An Okotoks area family with over 100 years of farming history in southern Alberta has been honoured at the Calgary Stampede.
The Herr family was chosen as the BMO Farm Family for Foothills County at this year's Stampede.
Every year, the Calgary Stampede and BMO Bank of Montreal take the time to recognize the outstanding farm families in southern Alberta.
The BMO Farm Family awards were created to help promote a renewed urban-rural relationship, as well as recognizing the outstanding farm families from Southern Alberta who typify the value of the family farmer to society.
At the peak of their operations, this year's recipients, the Herr Family, had dairy cattle, hundreds of laying hens, ewes, sows, meat chickens and turkeys, cow-calf pairs, and land set aside for growing grain and hay.
While currently they have fewer animals, the family still takes pride in their mixed farming operation.
Albert Herr had come to Alberta from Ontario in 1897, searching for new opportunities, and ended up settling on the farm in 1898.
Albert's son, Clifford, took over the farm in 1936 after his father passed away, who then passed the farm onto his family 20 years after he passed away.
His son Robert, who was only 14 years old at the time, with the help of his uncles, started taking over the farm while still finishing school.
He farmed his first crop in 1962.
In 1964, Robert married his wife Sharon, and they grew the farm together through the 1980's and 1990's.
Now, they are semi-retired and their son, Drew, helps to run day-to-day operations on the farm, raising a small cow-calf herd, haying, and taking care of the laying hens and meat chickens and turkeys.
Their other son, Paul, helps out during busy times on top of working for the farmer who leases land from the Herr family, and the rest of their family, including their daughter, Melissa, daughters-in-law Shelley and Cathey, and their five grandchildren.
For Robert and Sharon, contributing to the community has always been important, and they have always strived to maintain a good rapport with their neighbours.
On top of that, they have been involved in the Davisburg Community Association, the Davisburg Church and Cemetery Board, and the Davisburg Curling Club, as well as hosting preschool and kindergarten children on their farm for over 20 years, so the children can experience farm life with activities like milking cows and gathering eggs.
The Herr Farm has been an integral part of the Davisburg community for over 120 years.
As part of the BMO Farm Family Award, the families being honoured were invited to a reception at the Stampede, which included greetings from Alberta's Minister of Agriculture, brunch, awards presentations, and family photograph sessions.
Each member of the families presented with the award were given free admission to the Stampede, and a Farm Family Awards limited edition pin.
To see the full list of recipients, head over to the Calgary Stampede website.