Some autumns ago, I learned September Song from Willie Nelson’s highly acclaimed ‘Stardust’ record, possibly his finest work. My crackling thrift shop discovery has been spun many times on my old turntable. The imperfections on the record are somehow befitting. Willie gave one of the best concerts I ever saw back in 2014. Prolific then […]
September is often seen as the beginning of a new year, as the summer winds down and various activities begin for a new season. But August has kept us hopping! Haying in the 30s is an annual highlight on the Lakeland’s summer calendar, of course; that was followed this past weekend by Open Farm Days, […]
Everybody eats. And so everybody has to buy food. But not everybody knows how their food is produced. How is it grown, how is it processed? Is it healthy? Is it even safe? This weekend’s Alberta Open Farm Days set out to put people’s minds at ease by welcoming the public onto farms and downstream […]
“The hawk is aerial brother of the wave which he sails over and surveys” – Henry David Thoreau An early morning drive to a quiet rural birding location, as the sun pokes its brightness onto the horizon, surely heals the soul. So it was as Elaine and I drove to the north end of Dalmead […]
Haying In The 30s happens in Mallaig every year, but it never gets old. The event, which raises money to help cancer patients, celebrates everything that’s good about rural Alberta living. Hundred of volunteers contribute time, toil, and talent throughout the year and on the August long weekend to put on an event that goes […]
“Welcome to agriculture and Mother Nature,” said Janice Boden, the M.D. of Bonnyville’s manager of agricultural services. Boden was commenting on the dry conditions that have affected crops and pastures in the area, leading the M.D. to declare a state of agricultural disaster. Despite a promising spring, rainfall in the past few weeks has not […]
Shrove Tuesday, the genuine Mardi Gras, was months ago. But early March isn’t the ideal time for outdoor music in Cold Lake. Respect and Cold Lake Brewing and Distilling are teaming up for another music-themed fundraiser for Hearts For Healthcare, following the success of Tubas In The Brewery last December. HEARTy Gras on Saturday, August […]
Alberta Open Farm Days is a great source of information—and food One of the best ways to find out about your food is to make friends with your farmer. Alberta Open Farm Days (August 16-17) is your annual opportunity to visit local producers, learn about their operations, ask questions, and even try some of their […]
Its English name is derived from a Cree word, misâskwatômina. In the Dene Suline language, it is called k’injíe. Prairie people today know it as the saskatoon, a dark purple berry that ripens anytime from late June to mid-July. It grows abundantly across the prairies and in the boreal forest, and it has nourished people, […]
Jeff Gaye, editor of the Cold Lake-based Respect newspaper, was awarded a Golden Dozen award for outstanding editorial writing by the International Society for Weekly Newspaper Editors (ISWNE). ISWNE holds an annual competition for editorials and opinion columns, with the top entry receiving its prestigious Golden Quill award. ISWNE members and non-members are eligible to […]