It’s sundown at Thanksgiving Ranch near Pincher Creek, Alberta and I’m standing on a hill, witnessing one of the most moving vistas I’ve ever seen.
To my left is a magnificent mountain range. To my right, crashing over the horizon towards me, I see an ocean of whipped-cream clouds backlit by a tangerine sun.
Below me stretch more than 3,000 acres of green forest, grasslands and rolling hills — a seasonal home to 1,600 cattle that graze here during the warm summer months.
Read MoreStaying on a ranch is a great way to soak up one aspect of life in Alberta. Ranching has been a way of life in the province since the first European settlers arrived, and in many ways not much has changed.
Thanksgiving Ranch in the southwest of Alberta is a 3,400 acre cattle ranch with a luxury lodge that welcomes a small number of guests all year round. The track from the ranch entrance gate to the lodge is around 4km, so that starts to give you an idea of just how off the beaten track (and away from the bustle of modern life) you’ll find yourself.
Read MoreWater is the lifeblood of all living creatures, and when it comes to livestock, the importance of clean, accessible water cannot be overstated. Proper hydration is essential for the health and well-being of animals, contributing to their overall growth, reproduction, and productivity. However, ensuring that livestock have access to water in a sustainable and environmentally conscious way is just as crucial. At Thanksgiving Ranch, we’ve made it a priority to design and implement offstream watering systems that not only benefit our animals but also help preserve the delicate ecosystems surrounding us.
Read MoreHere’s what they had to say:
Join Bradley and Christi Bustard at the Thanksgiving Ranch near Pincher Creek for an unforgettable Alberta foodie weekend. Enjoy luxury accommodations in an unparalleled surrounding and have the best elevated home cooking prepared by chef Bradley himself. The food at the ranch is inspired by Alberta’s produce, often incorporating Alberta’s seven signature foods: beef, bison, canola, honey, Red Fife wheat, root vegetables and Saskatoon berries.
Read MoreThe Pincher Creek Watershed Group formed in 2001. It’s a group of landowners who live along Pincher Creek, who have a vested interest in the preservation and sustainability of the Creek and watershed area. We recognize that the Creek as part of a highly integrated, complicated, and fragile ecosystem. Our mission is to catalyze actions that will see Pincher Creek flow through the generations that follow and as it did for our Blackfoot ancestors who preserved it for us. We're committed to maintaining the vitality of Pincher Creek and surrounding areas and driven by the understanding that the water supports our way of life, and economies and that water will become ever more critical. The Watershed Group is also supported by neighbours, townspeople, local governments, and industry partners.
Read MoreCattle are an important part of our sustainability and ecology practices. Grazing ruminants (historically, bison herds) are native to grasslands and play a critical role in the recycling of nutrients and the protection of threatened species. Hooved, heavy animals, specifically in herds, both fertilize and aerate the topsoil, promoting deep root development of natural grasses and plant species.
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