricately managed by breed, age and purpose.
The magic of Alberta had its effect on students, as some are applying for and accepting jobs in Alberta as you read this. I don’t know how many times I was asked, “Why would you ever go to school in Ontario when you could be HERE every day?”
Reflecting on how the trip went, there are a few things I would recommend to others if they were to plan a tour like this one:
- Triple-check everyone’s flight information and tickets before you leave and be at the airport early. The last thing you want to stress about the morning of the trip is people not being able to make the flight in the first place.
- Allow time for spontaneous stops! These were some of the most memorable parts of our trip.
- Have plenty of snacks and water and a nice variety of both “fast” meals and “good” meals from popular local restaurants.
- Discussions at the stops were another highlight and being in the right mindset to make this happen is essential. Get enough sleep on the tour, and actively think of questions as the producers show you around their operations.
- Make sure the stops are varied — having different stops offers something for everyone on the trip.
- Don’t be afraid to approach businesses, producers, colleges and more. Every single potential tour stop we asked said YES and seemed to genuinely enjoy our group and visit.
Carmen White is the fifth generation on her family ranch in southern Alberta. She currently attends the University of Guelph’s department of food and agricultural resource economics. She has a passion for the ag industry, and appreciates the learning, opportunities and friendships it offers.
