From the Past to the Present

     As you have seen from my prior posts there is a long history of agriculture here in Alberta. Since settlers started moving here back in the mid 1800's things have come along way. In this day an age any average farm is a modern business. Since the old days technology has come along way and a farm needs to have access to everything that makes it a bit easier or economically friendly. To be progressive a farm needs to be on the leading edge whether  it's putting in embryos or artificially inseminating cows to GPS systems in tractors to seeding from a plane farmers need to live in a modern world to survive.

The Modern Farmer 

    Around YV Ranch we try hard to keep up with the new technology to get a head in out purebred operation and save money in a commercial operation. In the picture about my Dad, Nels is using his Iphone to look up a bulls pedigree. Our farm does all our cattle and calving records on Smartphones which ads the data online and therefor can be pulled up on any computer. 

A Look Back

I have been blogging for two months now. I have learned a lot and have really begun to enjoy sharing my thoughts and feelings with the world. It has opened my eyes on a whole different way of communicating and encouraged me to share the world of agriculture with everyone who is willing to listen and learn new things. I am tremendously happy with what I have accomplished and hope to carry it on far into the future.

More Pictures From The Past.

My Grandma Hilda was reading my blog and liked the old pictures I had up. She thought she might have some pictures to add to my blog. When I looked at the pictures I loved them and had to put them up.

Scandinavian friends gathered for a picnic, what neat old Cars.
-1930's 

Birgitte Opsal and her dad Herald Opsal my Great Great Grandpa and Great Grandma in front of their grocery store in Calgary.
-Early 1920's

Thrashing the Bundles to get Straw and Grain, a lot of Hard work on the farm North East of Airdrie
-1918

2 Ladies in Mile long potato field. Notice the Skirts!
-Late 1920's

My name sake Halvard Kolstad working the land for potatoes, Tractor got stuck,
had to use the team to pull the tractor out
-1920's

Loading Bags of Potatoes in sacks to take to the city a 2 day trip.
-Late 1920's

My Great Grandma and Great Uncle Earl sitting in Grain Stooks.
-1930's 

Auction mart for local produce to be sold or shipped away, Calgary.
-1930's

Potato Picking crew
-1930's

Friends going on trip to Big Hill Springs, look at those solid rubber tires. Everyone needs a little fun!
-Late 1920's

Its amazing how far the advancements in technology has come. Farms have grown larger, work has gotten easier, but nothing would have been accomplished with these early settlers pioneering the way for the future generations. 

Not Always Supply & Demend

           As everyone knows for the past few years gas prices is through the roof.  These outrages prices has impacted every single persons salary and spending. In the agriculture world it has come at a hard burden. Basically every aspect of a farmers job has to deal with machinery and gasoline or diesel. Such things as higher cattle liner prices to haul cattle out to pasture, less of a margin at the packers and all around more of a cost to run every day farm equipment. 
          Most people think these high gas prices are a product of supply and demand, but this is not the case. the problem is in Toronto and New York. While All gas is sold by the barrel In either the TSX or NYSE while 70% of the gas is sold  as Futures, and 30% percent is sold on the marked. This percent of Futures sold is at a record high and is the True cause of all the high prices. The true rate of futures that should be sold is around 30%. Many people along with myself feel this is unfair to the average citizen, steps need to be taken to ensure Futures buying and selling stays at a fair level, the Government of Canada is on the edge of setting laws to take control of futures buying. You can help, by sending a letter or email to you local  member of parliament or an advisor on the senate and with enough support this crisis can be put to rest!

The Family Farm

      In 1878 Hank Redlin and his newly weeded wife Bernese Redlin bought 2 tickets to the 'new land' where they would hopefully start a family and a new life. Hank was seventeen and Bernese was a mear fifteen when they arrived in Quebec in the cool fall. They waited the winter in Quebec city until the following spring when they headed west for their destination, unknown.  Sixteen weeks later they arrived in what is now known as Alberta, bought twelve acres from the land and forest agency for two buck's an acre and started a farm, a few years later had children. Their farm grew for the next 96 years until saddle it faded away like many other old time farm's.          

My Great Aunt, Uncle and Grandpa as Children '37

Our Farm Bringing in the harvest '79

Out Sale Line up at Calgary Bull Sale '92

Branding '01

       In the past young individuals could start farming new, these days it is a bit different it seems as tho to start farming you have to be born in to it, while only able to survive with growing big. I am lucky enough to have grown up on my families 5th generation farm and be heavily involved ever since a child. With the years, rural communities have become further and further separated from urban that it is critical that people are educated on the many aspects on agriculture. 

Photo shoot, with the grandchildren '98

Sale of the Grand Champion Steer, 4-H On Parade

A Little Hard Work Pays Off

The saying is 'A little hard work pays off' and it seemed this year it did for my 2 lucky brothers Adam and Coleman. This year at 

4-H On Parade(The largest steer show in western canada), Coleman had Grand Champion Steer while Adam had Reserve Grand Champion. Our family was thrilled to have raised both these steers ourselves and done all the work on them from day one. The boys sold their steers the following day in the steer sale, Coleman with a record setting price of  $9.80 a lb and Adam with an outstanding $7.00 a lb. It was a tremendous weekend for the boys. I guess it shows with some hard work and a little luck you can accomplish any goal!

Coleman With his Grand Champion YV Steer 

Adam With His Reserve Champion YV Steer

A Different Kind of Sport

      The most popular canadian sports include Hockey, Soccer, Football, Lacrosse, and Baseball, but one sport that most urban people don't know exists as the sport of showing jackpot steers and heifers. Different from showing pure bread cattle, where the intent is to show of your farm and the livestock genetic lines Jackpoting has the soul purpose to win the show and get the check at the end of the day. The first steer show was held in Houston in Texas in the early 1900's. Since then the sport has come along way it is now down to a science.
        I fell in love with the sport when I was 11 years old, I won my first show, Chinook Jr. Classic in Claresholm alberta and I was hooked, no other sports have really crossed my mind since that day. A few of the many things that intrigues me about the sport is that there is always something new to learn, no matter how much you have learned or know about haulter-breaking, feeding or fitting there is always so much more to learn. another interesting aspect is every fall everyone starts of a fresh start with a new steer or heifer so if your not in the winning circle one your you will always have a chance next year!
     Throughout the years the styles of steers have changed immensely. From cattle that only come to you "belt buckle" to a whooping 6 feet tall, constantly changing.


Here are some pictures of cattle throughout time

A 'Belt Buckel' steer from the 50's 

A extreme bull from the 80's

A steer I raised form present day 

A Job Well Done

Hi Again!  My apologies for the absence of any new posts in the past couple weeks. New posts will continue regularly from now on, the fields are seeded, the calves are branded, and the spring cleaning has been done. So I am all caught up for the time being.