Author gives ranch women a voice

By Joan Janzen

A born and raised southern Albertan has given a voice to unsung heroines of Canada’s ranching industry. Dorothy Louise Beasley is the author of her new book “Voices from the Prairies: The Extraordinary Stories of Ordinary Ranch Women.”

Coming from a long line of livestock ranchers, Louise birthed this book, fulfilling a 30-year-long desire to give voice to the challenges, triumphs and everyday realities faced by generations of ranch women. Those stories came from women in the Swift Current and Elkwater areas, Bindloss, Maple Creek, Bassano, Medicine Hat, Cessford and Patricia communities.

Dorothy Louise Beasley is the author of her new book “Voices from the Prairies: The Extraordinary Stories of Ordinary Women.”

“I have stories of women from the late 1920s to 1950s in this book,” the author said. “This first book was important for me to get out as soon as possible as most of the women are alive and well, able to read their own stories with their families.”

The book is a collection of stories from women who felt they were an integral part of the livestock ranching industry. Through interviews and first-hand accounts about courage, determination, resilience, sacrifice, love, joy, relationships, and self-sufficiency are poured out on the pages of Louise’s book.

When rural women share their journeys, it often resonates with their rural neighbours. The Bassano Memorial Library added Voices from the Prairies to their collection, prioritizing local patrons who place a hold on the book. Since many of the stories are from Bassano and area, the book will be a popular choice among the library’s patrons.

Louise hopes the book will help “spread the word that as women we are far more capable of being role models for our children, grandchildren and other women than we ever imagined.”

“Voices from the Prairies: The Extraordinary Stories of Ordinary Ranch Women” is available on Amazon.