(2nd from left) Derek & Tannis Axten of Axten Farms of Minton, Sask. and François Handfield & Véronique Bouchard of Ferme aux petits oignons at Mont-Tremblant, Que. Photo: Bruce Sargent

Winners of Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmers for 2017 celebrated

National winners for Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmer for 2017 were awarded on Dec. 1 to Derek & Tannis Axten of Axten Farms in Minton, Sask., and Véronique Bouchard & François Handfield of Ferme aux petits oignons at Mont-Tremblant, Que. “Once again, the seven regional finalists exceeded our expectations as innovative, forward thinking, young agricultural leaders. 



Squash comes in all sizes, shapes and colours and they all taste great.

Squash are nutrition all-stars

Prairie Fare: They’re decorative, but they’re also delicious and healthy

We live an exciting life,” my husband commented as he flipped a butternut squash on its side. We were at a grocery store on a Saturday evening. An attractive display of colourful squash and pumpkins caught my eye, and I pulled my phone out of my purse to take a photo. I stepped back to


Almost any vegetable can be successfully pickled to preserve it for later.

In a pickle over a side dish?

Prairie Fare: Pickles can be made from almost any vegetable or many fruits

Please enjoy these fresh pickles. Your food will be out shortly,” the server said as she placed a plate of cucumber slices in front of us. They were sprinkled with dill weed and had a nice crunch. I was in a restaurant in another state, and the somewhat sweet yet vinegary flavour and crisp texture

Healthy foods are the best snack choices and sometimes the easiest too.

Make snack attacks count

Prairie Fare: Keep your snacks simple and healthful for best results

Make sure your seatbelts are buckled and all carry-ons are properly stowed,” the flight attendant said. I pushed my purse under the seat with my foot, cinched my seatbelt and settled in by the window. Then I realized that my reading materials also were properly stowed in the overhead bin, which was closed. I had


Gazpacho is a nutritious soup that’s served cold.

Gazpacho is a refreshing change in hot weather

Tomatoes, an ingredient in gazpacho, are rich in nutrients and low in calories

We’re going to have cold soup,” I said to my older daughter and husband. We were in our kitchen talking about the upcoming evening meal. “Gross,” my daughter remarked. She likes soup but expects it to be hot. I gathered tomatoes, red and green peppers, celery, an onion, a lemon and a cucumber, along with

Zucchini doesn’t always get the respect it deserves, considering what a prolific nutritional powerhouse it is.

Be creative with zucchini

Prairie Fare: You can make a lot of different menu items with zucchini

Mom, there’s a cucumber,” my daughter noted. “Here’s another one and another one.” I was a little surprised at her comment because I hadn’t planted any cucumbers. I had planted the prolific cousin of the cucumber. You definitely can see the family resemblance when they are hiding under some foliage. “They’re zucchini,” I said. “And



A Finnish company is set to build food production systems inside shipping containers.

Finnish firm produces shipping container farm

Exsilio says its turnkey solution will let commercial kitchens and restaurants produce peak ingredients on site

Call it a garden in a box. Exsilio, a Finnish company, has developed a high-tech solution for cultivating crops like salads and herbs in urban environments. Its EkoFARMER system is a modified shipping container, stuffed with growing equipment. “Our solution is ideal for restaurants and institutional kitchens wanting to produce their own fresh ingredients,” Thomas