Q: When my husband’s parents were admitted to a nursing home, they were asked to sign advanced care directives to let their doctors and nurses know how much care they expected if they got sick. My husband did not want his parents to sign the directives. He was worried that the staff would use them […] Read more
Farm Living
Advanced care directives important – Speaking of Life
Couple follows dreams for retirement
VERMILION, Alta. – At Doug Livingstone’s 65th birthday party, he and his wife, Cheryl, announced to their friends and family that they would not retire to a cabin by the lake. Instead, they planned to borrow money from the bank and build an agricultural retreat and conference centre on a quiet corner of their farm. […] Read more
Trial determines guilt or innocence, not preliminary inquiry – The Law
Q: I always hear in the media that someone is going through a preliminary inquiry. Is that the same as a trial? If not, what is it and why do we have them? A: The preliminary inquiry, which is sometimes called a preliminary hearing, is not the same as a trial. It is not well […] Read more
From the farm to the table
CALGARY – A Calgary restaurant is taking a hands-on approach to beef. Charcut Roast House, which hasn’t yet opened, plans to buy cattle directly from farmers or small suppliers and process the carcasses at the restaurant. “Cost savings of in-house butchery are passed on to the customer, but the staff must have the right skill […] Read more
Funerals get horse-drawn option
Horses aren’t usually associated with funerals anymore, but Byron Haryung is trying to restore the connection. The former oil worker has spent five years planning his business, The Last Ride-Hooves to Heaven. He started with Clydesdale horses and a wagon, which was part of several funeral processions, including his grandfather’s. “I thought, well, I’ll get […] Read more
Orchard builders emphasize community
Carmen Dyck and Keith Jorgenson already produce a lot more than apples and berries at their orchard. They want to take it further still. “We’ve always envisioned doing something out there that involves the community,” said Dyck. Plans so far include a U-pick, a hedge maze and an old church they are renovating, which they […] Read more
Records fall at pumpkin festival
SMOKY LAKE, Alta. – Two festival records were broken at the 21st annual Great White North Pumpkin Fair and Weigh-Off held in Smoky Lake Oct. 3. The previous pumpkin and squash records fell to new champions. There were 28 entries in the pumpkin category this year, with weights starting at 60.8 pounds and working up. […] Read more
Gardening season full of surprises – TEAM Resources
Life is full of surprises and that includes gardening. This summer, I had a border of alyssum around a flower bed in the front yard. The little white flowers bloomed all summer until one August day when I was surprised to see only green, with no white flowers. They had suddenly disappeared. On inspection, I […] Read more
Fall seeding
I have never intentionally fall seeded garden vegetables, but I have noticed that if the spinach or lettuce seeds itself in the fall, they get a head start in spring. Gardeners tell us there are risks to fall seeding. If the seeds become moist or the temperature gets low, the seeds may die. The seeds […] Read more
Climate change worsening: UN
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Reuters) – Droughts, acidic ocean water and melting glaciers are signs that the pace of climate change is surpassing the worst-case scenarios scientists predicted in 2007, says a United Nations report. The UN Environment Program (UNEP) report said mountain glaciers in Asia are melting at a rate that could eventually threaten water supplies, […] Read more
