The StoryOur Mission

1905 - 1924 Flint Rock Ranch was established in 1905. Brothers, David and Imrie Barnet, were the original owners of the homestead. David was born in Ontario and lived herding sheep in Montana before settling in Alberta. At the time, the Government was making a greater effort to attract people to Western Canada with the promise of free land. David picked one of the most beautiful spots in Pocupine Hills, with a 25-mile southerly view of the Rocky Mountains. Imrie worked as a railroad surveyor, and in 1908, partnered with his brother David and moved permanently to the Ranch with his new wife, Augusta in 1910. Over the next few years before WWII, the Ranch held 2 stables, a house, chickenhouse, a shed, roothouse, a pigpen a granary and a main house. Work for the Barnets included herding cattle and butchering, chickens, milk cows, hens, and hogs. Butchering cattle and owning milk cows and chickens were important until after WWII, when David and Imrie turned their focus to crops: oats barley and wheat, as well as potatoes and turnips (for pig feed). By 1920, the economy was still tough and Imrie and Augusta had temporarily moved into Fernie where Imrie became an accountant. The same year, the couple decided to move back to the Ranch when David stated that the crops would be better for the next while. However in 1924, the economy did not help them, and the Ranch turned to foreclosure which was a struggling and upsetting time in Flint Rock history.

1924 - 2008 The Ranch went through several hands before finally being purchased by Lorne and Agnes Mitchell. The couple purchased the Ranch in 1955 and raised their 8 children and several 1000 cattle there over the next 21 years.

In the Fall of 2006, Phil and Bette Mitchell and their 4 sons took over the ranch. Used primarily as a recreational property, they also raise graze cattle in the summer and horses year round.

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