WAHS demonstrates newly donated equipment

By John Watson Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

With the growing and harvest season drawing to a close, the Wheatland and Area Hospice Society (WAHS) is already looking to be prepared for next year’s Farming for Hospice crop.

On Oct. 6 the WAHS hosted a demonstration of a new 45-foot-long high-speed disc harrow donated to them by Brandt Tractors to help make preparing the 160-acre quarter section of land easier for volunteers.

The high-speed disc harrow is designed to churn the soil post harvest, potentially going as deep as eight inches into the ground to aid in preparation for the next growing season. Unwanted vegetation needs to be chopped up and the soil needs to be churned multiple times before the land will be ready for planting. 

Having regular access to a high-speed disc harrow is expected to save the WAHS between $5,000 to $6,000 per churning of the quarter section of land, that is donated to their cause by Nutrien. 

“We are on a new piece of land in our agreement with Nutrien that Farming for Hospice is going to use for next year’s crop,” said Teri McKinnon, director of community relations for the WAHS. “We are flipping crops. (This plot) was hay and barley and we need to even everything out. Today, we have brought out some of our partner friends and farmers to have a look at the equipment, but also get some work done in preparation for next year’s crop.”

This year marked the fourth year of the WAHS’ partnership with Nutrien – a working relationship that shows no signs of slowing down.

“Nutrien is such a huge player in the farming industry and for them to align with us has been a phenomenal relationship,” said McKinnon. 

Now with Brandt Tractors on board, McKinnon added it’s another step forward within the community “uniting everyone under one cause.”

McKinnon estimated the WAHS currently has roughly $3 million saved for the development of a permanent hospice care facility within Wheatland County. 

She was not able to speak to what a final budget will look like for the facility, however, the prospect of one day funding the facility remains one of great excitement.

“We don’t have a price point rate yet regarding final financials for what the new building will be in our partnership with Wheatland Housing and Management Body, but this (new equipment) will go a long way to help us reach that financial goal,” said McKinnon. “I really believe that it is our mission just to bring some awareness and some dignity to some of the options for the dying in our community. It’s something none of us can avoid – death is a reality and we want to support the dignity of dying.”

Currently there are no physical palliative care facilities in Strathmore or Wheatland County and so patients have to be moved to facilities in Calgary or Lethbridge. One goal of the WAHS is to change that fact with the construction of a six-bed facility to keep those dying within their own community.