Amanda Kappeler (middle) is shown with neighbours on her family’s Fir Ever Green Farm near Falun, Alta.  |  Kappeler photo

Nasty weather takes toll on Christmas trees

Drought and the summer heat dome followed by heavy rains needling producers

Christmas tree growers across Western Canada faced challenging weather conditions this year; from extremely high temperatures and not enough rain in the summer to recent excessive rainfall and flooding. But with the holiday season in full swing and Christmas trees in high demand, growers are more optimistic. “We’re farmers and we deal with Mother Nature,” […] Read more

The Bee Boyzz Honey & Meadery recently set up a display booth at the Winnipeg Beer Fest as part of an effort to introduce mead to the Manitoba market. | Supplied photo

Manitoba couple creates a buzz with meadery

On the Farm: Julia and Kon Paseschnikoff use honey harvested from their 175 hives located across the southern part of the province

WINNIPEG — The ancient Egyptians, Romans and Vikings all hoisted cups of mead, a fermented alcoholic beverage made from honey. Now Julia and Kon Paseschnikoff are introducing mead to the Manitoba market through their bottled honey wines and cans of craft mead. “All cultures had some form of mead,” said Julia, adding that it’s still […] Read more

Peak of the Market CEO Pamela Kolochuk says she is looking to make change from the cooperative’s Winnipeg headquarters. |  Andrea Geary photo

Co-operative’s new CEO heading up the Peak

Peak of the Market’s new chief executive officer has plans to change the Manitoba produce co-operative. Pamela Kolochuk, who took over from Larry McIntosh, is a certified general accountant. She joined the cooperative as chief financial officer in 2017. “The growers are the best thing about my job,” said Kowalchuk, who grew up on a […] Read more


Eli, Amy, Alexis, Mowat and Donald Nikkel on their organic farm near Lundar, Man. | Supplied photo

Farm family follows their own unique beat

On the Farm The Nikkels concentrate on oats, selling rolled and steel-cut products in health and grocery stores

Amy and Donald Nikkel chose to call their 80-acre farm in Manitoba’s Interlake region Adagio Acres to highlight their goal of producing food at a slower tempo. Amy said they achieve this by combining farming with a commitment to family life, their surrounding community and the larger community of Manitoba organic growers. The Nikkels are […] Read more

Healing grows along with vegetables

Healing grows along with vegetables

Market garden offers Yazidi families who have resettled in Winnipeg an opportunity to plant and harvest their own crops

Onions, potatoes, garlic, pumpkins, squash, beans, peas, carrots and other vegetables were planted in mid-May on a nine-acre plot of land next to the Assiniboine River in St. Francois Xavier, Man. It marks the start of the third growing season at the Healing Farm Project. The Healing Farm Project’s mandate is providing food security for […] Read more


Aurora Farm founder and owner Louise May visits with riders at the farm. | Andrea Geary photo

Manitoba farm moves to the inner city

Woman works to bring agriculture to a part of Winnipeg where residents have few opportunities to grow their own food

Louise May, owner of Aurora Farm, looks forward to helping Winnipeg’s inner city residents learn how to plant, nurture and harvest produce, and to possibly get acquainted with a goat or alpaca. The inner-city area of Winnipeg can be described as a concrete jungle and a food desert, having virtually no opportunities for most residents […] Read more

Marcus Wiebe made his first large batch of cider in 2018.  |  Dead Horse Cider Co. photo

Prairie cidery focuses on Manitoba apples

Some of the varieties used by the business were developed years ago at Agriculture Canada’s research station in Morden

Manitoba’s climate isn’t as apple-friendly as Canada’s main apple growing areas, but a surprising number of varieties manage to thrive here. “The main varieties are Goodland, Norland, Winter Cheeks, Red Sparkle, Fall Red and Norkent,” Marcus Wiebe, owner of Dead Horse Cider Co., said. He added that some of these varieties were developed years ago […] Read more

Jodi Friesen, right, and her daughter-in-law, Victoria, in the garden at Miss Millie’s Flower Farm near Poplar Point, Man.  |  Andrea Geary photo

Producer starts a flower farm

Jodi Friesen and her daughter-in-law, Victoria, are turning a half acre of fertile land close to the Assiniboine River into a floral paradise featuring more than 150 flower varieties. Friesen opened Miss Millie’s Flower Farm near Poplar Point, Man., last summer. Since then, she’s added a greater variety of perennials and annuals planted in rows […] Read more


Josh, left, Bohdan, Anna and Luke hang out with some of their sheep.

Manitoba yarn business starts with the sheep

On the Farm: Anna Hunter and Luke Palka moved to the country so they didn’t have to raise their children in the city

Anna Hunter admits that she and husband Luke Palka were novices in agriculture when they bought their 140-acre property in Ste. Genevieve, Man., five years ago. Located near the edge of Manitoba’s boreal plains, the land is a diverse mix of poplar, spruce and pine trees, open pastureland and wetland containing a creek. A variety […] Read more

Letters captured in landscape

WINNIPEG – Take a good look at the next telephone pole you pass. Does it look like a giant letter T? Or does that forked tree resemble a Y? Photographer David Matthews sees upper and lowercase letters of the alphabet everywhere he goes. “I keep my eyes open and have my camera with me at […] Read more