Alberta couple recently sold the rest of their bison and a half section of farmland and organized their spring farm auction
At the end of April, the couple held an online auction and sold their antiques, fuel tanks, sprayers, bison-handling equipment, stock waterers, vehicles and a life-time collection of odds and ends from the farm. When buyers came to look at the auction items, whether it was an iron, cream separator or lantern, it all sparked a conversation.Stories by Freelance writer
Alta. distillery makes use of local crops
Rig Hand Craft Distillery goes hard on local. The distilling house makes several types of brum, a rum-like drink made from Alberta beet sugar, vodka made with local grains, and saskatoon berry-flavoured mead. Rig Hand has been in the distilling business for eight years, producing those products and more out of a location in Nisku, […] Read more
‘It is a lot different living here’
Moving from big city life in Tehran to a cattle operation in central Alberta required Ala Hakim to make major adjustments
Moving from a city of eight million people to a town of 1,000 in 2016 had its challenges.
Firm spreads prairie flavour
A red seal chef, Carly Minish-Wytinck was tired of working in restaurants in Winnipeg. As an alternative, she was considering developing food products, and settled on gourmet mustard. Smak Dab mustard was born.
General store had everything, including gossip
The Red & White stocked what this rural community needed, and was even able to rescue a floundering school assignment
The Red & White general store was a fascinating place for a small girl to visit.
Hardy, sour sorrel is easy to grow and good for the soul
Each spring, I now wait with varying degrees of patience till my tongue can savour the rich, savoury zing of that first crop of sorrel, the memories of which I recall through the cold winter months, and sustains me as I watch for the signs of thaw through frost covered windows.
Heritage breeds may still have future potential
Heritage Livestock Canada works to raise awareness of how endangered livestock might help weather climate change
Rebecca Lange, president of Heritage Livestock Canada, is all-too-familiar with the adage, “if it works, it’s line breeding. If it doesn’t, it’s inbreeding.” “Genetic diversity is our biggest challenge,” she says. Lange says her organization connects breeders worldwide to help them bring in new genetics, including semen, embryos or live animals. “We rely on producers […] Read more
Health anxiety can have major impact
Excessive fear can lead to questionable food and wellness choices, but heightened awareness also seen as beneficial
Deana Williams found that her health-related anxiety spiked during the pandmic, particularly after a family member was hospitalized, and in critical condition, after contracting the Delta variant of COVID-19.
Elk’s regulatory squeeze
NISKU, Alta. — When Bob Boos sells a truckload of elk, he holds his breath. If the mandatory tests for chronic wasting disease come back negative, he can breathe a sigh of relief and know he will be paid for his animals. Until then, he wonders if he will have a business the following week. […] Read more
Elk producers face uphill battle for hunt farms
NISKU, Alta. — Alberta elk farmers have lobbied the provincial government for more than 20 years to approve hunt farms, but it will take more than that, said Alberta’s agriculture minister Nate Horner. “Politically, you need to convince more people than me. The former minister took it right to cabinet and it didn’t get far,” […] Read more
