On the weekend of July 26 and 27, family and friends joined Fred and Marion Gatzke, their son Sheldon, daughter-in-law Melany and grandchildren Emily and Adrienne in a Century Family Farm celebration at their farm near Belbutte.
Fred Gatzke Sr. applied for his homestead in May 1914 and now, 100 years later, the original homestead remains in the family and has grown into a much larger farm. Emily and Adrienne are the fifth generation to live on this farm.
Sheldon Gatzke's farmyard, where Fred Sr. and Amelia raised seven children and where sons of Mary and Joe, Fred, Albert and Raymond, played as children, rang with activity as the Gatzke family gathered from throughout Saskatchewan and Alberta.
They were blessed with beautiful, calm, sunny weather as they visited, played a variety of indoor and outdoor games, reviewed the multitude of pictures and other memorabilia on display, inspected the family tree and monitored the roasting of an entire pig for the evening meal.
Traditional German dishes such as cabbage rolls, pork hocks and saurkraut, homemade buns and pies made with fruit from Fred and Marion's Prairie Orchard added to the succulent pork, baked potatoes, vegetables, pickles and salads for the banquet.
Fred's brother, Albert and Sylvia, organized tours of the surrounding area where many closely related families used to live, as well as the nearby cemetery that as founded on land donated by Fred Gatzke Sr.'s widow, Amelia Gatzke-Selent in 1929. Many of the Belbutte community's pioneers rest in this secluded spot.
Friends and neighbours joined the family for an evening of feasting, visiting and dancing to music by local musicians Dale and Laura Budd and Brian McGowan. Sheldon hosted a campfire that was enjoyed until the wee hours of the morning.
Sunday morning, Fred's brother Raymond and Yvonne and family, Darcy, Connie, Tammy, Vaughn and their families cooked a delicious pancake and sausage breakfast topped with maple and fruit syrups from Fred and Marion's Prairie Orchard. Later, Lynnda Berg on guitar led the singing, accompanied by Brian McGowan on keyboard, while the guests happily joined in a variety of old and favourite hymns.
All too soon it was time for people to begin their journey home, taking memories of a century with them. Thanks to all who helped make this event such a success.
