Land Use Workshop

[cakadu]

Emrald - I just thought I would let you know that I met up with Harvey in Nisku and had a good chat with him. Unfortunately I couldn't give him your name, but that was okay because I got the job done anyway. I told him about another mutual friend we have in common.

I would say that I am going to be joining action for agriculture in the very near future - just as soon as I get my cheque order (the first time in 20 years I've ever run out of cheques.)

I know several others that belong to the organization and I think that they really have some great stuff going on.

I have to say that after talking with Harvey and Bob that I am very sorry that I missed the meeting last week as it sounds like that Keith Schneider delivered on heckuva presentation. Oh well, I'll time it way better for next year.

Canada West and the Natural Capital project and their 2nd century project may very well champion some of what we need to take action on.

[cakadu]

Harvey is well respected and certainly has done a lot for the agricultural industry just by bringing issues to the public's attention. Bob did an awesome job as the Executive Director of the Provincial Land Use Conference held three years ago. Too bad he wasn't elected for Rockyview Council last fall, he is a very intelligent man and certainly a real advocate for the agricultural industry. Glad you caught up to Harvey.

[Deb]

I wish I could have gone to the Landuse workshop. I went a couple of years ago and was interested to see what they are doing in the U.S. about loss of ranchland and other open spaces.

I have an example of why subdivision of ranches is a pain:

We purchased our 240 acres in the foothills (zoned agricultural)after a rancher sold his ranch and it was subdivided. Before the little 5-acre pieces were sold, we rented the land out for cow-calf grazing. Now the six 5-acre lots are sold and the new owners want us, or the cow-calf owner, to fence all the parcels. He can't afford it and neither can my husband and I. So our 240 acres is lost to agricultural use this year (and we will miss the income). We will try to fence one of the 5-acre pieces this year and maybe part of another, but it will be a couple of years till we can have cattle in there again. The only positive side is that the grass will have a nice chance to grow this summer (assuming there isn't a drought).

We used to have lots of elk around but a bison fence around some 75 acre parcels has stopped their migration and moved them west, further into the foothills towards the mountains. I try to manage our place so the cattle graze is lightly and there's some left for the wildlife, which we value esthetically. We do have a moose and 2 whitetails around that browse on the willows, so that's nice. And the bears like the rose hips when there aren't any saskatoons. I'm planning on starting a bit of a bed and breakfast or cabin rental thing if all goes well. But I will still need cows to graze the meadows a bit. It is all a balancing act and I am grateful that we don't have to make a huge living off it.

[Deb]

better stay on the good side of your acreage neighbours because they will have input when you apply for a development permit from your county for a Bed and Breakfast.

[Deb]

beleive me, I am on their good side already because I am putting together welcome wagon style baskets with info on the benefits of grazing, what vegetation one needs to attract certain wildlife, a bag of native grass seed, books on nature, and some rose hip jam or tea. Plus I will invite them on my nature walks through the aspen forest and the flowered meadows.

Also, my cabin is only 600 square feet and solar as well. I would most likely only have it available four times a year, and only to people I know can understand how the solar system works. We won't get rich on the B & B either but maybe with that, plus a few firewood sales, then some grazing once the fences are done, maybe I'll feel more secure.

[Deb]

Great proactive way to introduce your new neighbours to life in the country in an agricultural area.

[cowman]

Emerald: Deb definitely thinks outside the box! She has been absent for a little while. Not to disaparage her but frankly she is...lets be diplomatic... a wee bit "out There"?
Consider your worst nightmare...where the NDP runs the country?....There you have Deb!

[Deb]

One can see further from "out there"!!!

I find it easy to see future consequences of actions we are taking now, that's all. Maybe it comes from being a multi-tasking mother. I have learned that I cannot tell my husband the end result of my schemes because he has no clue how my thought process got there and thinks my idea is ridiculous. So I write/explain every step with drawings and everything so he can see the sequence of events. I can see sequences of events as easy as anything in the world. I see what will happen to moose, swans, bear, etc. if large ranches are fragmented into little pieces. I see what will happen to agriculture when fossil fuels run out. I see what will happen when the drought deepens and the St. Mary reservoir is empty (it's full now, by the way - obviously somebody was THINKING AHEAD). I see what will happen if Cor and Rick sell their feedlots to Cargill. Just because I think of things ahead of time doesn't mean I'm weird. Lots of people do this, they just are able to keep their thoughts to themselves. I have visions that almost always come true but I guess I waste my breath telling people about it. I'd like to say to hell with the world, but I like people too much, so I continue to try to make them care, which is impossible but I'm a sucker for lost causes.

I admit that if this was 400 years ago I'd probably be burned to the stake by now. It may interest you to know that I don't ALWAYS agree with EVERYTHING the NDP says or does

[cowman]

Well Deb, I suspect you probably don't always agree with the NDP...probably think they are too right wing or something!LOL
I'll try not to rip you too bad just because I might not agree with everything you say! It takes all kinds of people to make this old world go around...and that includes the tree huggers and other assorted "different thinkers". Who is to say they aren't right?

[Deb]

Thanks. Wouldn't you say that the NDP was right to try to stop NAFTA all those years ago, speaking from a cow-calf rancher's perspective?