The Flatbush Community Complex was resonant with the sound of bagpipes on the evening of Nov. 16. The Slave Lake Pipe Band was on hand to completely fill the hall with the unmistakable sounds of Scotland for the fourth annual Producer Social, an evening of good food and merriment that recognizes the importance of farming. Put on by the ASB (Agricultural Service Board) of MD 124, the theme was “A Taste of Scotland”.
ASB fieldman Russ Jassman was one of the event organizers.
“Tonight is about recognizing some people that have worked and helped us throughout the year with the Ag Service Board,” Jassman says. “People are coming to recognize families, farming, and that agriculture is important. The whole idea is to have an evening that recognizes that but doesn’t get into a big production or marketing anything. We can expect lots of Scottish things. We have a four person piping band and some Scottish dancers as entertainment.”
The theme was selected because the emcee for the evening recently returned from a vacation in Scotland. Trevor Yurchak, former feed specialist with Alberta Agriculture, was resplendent in a tuxedo jacket and royal blue kilt.
“Ladies, not be trying to sneak a peek under my kilt,” Yurchak joked. “What’s under this kilt is only for the Scots to know.”
The dinner was complete with traditional fare – roast beef, mashed potato, peas, carrots, and gravy – but there were also a few authentic Scottish items for culinary curiousity, including oatcakes (bannock), and a potato and cabbage mixture. Unfortunately, haggis was not on the menu. Several people said they would have tried it. The bannock was dense and chewy but both dishes were thoroughly enjoyable.
However, even though over 130 people already bought their tickets for supper, there was one small catch. All the hungry patrons had to fill out a little quiz to see which table would eat first. With questions like “Is a group of turkeys called a rafter?” and “Is insulin produced from the pancreas of pigs?”, all answers were true and the table represented by The Leader was among the first to eat.
After supper, the pipers and dancers shone in their attempts to bring Scotland to Flatbush. Most people were surprised at the sheer volume that four bagpipes command and were highly impressed with the athleticism displayed by the dancers from Edmonton’s Walton School of Highland Dancing. The pipers performed their rendition of Scotland the Brave and other familiar tunes while the dancers kicked and pirouetted through the Sword Dance and Highland Fling to name a couple. Both groups were met with thunderous applause for their efforts.
Ross MacDonald is a member of the Slave Lake Pipe Band. With more than 70 years of combined experience, the Producer Social was the band’s first real public performance.
“I’ve been playing for 36 years,” says MacDonald. “We actually got together last Remembrance Day. I read in (The Leader) that they were looking for pipers for this event, so we called them up.”
Yurchak mentioned that not every Scot plays the bagpipes but he saw them on sale for around £80, or $180. The pipers don’t deny that novice pipes may cost that much, the cheapest set in the band is around $1,500. MacDonald’s pipes are 75 years old and worth thousands while member Tim Waldron is playing 110-year-old pipes that are priceless.

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