08-013: Agriculture Begins Around Dawson Creek

By Dorthea H. Calverley
Agriculture in the Peace River Country began in 1908 when Hector Tremblay settled near the Pouce Coupe River and cultivated about ten acres of land. The first year he planted wheat and oats for feed for his own packhorses.

Mrs. Esme Tuck had the first flower garden in the Pouce Coupe district (1920). For many years she had beautiful gardens.

Rolla, a wide-open prairie country, was settled by the Lea Miller family in May of 1912. They plowed a few acres of land that spring and planted a garden. The first field crops were planted in 1913, mostly to Marquis wheat. Rolla grew into a large district and had their first fall fair in 1924. Today Rolla is a large grain growing area.

Around 1911 many settlers came to the Landry district. In this area, John Carlson did custom breaking of the land with his team of oxen or horses. The only market for farm produce at that time was the demand for seed and feed by the new settlers. The closest railway was at Spirit River, Alberta – some sixty miles away!

 

AGRICULTURAL HIGHLIGHTS AND DATES

  • May 27, 1930 — Two carloads of creamery cows for patrons of the Pouce Coupe Co-operative creamery arrived in Hythe and were driven to Pouce Coupe to be distributed to various parts of the district.
  • July 11, 1930 — First annual plowing match on Dan Abel’s farm.
  • December 2, 1930 — Five grain elevators completed.
  • December 9, 1930 — Trelle again Wheat King at Chicago World’s Fair.
  • June 1931 — Declared only agricultural area in Canada still free from noxious weeds.
  • September, 1931 — John Thorsby of Rolla threshed 1260 bushels of wheat from 21

Acres

  • December 1932 — Herman Trelle wins 4th time as Wheat King at Chicago.
  • February, 1933 — Bob Souter of Arras, short of feed for his sheep, (almost 100) hand

shoveled 3 miles of snow off open spaces so his flock could graze.

  • March, 1934 — Seed grain distributed from Pouce and Dawson to farmers throughout

the Block.

  • October 14, 1934 — Carload of vegetables left the Block for Sibbald, Alta. (relief forPrairies)

  • December 10, 1934 — Geo. Hiffernan wins first prize for Hard Red Spring Wheat.
  • March 1935 — Steers sell as high as $6.35 per 100 pounds. Busiest weekend
  • October 14, 1936Oli barley yields 77 bushels per acre at Geo. Corry farm at Sunset Prairie.

  • May 23, 1938Peace R. Horticultural Society formed Mrs. S. Tuck as chairman.

  • December, 1938Lloyd Rigby of Wembley wins World Wheat Title.

  • April, 1939Organization of Fair Board; Spencer Tuck President.

  • June, 1939First livestock trucked from Gold Bar to Dawson Creek.

  • August 24, 1939Axel Johnson of Rolla delivered first load of wheat to elevator. No. 1 Northern and 65 pounds per bushel.

  • August 21, 1941W.S. Simpson of Hillcrest farm wins rye and winter wheat awards at Chicago Fair.

  • June 1, 194470,000 bees make fast flight by CPA from Vancouver to Fort St. John.

  • February 1, 1945400 weanling pigs shipped to Red Deer hog rancher. Forerunner of Peace River Pig Hatchery.

  • October 1946 — Farms end their non-delivery strike.
  • December 1946 — W.S. Simpson, Rye King at Chicago Fair.
  • July 1947 — 200 pigs, (8 weeks old) flown from Dawson Creek to Alaska.
  • August, 1947Grain shipments break all previous records. 2341000 bushels moved from Dawson Creek during crop year.

  • August, 1946Peace River honey entries by G.T. Graham take two firsts at Pacific National Exhibition.

  • February, 1950Peace River farmers bring home 13 awards from Calgary.

  • August, 1952Dawson Creek leads West in shipment of grain, 2,671,409 in last crop year.

  • April, 1953South Peace Agricultural Students win Future Farmers of Canada awards at Creston, B.C. Dawson Creek Pipe Band is invited to attend P.N.E., Vancouver.

  • August 7 & 8, 1953First Exhibition and Fall Fair at Dawson Creek.

  • February, 1954First load of cattle shipped over Hart Highway by truck to Vancouver.

  • August, 1955Dawson Creek again named as top primary grain shipping point.

  • August, 1956Peace River exhibit wins second prize at P.N.E.

  • October, 1954Peggy Tiegs and Alvin Germain of North Pine, represent B.C. in National 4-H Club Competitions at Toronto Royal Winter Fair.