Artists Don and Shirley Begg created this bronze sculpture, Egg Money, showing a farm wife, her two children, and her flock of chickens, to honor the spirit of pioneer women. The project was initiated by the Bow Valley Ranche Restoration Society, and many sponsors donated money to support it. The names of pioneer women that sponsors honored are inscribed all around the base of the monument.
From the accompanying interpretive sign:
"Through the years
"EGG MONEY
"A Tribute to Pioneer Women
"On Mother's Day, May 12th, 2002, the Honourable Dr. Lois Hole, C.M., AOE, the Lieutenant Governor of Alberta, unveiled this bronze statue known as Egg Money. This work is a timeless reminder of the contributions by ordinary women who worked beyond their strength.
"When the going got tough..."
"Women who moved to the emerging west were faced with a daunting job description - build homesteads, make furniture, tend livestock, fetch water, cook meals, raise children, and make clothes. This was in reality a partial list, as other duties were required not just for making a living, but survival itself. All this was done in the face of frigid winters and roasting summers on the prairies."
"Making Ends Meet
"Farm income in the early days was used to finance operations, leaving little for the farm wife to call her own. Often, women would turn to the sale of eggs from their chicken coop to supplement their needs. This money could have been yet another contribution for the farm, a gift for a dear friend, a special dress - the list was endless."
"Support for Recognition
"The Ranche at Fish Creek Restoration Society felt that some sort of memorial ought to recognize the role of pioneering women. Accordingly, they commissioned Don and Shirley Begg of Studio West Foundry in Cochrane, Alberta, to craft this Egg Money statue. The work portrays the farm wife with her children feeding chickens to earn those extra dollars. Contributions in support of the project were received from across Canada and the United States. This is a remarkable testament to the widespread respect and admiration held for those women that made a lasting imprint on our rich heritage."
There are two other sculptures by the Beggs which are based on this one: Cochrane Legacy statue, in Cochrane, Alberta (unveiled 2003); and Egg Money, at the corner of Corner of Avenue B and Sonnenschein Way, in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan (unveiled Sept 2009). Each version is slightly different.
"The Story of Egg Money", by Clancy Patton, gives a little more background both on the history and on how the statue came to be created ( link