Unique, homemade gifts can be fun to make and more personal and meaningful for the recipient. Western Producer readers are invited to enter our Creative Gifts for the Holidays contest to win a great prize. Homemade Vanilla Extract Natural vanilla extract is superior to artificial extracts and a good gift for any cook. 3 vanilla […] Read more
Farm Living
New reader contest: Let’s get crafty!
Community cashes in on old bank
Fundraising events and volunteer labour turn heritage building into a hub for dance, arts and social events
HAMIOTA, Man. — In a Manitoba community known more for baseball than fine art, a repurposed 1903 bank building is making inroads. The Hamiota Heritage Arts Centre provides space for art displays, art and dance classes and live shows, the Hamiota and District Archives and a gift boutique. As the Baseball Capital of Manitoba, Hamiota […] Read more1925 oil pump given place in Alta. history
A refurbished oil pump originally used in the Wainwright Field represents the feverish excitement during the 1920s when the Alberta community became the centre of worldwide attention. Heavy crude had been discovered, and investors and financers imagined that great wealth would come from vast pools of oil beneath the soil of the district. “The greatest […] Read more
Organic company gives Sask. elevators new life
An American company that buys organic and non-genetically modified crops has bought two small elevators in Saskatchewan. Pipeline Foods LLC, which identifies itself as a supply chain solutions company focused exclusively on non-GM and organic food and feed, said it is buying elevators in Wapella and Gull Lake. Wapella, a 3,500 tonne facility, and Gull […] Read more
Ranchers focus on rebuilding from the ashes
Jennifer Jenkins has seen what remains of her five-generation cattle ranch on the edge of southwestern Alberta’s Waterton Lakes National Park. Hers was one of five ranches destroyed in a wildfire that as of Sept. 18 continued to burn out of control and had already burned about 70 percent of the national park. The latest […] Read more
Missing blind goat found after three days away from rescue farm
A blind goat named Daisy is back home after she was believed to have been stolen from an animal rescue farm south of Edmonton. “It’s been a pretty frantic few days,” said Chantele Theroux, a volunteer with the Farm Animal Rescue and Rehoming Movement near Wetaskiwin, Alta. “We have just been overwhelmed with emotion.” The […] Read more
Working with horses a family tradition
VIRDEN, Man. — Merle Coleman met her husband, Ron, by accident. The 90-year-old diminutive horsewoman and former nurse recalled him needing medical aid after getting hit in the face with a pulley. He recovered and went on to live a long life, passing away last year, while Merle gave up nursing at age 60 after […] Read more
Sask. growers spice it up clove by clove
YORKTON, Sask. — The best advertising for the Garlic Garden comes from its customers. Darrel and Anna Schaab operate the five-acre plot of garlic near Yorkton, mainly for direct-to-consumer sales at weekly farmers markets in Saskatoon and Regina. Such sales eliminate the middleman and get them closer to end users, said Anna. For her, that’s […] Read more
Desserts with savoury twist tease the taste buds
Savoury flavours in desserts are not a new fad. The Europeans traditionally serve a cheese course at the end of a meal. Aged Parmesan with a good quality balsamic is delightful. Prosciutto- wrapped melon slices are often an appetizer but there is no reason they could not be a dessert. The addition of savoury flavours […] Read more
Take extra care on highways
With harvest well underway across most of Western Canada, provincial authorities are urging caution on public roads and highways. “Harvest is a busy and important time for the agriculture community,” said Saskatchewan Highways and Infrastructure Minister David Marit. “We want to keep Saskatchewan’s roadways safe for everyone, and remind motorists to watch for slower […] Read more
