Portable agricultural steam plant in use at Wasa, BC, near Fort Steele (1898)

By 1893 Indian Corn was being grown for fodder, along with alfalfa and timothy. Some swine and poultry was kept, but no sheep. The country was not considered well-adapted for sheep. Wild horses were rounded up, with the worthless being shot. Giant blue-point was another grass that did well. Poison ivy, red dock and wild parsnip were common noxious weeds in the area.

In 1896 barley was recommended as valuable for feeding for fattening purposes, and grew very well. One rancher near Windermere was running about 900 sheep. Turkeys did well in the area. Fruit trees were reported as thriving in the Fort Steele area, particularly Siberian crabapple. Hogs were being fed for bacon and pork production. The principal grasses cropped at Fort Steele were timothy, red top and blue joint. Galbraith stated that fruit yields were fair considering that the little orchards were only planted a few years ago. Cattle-raising was seen as a successful industry but horses were not profitable, nor were sheep. Hogs and poultry were profitable, but required a wife at home to make them feasible. F.P. Norbury claimed a strong market for oats and vegetables owing to the activity of the North Star Mining Company, so strong that these crops were being supplemented by U.S. producers. Norbury's orchard was producing in abundance with exceptionally fine flavour. Michael Phillipps claimed that at Tobacco Plains spring wheat, barley, oats, rye and peas did as well as in any part of the world. Fall wheat was not successful due to marginal snow cover. All the hardy fruits, large and small, did well for Phillipps. Horse supply exceeded demand and, according to Mr. Phillipps, had never been profitable.

Steam Tractor at work during Fort Steele's Harvest Festival.

In 1901 R.L.T. Galbraith stated that not much fall wheat was sown at Fort Steele as wheat was not profitable to mill. Red Fife and California Club were the strains grown here. With oats Surprise and Black were principally grown. Timothy continued to be the grass of choice, yielding ½ to 3 tons per acre, but Austrian Brome was being experimented with. Galbraith maintained that all hardy varieties of apples, both summer, fall and winter, were grown with good yields. Pears and plums were not being cultivated successfully, but hardy cherries, strawberries, gooseberries, currants, raspberries, etc., were doing well. Lands were being irrigated. Durham cattle was the breed of choice, while horse continued to be unprofitable.

Michael Phillipps stated that some fall wheat was being grown at Tobacco plains, but that lack of snow cover continued to be a problem. Wheat was grown mainly for chicken and hog feed. Spring wheat was growing quite well without irrigation. Phillipps was growing Lincoln oats with irrigation, getting 80 bushels to the acre. He harvested before the wet September weather, and reported short straw on non irrigated lands. Barley, planted early, grew well on non irrigated lands and was used for hog feed. He produced large volumes of potatoes without any crop failure, and grew sugar beets for stock. Timothy was grown for horses, but was not found to be adequate for cattle unless roots were also fed. Phillipps found the following apples to be successful, and to have survived the harsh winter of 1897: Yellow Transparent; Duchess of Oldenberg; Ben Davis; Wealthy; Fameuse; Henry Anderson (all identified as excellent for the country); Blenheim Orange; Golden Pippin; Martha; Transcendent Crabs (all bearing); Greenings (not doing so well). Pears were not found to do well, but plums and prunes were showing some success. Early Richmond, English Morello and May Duke cherries did well. Strawberries did very well and were covered with straw during the winter. By 1901 the Tobacco Plains area was producing quantities of butter. Michael Phillipps was trying out Shropshire sheep and getting good results, while Berkshire and Poland China pigs proved the best and hardiest.

By 1903 Fort Steele was only growing spring wheat for feeding purposes. Surprise and several other varieties of oats were being cultivated, yielding 30-35 bushels per acre. Rye was being grown for hay. Timothy continued to be the grass of choice. Early and Late Rose, Bliss King, White Elephant and other varieties of potatoes were being sown. Currants, gooseberries, raspberries and strawberries produced very well. Wealthy, Duchess of Oldenberg, Yellow Transparent, Alexander, and crabapples of all kinds were grown, with nearly everyone putting in some trees. With plums and prunes Coe's Golden Drop, English Damson, Pond's Seedling and Silver Prune were doing well, with no pests. English Morello, Belle Magnifique and Olivet cherries were grown at Fort Steele. The cattle industry was becoming stronger, with Short-horned Durhams considered the best breed. More attention was being paid to improving horse breeds, with Clyde and Percherons being most popular. Brown Leghorn, Brahmas and plymouth Rocks were the poultry of choice at Fort Steele.

Prices of ordinary necessaries for settlers in 1902, purchased at Carlin & Durick General Store, Fort Steele, were:

Beef - 8¢ to 15¢ per lb.  Bacon - breakfast - 18¢  Bacon - dry salt - 15¢  Ham - 17 ½¢  Lard - 15¢  Butter - creamery No. 1 - 30¢  Butter - dairy - 20¢  Tea - 25¢ to 50¢  Sugar - $6 per 100 lb.  Tomatoes - $3.50 per case  Corn - $3  Peas - $2.75  Beans - $2.85  Potatoes - $20 per ton  Beans - navy - 5¢ per lb.  Beans - brown - 6¢  Evaporated apples - 14¢  Apricots - 12 ½ ¢  Peaches - 15¢  French prunes - 10¢  Hay - $20 per ton  Oats - $25 per ton  Ploughs - $12 to $30  Harness - $24 to $40  Wagons - $90 to $125  Hay rakes - $30 to $40  Binders - $160; Mowers - $60  Binder twine - 20¢ per lb.  Sleighs - $30 to $45 a set  Cutters - $25 and up  Buggies - $60 and up  Harrows - $16 to $30  Nails - $5 per keg