Virtual Reward 2.0 - Egg Money Virtual Cache

The bronze statue at this site is dedicated to the women who were pioneers in the area. Shirley Begg, one of the creators of the statue remembers having tea with her then-102 year old grandmother, Mable Cargo, who encouraged her to create a tribute to the ordinary farm women of bygone years. These women worked hard to manage homes, support their communities and build this province. They were pioneers, homesteaders, skilled horsewomen, and sometimes authors and artists. They helped their neighbours when they were sick or in need, and they helped in the post office, were teachers, scooped ice cream, ran the cafe, boarded the teachers as well as working side by side with their husbands on farms and ranches. In the days before plumbed water and electricity, it was these women who worked beyond their strength to keep the farms running on a daily basis.

Although most of the business of farming was the right and responsibility of men, much of the work that sustained the farms fell to the women. This included caring for the hens, pullets and roosters as depicted in the statue; they didn’t become chicken until they went into the pot. The only money that the women were entitled to was that which was received from the sale of the eggs, and sometimes the cream from the cow’s milk. Although a blind eye was turned to men who beat their wives (the meaning of “he’s unkind to his horses”), a man was frowned upon for taking the egg money.  Women were known to use the money to improve their household, such as installing a telephone, or to support their children’s educational opportunities, such as providing them with the means to get a nursing or teaching certificate.

History remembers the names of the rather privileged women who were instrumental in achieving votes and rights for women, but the names of the women who were the backbone of their communities would be lost if it weren’t for tributes like this one. Shirley’s grandmother’s idea for the tribute is that it would be placed somewhere where it would be free for everyone to see, and the names of the women would be included so they would not be forgotten. Rather than placing the names on a plaque near the statue that could be damaged, faded, or go missing, the names have been included in the statue itself. Although some families of the honoured women have noted a likeness to their relative, the statue is actually a composite of all women, and depicts no particular person.

This statute was placed for the celebration of Cochrane's 100th birthday in 2003. There are two other versions: one in Fish Creek Park (N50°54.615 W114°01.362) and one adjacent to the Farmer’s Market in Saskatoon, (N52°07.423 W106°40.300 (see GC22WTW)) placed by the German Society of Saskatoon to honour the hard work and perseverance of the women who contributed to Saskatchewan’s farming legacy.

In order to log the cache, email the CO (do not post) the answers the following questions:

1) How many women’s names appear near the bottom of the statue?

2) What is the name of the foundry that created the statue?

3) Find the name of Shirley Begg’s grandmother on the statue. Which direction are you facing to read her name?

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