The UFA During the Great Depression

While many have learnt about the Great Depression in the United States, caused by the stock market collapse of 1929 and lasting until the beginning of the Second World War in 1939, it is less common to hear about how Alberta was affected by this difficult time in history. The Great Depression, also known as …

Happy Holidays!

Presenting our holiday card for 2022! Featuring this cover of the U.F.A. Co-op Farm Supply shopping centres Xmas Specials catalogue for 1959. If you're curious to know gift items (and prices!) that were popular in 1959, see the fully digitized catalogue here: https://archives.ufa.com/media/PDFs/UF_2002_0065_008.pdf We hope you all have a wonderful holiday season and we wish …

Holding History: Revealing the Archivist’s Role

This poster was created for International Archives Week to help spread awareness of the importance of archives and archivists around the world. Learn more about International Archives Week here. The job of an archivist is a diverse one, with many changes occurring as the world increasingly relies on digital access. Archivists can have different job …

Lazy Daisy Cakes and Rural Cooking

Recipe for a “Lazy Daisy Cake” from 1946, from the fifth edition of the UFWA cook book.UF 2005.0045.03 Home cooking is an important part of rural life, and the UFA has always understood the importance of easy, economic recipes. The United Farm Women of Alberta (UFWA) compiled favourite recipes of UFWA members from across the …

The History of Farmer’s Day in Alberta

U.F.A. Picnic August 6, 1915 (UF 2014.0007). Farmer’s Day is recognized on the second Friday in June, falling on June 10th of this year. The day has evolved over the years, with the first, similar event appearing over a century ago. Early on, the day was known as U.F.A. Sunday, with the day dedicated to …

Sign Your Name to Victory! – The U.F.A. During World War Two

Alberta may have seemed far away from the front lines in Europe during World War Two (1939-1945), but rural communities were affected by the war in a variety of ways. The United Farmers of Alberta (U.F.A.) worked hard to support Canada in the war while still supporting agriculture and rural communities around the province. The …

Happy Holidays!

Happy holidays to you all! We hope you enjoy this holiday card using the December 1972 cover of The United Farmer. You can see the original here: https://archives.ufa.com/permalink/unitedfarmer10_10-1 In this same issue is a thoughtful Christmas Message from then UFA President George Sayle and General Manager William (Bill) McCartney. We wish you the same, and …

New Acquisition – Thomas A. Anderson Fonds

Earlier this year, the United Farmers Historical Society (UFHS) acquired a significant donation of materials that belonged to Thomas A. Anderson, a U.F.A. member who served as Secretary for the Cardston District local in the 1920s. The archives was contacted by the family of the record creator who had kept these materials in their family …

Women Are Persons!

October 18th is Persons Day in Canada, a significant day to commemorate. In 1927, Emily Murphy, Alberta’s first female judge, along with Nellie McClung, Louise McKinney, Irene Parlby and Henrietta Muir Edwards challenged a part of the Canadian Constitution that had historically prevented women from being appointed to the Senate. These women became known as …

The U.F.A. in Federal Politics

Only months after a federal by-election and provincial election, a federal general election was called for December 6, 1921 and the U.F.A. party ran 10 candidates winning in all ridings. The Members of Parliament representing Alberta farmers in Ottawa were George Gibson Coote (Macleod), Donald Macbeth Kennedy (Edmonton West), Edward J. Garland (Bow River), Lincoln …