Book Em' Balog

Those of you from agriculture backgrounds likely have your local "go-to" auction market.

For those of you who don't, here's a little insight to what one of these businesses is like. I spent a lot of my life at Balog Auction Market in Lethbridge, Alberta. Whenever our steers would sell or a big sale was happening, Dad would take us to the auction market to sit in the stands and watch the madness happen.

A group of steers we fed being sold

Bids go flying as a new animal or group of animals take their place in the ring. Each bidder raises their hand, tips their hat, or nods when they want to continue bidding. A lesson I learned early in life: never wave at an auction sale unless you intend to buy. 

I was (and still am) lucky to have an incredibly talented and charming auctioneer, Bob Balog, or Uncle Bob to my sisters and I. Balog Auction is operated by Bob and his siblings Darwin and Maureen. 

Bob Balog

From their website, "Over the past 30 years, Balog Auction has sold 2 million head of livestock and have owned and operated part or all of eight different auction markets, but in 1993, we decided to "come home" and focus on the operations of markets owned at Lethbridge, Alberta and seasonal sales held in the Tompkins, Saskatchewan market." 

Balog Auction supported me through my 4-H career by selling our steers, provided sponsorship to the Junior Hereford groups, and continues to support youth each day. This past summer, they provided generous sponsorship for me to attend the AgChat Foundation Conference in Nashville, Tennessee. Bob can also be found at my family's production sale each year. 

The support of local businesses is an integral force in keeping small communities alive. I appreciate having good friends and business partners in my life. Thanks, Balog's, for everything you have done for our community. 

If you are reading this from the Southern Alberta area, be sure to stop by the 15th Annual British Breeds Calf Sale TODAY at 10:30am. There are always great cattle ready to be bought.

Presenting: The Readymade Community Center

This weekend, we celebrated the grand opening of the Readymade Community Center in our community.

A little history. "Readymade" is a term used to describe the farms that were built for new settlers to move to in the early 1900s. The farms consisted of a barn, a house, and 160 acres of irrigated land ready for new settlers. The Readymade School was built in 1918, and continued to service as a school until 1984, and as a community center until 2010. I have fond memories of 4-H meetings and community dinners in the old building.

CPR advertisements for Eastern settlers to head west

In 2010, sod was turned on the land behind the old school. This weekend, we had our grand opening.

The community center is built in the shape of the original Readymade barns, a few of which still stand today.

It took over 100 volunteers and countless hours to build the school literally from the ground up. One of the coolest aspects is the floors: over 100,000 pieces of the original hardwood gym floor were removed, treated, and placed into the new center.

A school band, roast beef dinner, and speeches to thank the volunteers marked the grand opening of the new hall. A live band came after to get the crowd dancing. It was great to have the community together, including about 15 members of my extended family.

My Dad was the MC, keeping the crowd entertained

This hall is vital to keeping the spirit of our rural community alive. It will be a place for weddings, community dinners, fundraisers, and other celebrations. It will be a place to bring our community together. It will be a place for the members of our community to hold with pride. It will be a place for the hard-working volunteers who built it to be deeply proud of.

Thank you to everyone who made the Readymade Community Center possible. It truly is amazing what can be accomplished with the power of willing volunteers and a common mission.