Rougeau family celebrates centennialof family farm

By John Watson Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The Rougeau family celebrated 100 years of agriculture operations within the Wheatland County area, over the weekend.

Purchasing the land from Canadian Pacific Rail (CPR) in 1926, the farm was homesteaded the same year by Martial Rougeau Sr., who came west from Saint-Édouard, Que.

It was eventually taken over by Martial Rougeau Jr., now 96 years old, in 1965, then passed down in 1994 to its current steward, Ted Rougeau.

“We just invited all our friends and neighbors and some business associates just to come and have a burger and a refreshment. (My wife), Diana, has gone through quite a bit – she has pictures and antiques and a bunch of stuff on display,” said Rougeau. “You just have to keep going one generation at a time … there is quite a bit of (nostalgia) when you get looking at all the old pictures and stuff and how they did things in the past and how we do things today.”

Over the last century, the family has mostly farmed grains and oilseeds, with the previous landowners having ranched cattle for a time.

During the course of his original operations, Martial Sr. constructed a grain elevator by hand between 1953 and 1955, which is still in operational condition today.

Rougeau added cropping methods are among some of the more significant changes to how farming operations have evolved.

“Now, we do a lot of conservation farming. Not that the prior generations were also stewards of the land, but we seem to have more equipment and technology at our disposal to really do quite a job of maintaining the soil and producing the yields,” he explained. “A big difference, I think, over time has been the physical labour part. It is not nearly as labour intensive as it was in the past. Our equipment is so much bigger, and with the technology (and) GPS, there is a lot that makes it easier.”

When the land was first purchased, Rougeau estimated it was between 600 and 800 acres. Over the years, the family has been able to accumulate in the realm of 4,000 acres for their farming operations. 

As part of the centennial milestone, the family applied for and was granted a century farm award by the provincial government recognizing them for the occasion and their family’s commitment to the industry. 

Rougeau added his kids and their families have also begun helping out on the farm, continuing the trend into the fourth and fifth generations.