Q: I am not sure how to help my husband. I see him looking through the bedroom window every morning when we get up. Apart from a few non-eventful showers, the rains have simply not blessed us this year. I know that my husband is discouraged. He does not say much. I would like him […] Read more
Farm Living
Seeking professional help for mental stress not sign of weakness
Public urged to recognize national hunting, trapping and fishing day
It’s probably accurate to say that NHTFHD isn’t the best acronym in the history of acronyms. Nonetheless, NHTFHD does represent a worthwhile event. It stands for National Hunting Trapping and Fishing Heritage Day in Canada, which happens on Sept. 16. The Ontario Federation of Hunters and Anglers (OFHA) is encouraging sportsmen, across Canada, to mark […] Read more
Sask. fire ban extended
Saskatchewan has extended its fire ban due to continuing extreme fire risk. A ban has been in place in some areas since Aug.1. As of Aug. 31, open fires are prohibited in all provincial parks and recreation sites and on all provincial Crown land south of the Churchill River all the way to the US […] Read more
Produce a growing concern for Alberta trio
IRMA, Alta. — A perk of market gardening is the opportunity to work inside a warm sunny greenhouse on a brisk winter’s day. “It’s therapeutic,” said Amy Newton, who with fellow growers Kristal MacKay and Janel Fenton operate Spade to Spoon Garden Market and Greenhouse near Irma, Alta. As with most gardeners, growing started as […] Read more
Milkweed: if you can’t beat it, grow it
THURSO, Que. — Dan Gagne is the first to admit he’s the odd man out growing milkweed. While farmers around him in western Quebec curse the noxious weed, he’s growing it as a cash crop. Gagne, a physiotherapist who owns a 200-acre farm near Thurso, belongs to Co-operative Monark, consisting of approximately 100 farmers in […] Read more
Home for locomotive repair under repair
The Hanna roundhouse, built in 1909, employed 60 people who put locomotives needing work back on track
HANNA, Alta. — A small group came forward with a big voice when the Hanna roundhouse was in danger of being sold for salvage. “I thought that was a shame and somebody should do something about it,” said Sandra Beaudoin, a former lender with Alberta Financial Services Corporation with a passion for history. She helped […] Read more
Thresher rebuilt — one piece at a time
LANGENBURG, Sask. — Ken Mack calls his restored grain thresher the Johnny Cash Special. Like the famous song says, he got the parts for his vintage thresher one piece at a time and it didn’t cost him a dime. “One Piece at a Time is where I got the inspiration from. I’ve listened to that […] Read more
Preventing fetal alcohol syndrome is couple’s responsibility
Q: My girlfriend and I are party animals. Most weekends, we are out with friends having a drink or two, and it is hard to imagine anything going on around here without the two of us being at the centre of it. But we are now pregnant and she wants to quit drinking and expects […] Read more
Enjoy colourful autumn with trips close to home
Fall is our favourite time to wander around the west. Forests are draped in gold, summertime crowds have cleared out of the parks and accommodation and campsites are more readily available, sometimes at off-season rates. If you haven’t yet taken advantage of free admission to national parks during 2017, fall is the perfect time, especially […] Read more
Personal service key to business success
MARWAYNE, Alta. — A small business owner in Marwayne credits support from her rural community with sustaining her through health and economic challenges. Since 2006, Kari Rooks-Whelan has operated No Need to Nock, a mini-mall offering boutique fashions, gifts and a bistro in addition to her main focus, an ATB Financial agency. During that time, […] Read more
