The Agricultural Discovery Centre continues to diversify

On Wednesday, September 18, two steers, donated to the Agricultural Discovery Centre (ADC) at Irvine School by Short Grass Ranches, were sold by live auction at the Medicine Hat Feeding Company. Lexi and Senya, both students at Irvine School and members of the ADC Board, joined auctioneer David Lutz on the platform to speak about the program at the ADC and the care and dedication all the students put into raising the two steers on auction.

All the money from the auction will go back into programming and operation costs of the ADC. The steers were sold by dollar amount rather than weight with the black one being auctioned off first followed by the red one. The black steer weighed in at 1411 lbs and sold for $4,650 to the Southeastern Livestock Feeder Association. The red steer weighed in at 1377 lbs and sold for $4,800 to Buffalo Jump Farms.

Trustee Shauna VanderSpruit was at the Medicine Hat Feeding Company to watch the auction. “This is really exciting for the ADC, especially for the students. They put so much hard work and dedication into the farm at the school. To see the reward they got today in the prices they received for the animals is incredible and makes it all worthwhile.”

The following evening, on Thursday, September 19, the ADC held a Fall Fair where the school held a welcome back BBQ for students and their families. This was followed by student-planned activities, a farmer’s market to sell ADC produce along with a live auction of two lambs, two hogs and 13 chickens.

Coordinator of the ADC, Nichole Neubauer, explained that the ADC will be wrapping up by the end of the month for winter. “We are continuing with the AgPro series and, once everything is winterized at the ADC, students will head to Cypress County Fire and Rescue where they will learn about fire smart farmyards and how to use a fire extinguisher and fight a grass fire safely,” explained Neubauer. The ADC is also partnering with Safety Buzz for a general farm safety course that will include hazard assessments, fall protection, confined spaces, pesticide and chemical safety along with operating a quad, bobcat, and tractor with a front-end loader.

During the summer, the ADC partnered with Medicine Hat College to host two summer camps that were an immersive farm experience for kids from Medicine Hat. “It was an incredible opportunity to utilize the facility during the summer months and to allow kids to learn more about the farm to table concept,” stated Neubauer. “The feedback was phenomenal, many parents said it was the highlight of the summer for both them and their children as it was so authentic, hands-on and different from anything they’d ever done before.”

Nine children attended the first camp, and the second one was full at 15 children. Lots of interest has been expressed to continue offering the camps next summer, which Neubauer hopes to do in order to continue to cultivate meaningful agrifood connections for kids from the city.  

The ADC will also be holding a new fundraiser during the winter months this year. On Saturday, December 14, they are hosting the well-known comedian Dickson Delorme, who goes by the stage name Quick Dick McDick, at the Monarch Theatre. The show starts at 7 p.m. and tickets are $50 each, although will need to be bought early as about half are already sold. “It will be a night of comedy and laughs and an opportunity to take life a little less seriously for an evening,” said Neubauer. If interested, you can call 403-580-9654 for more information.  

By Samantha Johnson, Prairie Rose Public Schools Content Writer