Taber, Alberta

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**Taber, Alberta, Canada**
Motto: Corn Capital of Canada
Taber, Alberta, Canada.
Census division	No. 2
Municipal District	Taber
Area:	km²
Founded
Incorporated
Population Town Population	7,671 (2001)
Population density	/km²
Time zone	Mountain: UTC -7
Postal code span	T1G
Latitude Longitude	49°47′05.4″N, 112°09′03.3″W
Elevation	815 m MSL
Highways	Highway 3 Highway 36 Highway 864
Waterways	Oldman River
Mayor	Ray Bryant
Governing body	Taber Town Council
Town of Taber website
^1(sc) According to the Canada 2001 Census. {{Canadian City/Extra references=Town of Taber website}}

Taber is a town in southern Alberta, Canada in Municipal District of Taber. Taber was established in the late 1890s by European settlers on the banks of the lower Oldman River. Taber is an agricultural town of 7,671 (2005) famous for its corn due to the large amounts of sunshine the town and area receive. It has thus taken on the title Corn Capital of Canada, and has an annual "Cornfest" held in the last week of August.

Taber and Notogawa, Japan are sister towns.

1 History
2 Economy
3 Cornfest
4 External links

[edit] History

Originally, Taber was known as "Tank No. 77," and was used by the railway to fill up on water. In 1903, it is said that the first Mormon settlers from the U.S.A. were the ones to establish a hamlet at the Tank. After the town's post office was built in 1907, the CPR decided to call the town "Tabor," probably after Mount Tabor in Palestine. However, various letters and station heads came out printed "Taber," so the CPR changed the name to make it match the records.

After time, Taber became a successful coal mining town. Coal mining declined in the late 1920's, but picked up in the 1930's after extensive irrigation in the area.

Irrigation helped not only the coal-miners, it also brought with it the production of sugar beets. In 1950, a sugar beet processing plant (Roger's Sugar) was built, which has become a vital part of the town's economy.

On April 28, 1999, Taber gained notoriety when 14 year old Todd Cameron Smith entered W.R. Myers High School and shot two students with a .22 calibre rifle, killing Jason Lang and wounding another 17 year old.

[edit] Economy

Taber town centre

Taber's economy is largely based on agriculture. Local producers raise and grow such things as hogs, beef, sheep, poultry, sugar beets, potatoes, peas, carrots, wheat, sand/gravel, flax, barley, corn, beans, oats, onions, canola and mustard. There also several food processing companies based in the town, including a Frito-Lay factory, which produces various snack products for much of Western Canada. To a smaller extent, there is also a significant oil and gas component to the economy.

[edit] Cornfest

Cornfest is an annual summer festival held in late August, and it includes a midway (rides, booths, and tests of skill) and a stage with performers.

There are also corn-based activities, such as corn tasting and stuffing. Large-scale, local corn producers enter their best varieties inn the 'Best Corn of the Year' award.

Corn stuffing involves two people, one wearing an over-sized coverall. One of the contestants attempts to stuff as much corn as possible into the other's coverall. Whichever team can put the most corn in the coveralls in the allotted time wins.

[edit] External links

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