United Farmers Historical Society

06/18/2026

Discover the legacy of Irene Parlby this summer🌸

The United Farmers Historical Society was proud to partner with the Alix Wagon Wheel Museum on this revitalized exhibit, which was officially unveiled in 2023. This collaborative effort highlights Irene Parlby’s remarkable life and contributions, with special attention to her deep roots in the Alix community and her wide-reaching impact on Alberta and beyond.

Read all about it below and be sure to visit!⬇️

Exciting news for history enthusiasts and community members alike – the Alix Wagon Wheel Museum has reopened this summer! Visitors can look forward to exploring the museum’s rich collection a…

06/17/2026

Welcome back to another Wednesday hat feature! 🧢

Today, we are showcasing a bright orange ballcap with a UFA patch on the front that reads: “We’ll take care of you.”

Although this hat was produced more recently, its message has always remained at the core of the UFA, which was initially founded in 1909 as an advocacy group for farmers across the province.

The UFA logo on the top left of the patch is different from the current one- it was phased out in 2005 after over thirty years of use. Officially adopted in 1972, the logo was first implemented as the UFA transitioned to the metric system.

All hats can be found here at the UFHS archives.

UF 2003.0008.01

06/16/2026

Did you see monuments lit up on Friday night for Farmer's Day?

Thank you to the municipalities of Lethbridge, Red Deer and Sylvan Lake, as well as the Alberta Legislature, Calgary Tower and Telus Spark Science Centre for helping us mark this special day in honour of farmers!

06/12/2026

It's Farmer's Day!

As an annual tradition to recognize farmers, we light monuments in green and orange to highlight the tireless work agriculture producers continue to do.

Watch for light-ups tonight at the Calgary Tower, Calgary TELUS Spark, Lethbridge City Hall, Red Deer City Hall, Sylvan Lake Lighthouse and the Alberta Legislature.

If you live in one of these communities and see the lighting, please take a photo and send it to us, we'd love to see it 🧡💚

06/12/2026

It's Farmer's Day! 🚜🌽🌾

In 1945, the Strathmore U.F.A. Local put forward a resolution to recognize Farmer's Day annually, which was soon adopted by UFA.

Then in 1951, the Alberta government declared the second Friday in June a school holiday in recognition of farmers. While no longer a holiday today, the United Farmers Historical Society continues to recognize this important day. This year, Farmer’s Day falls on June 12th.

the origins of Farmer's Day go back a century ago with UFA Sunday? A time for farmers and their families to take a break from farming and gather with their friends and neighbors.

Learn more about the history of Farmer's Day on our blog ⬇

U.F.A. Picnic August 6, 1915 (UF 2014.0007). Farmer’s Day is recognized on the second Friday in June, and the day has evolved over the years, with the first, similar event appearing over a century …

06/11/2026

Preservation matters. When records are lost, so is the evidence they hold. For International Archives Week, we are highlighting some of the methods we use to ensure the ongoing preservation of our records.

There are many different types of records held here in our archives, including numerous photographs. Photos come in all different shapes and sizes, and require attentive care based on their format and condition.

For instance, the UFHS archives contains several large photographic slide collections, a popular format from the 1950s and regularly used up to the 1990s. To be stored, slides must first be removed from their original carousels or boxes. Then, handled with gloves, they are carefully slotted into individual sleeves to insure their preservation.

Once completed, the slides are described and added to our digital database for public access.


📷 UF 2003.0070.03

06/10/2026

Welcome back to our Wednesday hat feature! Today we have a cap from Wetaskiwin Co-op Refineries Limited. 🧢

In 1936, Wetaskiwin Co-op Refineries Limited was incorporated for the purpose of manufacturing and dealing in petroleum products. They never succeeded in building a refinery, but instead opened a fuel outlet in Wetaskiwin in 1937. In 1986, this hat was made to celebrate their 50th anniversary - including a commemorative patch on the front.

In June 1999, assets of Wetaskiwin Co-op Refineries Ltd. were acquired by United Farmers of Alberta Co-operative Ltd. This year would mark the Co-op’s 90th anniversary.

Did you know we also have a Wetaskiwin Co-op Refineries Ltd. records collections? Get in touch with us to find out more about what we have!

All hats can be found here at the UFHS archives.

06/09/2026

It’s International Archives Week! The theme for this year is Archives for Justice and it invites us to think about whose stories are being preserved and why that matters. Archives hold records that are fundamental to the exercise of justice, and how we preserve, describe, and provide access to records directly shapes how communities can pursue truth and accountability.

Archives hold many hidden treasures within our collections and there are voices and experiences of people whose stories have been overlooked. Every photograph, letter, or document that survives tells us that an ordinary life mattered, and archives have a responsibility to honour that by making stories accessible to the communities they come from.

So, we want to hear from you – whose voices need better representation in the United Farmers Historical Society archives? Your contributions of records and stories help us to develop an archive that involves all who have helped create and sustain UFA’s century long history.

Send us an email anytime at [email protected]

06/08/2026

Farmer's Day is this Friday!

As an annual tradition to recognize farmers in the province, we light monuments in green and orange to highlight the tireless work agriculture producers continue to do.

Watch on Friday, June 12 for light-ups at the Calgary Tower, Calgary TELUS Spark, Lethbridge City Hall, Red Deer City Hall, Sylvan Lake Lighthouse and the Alberta Legislature.

06/04/2026

It's !

Here is the Lethbridge UFA Farm Supply store in July of 1973.

The Lethbridge farm store originally opened back in 1962 to provide southern Alberta UFA members with farm products, from vet supplies to fence gates.

Victor Willoughby was brought in to open this new branch, and Roy Girvan was head counterman.

📁 UF 2002.0065.110
📷 UF 2002.0058.05