Local documentary in the works about CPR Demonstration Farm

By John Watson Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A local film is being made about the Canadian Pacific Railway demonstration farm in Strathmore, with ambitions for release next year. 

The farm was established in 1908, being the first ever Canadian Pacific Railway demonstration farm, which assisted new settlers with learning about agriculture in southern Alberta. 

“In 2022, the (Wheatland and Area Historical Society) reached out to me as they were looking at possibly doing a film and they needed to raise some money. They reached out to me and I helped them create a presentation that they could take out into the community to raise some funds,” said Wanda Reinholdt, writer and director of the documentary. “The County of Wheatland has given some funds; I am uncertain of any other funds … and so we began the process of developing the film. Of course, it all takes time and they are all volunteers, and so it took some time to raise the funds, and then once they had the (money), I began to do some research and writing.”

Stated in a release, the mission of the Western District Historical Society and the purpose of the film is to capture, preserve and share the Strathmore community’s distinctive history. 

Ongoing research regarding the film is focusing on how the first settlers lived, including how the first Canadian Pacific Railway demonstration farm assisted them to learn how to thrive as farmers. 

Additionally, the team is looking into who the families were who were attracted to and settled in the area due to the railway coming to the prairies. 

“What is interesting about this story is that very few people in the area know that this happened. Strathmore is very, very important in the history of Canada, in the history of Alberta, in the history of everyone in the area in Wheatland County,” said Reinholdt. “The demonstration farm in particular was very important, and what happened at the demonstration farm did change history for Canada, for Alberta, and made … everything that the Canadian government was doing with the railway and bringing settlers to the West a success.”

The demonstration farm is recorded to have assisted new settlers in learning how to cultivate a variety of crops, how to raise and successfully keep chickens, pigs, lambs, goats and other domesticated animals, as well as how to irrigate. 

Irrigation became critically important for local crop cultivation, as the Wheatland County area occupies the Palliser’s Triangle – a region of former desert once considered to be an arid wasteland.

Those whose families have a history with or ties to the demonstration farm are asked to contact Reinholdt at 403-901-5081, or to visit the legacy farm project website to get in touch with the team. 

The documentary aims to be filming early into next year, with a goal to release in the fall of 2025.