WESTLOCK – Westlock Rotary Club members got a unique view into the world of the Pibroch Hutterite Colony during an Aug. 10 tour arranged by cub president Clifford Bell with Colony grain boss Mike Walter, a former member of the board of directors of Westlock Grain Terminals, acting as guide.
Despite light rain, members enjoyed being shown around the various Colony work areas, which included the large, fully-equipped shop, where repairs to machinery and various fabrication projects take place. Other stops included the wood working shop, plastics factory, metal, and other operations, plus the Colony abattoir.
Before heading to the metals shop, where corrugated roofing and siding is manufactured to customer-specific sizes, members were taken to the Colony church, where they were treated to some a cappella singing by two of the young women and one of the young men.
As well as giving a tour of the buildings and their businesses beyond farming, Walter also added a bit of history of Hutterites in North America and noted the first two Colonies started in South Dakota in 1874. As the members increased, the first Colonies came to Canada, to Saskatchewan and Alberta in 1915, just after the First World War.
There are now about 500 Hutterite Colonies in North America, he said, and over 200 of those are in Alberta, mostly in the southern part of the province.
Pibroch Colony began in 1952, and until recently, had expanded to 170 members. Walter noted that recently, the Colony split into two, and a new one is being set up near Dawson Creek, B.C.
As well as grain and hay farming, and some manufacturing operations, Pibroch Colony also has a herd of beef cattle, a dairy, chicken and egg operation, hogs, sheep, and geese.
