The Calgary Stampede and BMO Bank of Montreal handed out their 2011 Farm Family Awards on July 11. The awards recognize the exceptional contributions to Alberta’s agricultural sector by southern Alberta families. Jay and Lenora Davis of Acme were among the 18 winners.
“We were really, really surprised to win the award,” said Lenora Davis. “We were thrilled. We never expected anything like that.”
ARDA Farms has been in the Davis family since 1903 when Jay’s grandfather, James Davis, immigrated to Acme from Nebraska. Jay’s father, Art, took over the farm in 1942 and established the name ARDA farms. The farm is located six kilometres west of Acme and is a 800-head Black Angus cattle and grain farm, where 3,000 acres of wheat, barley and canola are seeded every year. The award winners were chosen by the Alberta Agricultural Service Board for exemplifying the farming traditions of the past and agri-business practises of the present, as well as their environmental practices while upholding their western heritage and values.
“We are proud to recognize these farm families who uphold the traditions of the past while strengthening Alberta’s economic growth,” said Mike Casey, president of the Calgary Stampede.
Community involvement was also taken into consideration, something that the Davis family doesn’t shy away from.
Aside from running a farm and raising five children, Jay has served as the president of the local agricultural society twice and on the Alberta Angus Association for six years. He also volunteered at the Stampede as a member of the beef cattle judging committee for several years. Lenora volunteers at the Acme School and the Acme Curling Club. She also helped plan the rebuild of the Acme United Church after it burnt down.
The awards ceremony featured guest speakers Jack Hayden, the minister of agriculture and Bill Hogg, vice-president, Alberta/N.W.T. Commercial District, BMO Bank of Montreal.
“These families are outstanding examples of how far farm management has come and the tremendous contributions that make to the Alberta economy,” Hogg said.
At the ceremony, the families were presented with a personalized farm gate sign and received admission to the Stampede Park and tickets to the rodeo.
“It was really nice,” Davis said. “They treated us to champagne and breakfast, and they did a wonderful job that made us feel really special.”
