Development

Agriculture is one of the founding industries of Alberta. The first European settlers to travel west arrived in Alberta to find dark, fertile soil that would sustain their families and provide them with an income.

In many ways, agriculture in Alberta has changed a fair bit since its beginnings in the late 1800s. Machines have taken the place of horse and oxen teams, and many of the processes have evolved to be more efficient and trustworthy. However, the main processes remain the same. Farmers still must seed, irrigate (in some cases) and, of course, harvest their crops to see their returns. In this section we explore the current practices involved in agriculture, from the time the seed is placed in the ground to the time that the crop is harvested.