The original Tullichewan may have been demolished in 1954, but the name of the castle lives on in the Millarville area. Tullichewan Ranch, owned and operated by the John and Elizabeth Campbell and family, has been in operation since 1955. It was named after the Scottish castle that was built in 1792, where John’s grandfather was the laird. John emigrated to Alberta and bought seven quarters south of Millarville Racetrack, and Elizabeth bought nine. They operated a pig farm before shifting into cattle in the 1960s. The Campbell family was recognized as this year’s BMO Farm Family for the MD of Foothills on July 9. “It’s an honour,” said John Campbell, one of seven Campbell brothers who now run the company that operates the ranch. “In my opinion, you can’t tell people what to think and if they think good things about you, that’s an honour.” Most of the family is still involved in Tullichewan. Five of the brothers live at the farm along with four or five nieces and nephews, he said. Some have moved on to their own land but are still involved in agriculture, said Campbell. “We all help out and we’re all involved,” he said. The pig farm transitioned into a mixed farming operation as it switched over to raising cattle, though Tony Campbell, who is the manager of Tullichewan, would tell you otherwise. “I tell everyone we raise grass,” said Tony. “We used to use cows and calves to harvest it, now we use heifers.” There are 370 heifers currently at the 2,560-acre ranch, though he said they’re all set for sale on Oct. 30. It will herald a much-welcomed break for Tony. “Hopefully I’ll be in Arizona for the winter because there will be no cows,” he said. That won’t mean there’s no work to be done. The ranch is looking to the future with its operations, moving to rotational grazing and practices such as bale grazing. Tony’s son, Ben, leases some of the land from the ranch for the business he started with his own family, Grazed Right, which raises grass-fed beef, chicken and pork. Being recognized as a strong agricultural family was an honour for Tony, who was pleased to see three generations of Campbells present at the ceremony – four generations if you count those who wish they could have made it. “Mom and dad are here, just not physically,” said Tony. The BMO Farm Family Awards recognize outstanding farm families throughout southern Alberta, in municipal districts south of Red Deer for the contributions they have made to agriculture and their communities. According to the Calgary Stampede website, nominated families “take an innovative approach to growing their business, demonstrate a commitment to traditional western values and maintain an exceptional standard of sustainability.” Families are nominated by the MD in which they reside. David Sibbald, Calgary Stampede president and chairman of the board, said the farm families are integral to the future of agriculture and to building up communities in Alberta. He told families at the ceremony the “CS” brand stands for more than just the Calgary Stampede. “It’s about Community Spirit,” said Sibbald. “Everybody in here, every family, you’re part of your community spirit and today you’re coming together to be part of our community spirit.” He said generational farm families have helped make Alberta the leader it is in the agriculture industry in any commodity, as well as the technology used in agriculture today. It was promising to see a number of youth attend the ceremony, he said. “My hat’s off to you, on behalf of this organization, for doing what you do and what you continue to do,” said Sibbald. “It is so exciting to see a lot of young kids in here, because that makes me feel that agriculture has a bright future.”
