VIKING, Alta. – Rural communities can be the vibrant place they once were by working together and adopting alternative agriculture methods, says a newly formed agriculture organization.
The Rural Outreach and Agricultural Renaissance Society hopes to help revitalize rural communities through education, said Brian Rozmahel, a Viking farmer and one of the founders of the east-central Alberta group.
“As we learn more we realize it doesn’t have to be bad in agriculture. People are doing things differently and surviving financially and having fun,” said Rozmahel.
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He recently helped organize an afternoon trade show, a 100-mile meal and a series of evening speakers to help kick off the organization.
The group was formed this winter because of a concern about growing dependence on foreign food, deteriorating rural communities and the environment. During the winter it hosted speakers who focused on sustainable agriculture and ways farming and communities can change to be more successful.
“We’re tired of growing our kids for export,” said Rozmahel.
Trade show participants did presentations on the local Battle River Producer Car Group, geothermal drilling, solar technology and game bird farming as ways to help communities connect with each other.
“We want to share with people,” he said.
Kevin Loveseth, a Viking area farmer and organizer, said no white knight is going to ride in and save their community so they better look for alternatives that will keep their farms and towns vibrant.
Learning about alternative agricultural methods or hearing success stories from other farmers give producers the courage to break away from traditional methods of agriculture.
“It provides an element of hope,” said Loveseth. “We are going to support the rural and alternative agriculture in re-educating and linking people.”
The group also put on a meal where all the food came from less than 100 miles away. The meal featured local carrots, parsnips, potatoes cabbage, salad, saskatoon berries, eggs, flour, feta cheese, apples and onions.
Rozmahel said it was easy to use healthy food from the local community and it felt good to support neighbours.
“Local is not boring. It’s not just turnips,” said Rozmahel.
