Hamiota woman rides in India

Sole representative from Canada participates in endurance ride Excited to be the sole rider to represent Canada, Prue Critchley shared her passion for endurance riding on India soil this year. Critchley, who lives between Hamiota and Shoal Lake with her husband Andrew, received an official invitation to participate in the Himalayan Endurance Ride competition from

Keeping kids safe on the farm

Farms are family enterprises — and that means they’re one of the few workplaces where children often live and play on the same site where powered mobile equipment and hazardous materials are located. Every farmer’s safety and health plan should include precautions to protect children, whether their own or visiting relatives’ and neighbours’. Most incidents


MacGregor teacher promotes winter activities

In the ’50s, when I attended classes at a one-room school, noon hours meant tobogganing, snowshoeing and skiing on the hills behind our school. I remember with pleasure learning to ski on the smallest hill and then advancing to the longer, steeper slopes on the bigger hill. But nowadays, with most rural schools located in

BIRDBATHS: Important in winter and summer

If you’re trying to attract birds to your yard, one of the most useful items is a birdbath. Both winter and summer, a source of water near your feeders will attract songbirds to feed and bathe. My husband and I found this particularly true when there has been a long dry spell, such as we’ve


Take walking to the next level

Now that summer’s here, why not consider “Pole Walking,” also known as “Nordic Walking” or “Urban Poling.” My introduction to pole walking was two years ago, when on a trip to Iceland I spotted several people using what I thought of as “hiking poles.” Back in Winnipeg, I saw a pair of walking poles in

Passionate about Rodeo

Quietness may be a trait of a young Oak River, Manitoba girl, but only until you get her talking about the sport of rodeo. Nine years ago, Hanna Kristjanson enjoyed the company of her first pony, Miss Kitty, and started leisurely riding at the age of four. Prior to becoming an avid rodeo cowgirl, she


Full steam ahead for Portage food processor

The founder of a Portage la Prairie company that uses culled fruits and veggies for baby foods, soups and other foods expects to create 60 new jobs after receiving a $2.5-million federal government loan. Kelly Beaulieu said her company, Canadian Prairie Garden Purée Products, will also utilize large amounts of “less than eye perfect” fruits

Some trails may become off limits in popular ATV-riding area

A group representing ATV enthusiasts is rallying all recreational users of public lands to fight a proposal by Manitoba Conservation to restrict motorized vehicles in a popular wildlife management area of eastern Manitoba. ATV Manitoba says all recreational users should be concerned about a proposal in the Mars Hill Wildlife Management Area (WMA) north of


Researcher tests new way to grow plants and fish at home

Got a hankering to go farming in your basement? Odd as that sounds, it may actually be possible thanks to aquaponics — a combination of aquaculture and hydroponics — and new-generation LED lighting. The potential has Nick Savidov excited. “Integrated farming is becoming a reality,” said the senior research scientist with Alberta Agriculture at Edmonton’s

Feed Birds, Discourage Squirrels

FREELANCE CONTRIBUTOR Those of us who enjoy feeding birds are always open to new ideas on feeding stations if they are effective especially against squirrels. While squirrels are entertaining they can be a nuisance, as they are astonishingly acrobatic and will catapult themselves onto feeders in locations one might think impossible, and keep the birds