Beet Building

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John Rudelich Interview

Today is January 26th of 2025 and I am here at John Rudelich’s house. And for him to provide us a little story of his himself, his family in regards to the sugar, beet industry. So I’m going to let it to you. John, you go right ahead and feel free to say what you feel.

You’re comfortable with. Well, my connection to the sugar beet industry. Started. We’ll go back as far as my dad. My dad came to the area. From Edmonton in 1936 because, well, everybody knows about the depression and work was hard to find and there was It was work in the sugar beet fields here, that’s what he originally came for.

So he worked in various places in the in the Sugar Beatfields hoeing. Topping. And Loading and all that stuff and then. You got a job? And the sugar Factory for campaign. I think for a couple of years and then, Then he got on their permanent and worked for them for approximately 25 years, I believe.

In various positions and he ended up as pulp dryer operator. And, And then so my history with it. So I ended up working my mother and I both work. In the beat fields with them and then When I turned 16, I got a part-time job there in campaign as a sample Chaser.

Uh, and I was going to school and, and only working the night shift. So it was difficult, but it provided some money. And I don’t remember, I think I was getting 67 cents. An hour or something like that. And then, and then I worked. I don’t remember exact years but it worked a few Summers.

For them like loading sugar into cars bags into cars and Various. Labor. Situations there with them. And then in 1964. Or 1963. I’m sorry, they offered me. A permanent job. And so, then, I worked. I worked for them. In. Various positions. I ended up of a sugar beet foreman.

And I and I apprentice for a welder and carpenter there as well. And, Then. In 1978 when they closed the picture-beard planned by opted on. Leaving the company. And uh, but I must say this that that the company provided a living for very, very many people here and we we wouldn’t be the place we are, if it wasn’t for that company and there were a very good company to work for.

I mean, I chose to leave. Uh, because I wasn’t they were playing different music than when I started. At least, it wasn’t suiting me. I felt like a square peg in her own hole and it was my opportunity to leave and on. And, But, The company itself was a wonderful company to work for and and you could learn a lot of things there.

If you wanted to, there are good people uh, as a family-run business and then it became later. A larger corporation, but like, They were very, very good to my dad. And, and good to our family and and good to everybody. They’re They were just a number one place to work for they had.

Good of all of these The pay was. You know, I think when I’ve left there, I was getting seven 78 an hour which 78 was a pretty good wedge and I had six weeks of holidays and And I was just well treated all the way around and they were they were compassionate and They helped me when I built my first house.

They sold me their property. Very reasonable. I used their equipment. Either very reasonably or at no charge and so So, I have a lot to be thankful for working for them and And uh you know the history is is quite good and like if you’d like to see more history, There’s a museum.

Located. Flats Museum, which is Other people know it as a prairie tractor Museum. And and it’s it’s presently being worked on. It’s uh it’s it’s in you can go into it but it’s riding to it instead he And, And trying to make it. Representative of the industry. And I guess that’s all I have to say, but I had a very good Around 20 years part-time, and and full-time.

Working for them. And Very good outfit. Thank you.

That sounds good enough.