One of the significant and positive changes that has taken place is the co-operation that exists today between beekeepers and farmers.

“I remember when I was growing up, it seemed to be the aerial applicators going against the beekeepers — one group battling another. Now there’s more communication with all applicators.

“We have farmers who’ll call and tell us they plan to be spraying near a location where we have bees, so we can work out timing. In some cases, we can go in and protect the bees by placing wet burlap sacks over the entrances to prevent spray from drifting into the hives or we can relocate the beehives. There’s been a shift in awareness of the importance of bees,” says Simon Lalonde, currently a director of the Saskatchewan Beekeepers Development Commission.

A new app called DriftWatch is now available and is registered in Saskatchewan, the only Canadian province to utilize this tool, through funding from the Saskatchewan Beekeepers Development Commission, Aerial Applicators and the Government of Saskatchewan. According to their website this tool “enables crop producers, beekeepers and pesticide applicators to work together to protect specialty crops and apiaries through the use of mapping programs.”

Lalonde says the onus is on the applicators to inform beekeepers where and when they plan on spraying, but work is being done to add new developments in DriftWatch so it can alert an applicator to a sensitive area, such as bees, orchards, or organic land. “Farmers can spray a fungicide when canola is in full bloom. Restrictions are identified on each label, and farmers and applicators are required to follow those rules.”

Working together benefits both crop producers and beekeepers. Canola growers are aware of the economic benefit of granting beekeepers access to their land. “They understand they will get quicker pollination times for their crops, more consistent seed sets, higher volumes, and often a higher grade product,” says Lalonde. For beekeepers, the big honey flow occurs during the three or four weeks in July when canola fields are in bloom. Similar to farmers, beekeepers work hard in the field for nine months but only have approximately six to eight weeks to take off their entire crop.

Loss of forage areas

An area of change that has had a negative impact on beekeepers is the loss of forage areas for their bees. In the past, alfalfa, clover and other pasture wildflowers provided forage before and after canola flowered. “The big advantage for us came with the timing of the crops. In Saskatchewan, alfalfa usually begins flowering mid-June, and flowers for about 10 days, after which the farmers cut it for feed. Then canola starts coming into full bloom and under the right weather conditions, blooms for about three to four weeks. By the end of July when the canola is done, the second cut of alfalfa comes back into bloom, as well as various clovers.

“Many farmers around here don’t cut that second growth of alfalfa, so all through August and early September we had forage for our bees. That’s one of the crops that produces a beautiful white, creamy honey, and that’s where some of the profit in beekeeping can be realized. But when BSE hit in 2003, many farmers sold their cattle and turned their alfalfa and hay land over and began planting cash crops. So we lost those forage areas. There are areas in the province with a significant number of hives that depend 100 per cent on canola for a honey crop,” Lalonde notes.

Also, with the increase in the value of farmland, many farmers are bulldozing old yard sites, bush lines and marshy areas, which provide shelter and forage for honeybees. As a result, beekeepers are losing more forage areas and bee yard sites sheltered by trees. The trees can help catch spray drift that comes in and might encroach into the bee yard and create protected areas from winter winds.

“In the spring, we used to have caraganas and dandelions that provided big spring honey flows that the hives would be able to sustain themselves. But we’re finding the diversity isn’t there anymore. We’re losing a lot of the spring flowers that bees depend on for spring forage.

“Prior to the 2000s we didn’t have to feed the bees in the spring. Now we have to put out an additional 40 to 70 pounds of feed per hive (approximately) to get the bees through those two months. So that’s not only an extra expense, but also, more importantly, it’s worse for the bees because they’re not getting the necessary nutrients from a diversity of flowers. The loss of forage sources seems to be starting to impact the bees.”

Neonicotinoids

Prairie beekeepers like the Lalondes are also concerned how the proposed neonicotinoid ban might affect their industry. Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) will potentially phase out two main neonics used in seed treatments in canola, corn and soybeans because of the potential harm to aquatic insects when the residue ends up in streams, rivers or lakes.

“Right now, the concern to a beekeeper is: if there are no more neonics, what are farmers going to use? Will they turn to harsher chemicals that will be more destructive to bees? Or will a farmer spend more money from their bottom line to use a product that is safe for bees? It takes at least three years to develop new chemicals to replace neonics. In Western Canada we didn’t see a big spike in bee mortality back in 2002 and 2003 when farmers began using neonics as a seed treatment, possibly because of different crops and planting styles versus Eastern Canada and the U.S. Midwest,” he adds.

Bee losses appear to be higher in Eastern Canada and the U.S. than in the West, according to Rod Scarlett, executive director of the Canadian Honey Council. Lalonde wonders if the residual dust from the neonic pesticide that is vented into the atmosphere during seeding, is partly to blame for the higher bee mortality. “Corn seed is not smooth and round like canola seed, so there may be more chemical dust that is created during seeding which then settles on the flowers and bees are taking that back to the hive. This is a highly debated topic with studies from both sides of the argument to validate their points.”

The varroa mite is also having an impact on bee populations. “It’s the biggest disease pathogen that’s changed beekeeping,” Lalonde says. “The varroa mite acts as a vector for many other viruses. The mites weaken the bees’ immune systems, which appears to allow other viruses to be transmitted through the bee population.

“We do a lot of intensive mitemanagement. We have a simple way to check mite levels. If they get too high, depending on what time of season it is, there are different ways we can solve the problem. However, beekeepers must be aware of their mite levels and be prepared to act quickly and appropriately.

“The bee industry, like farming, has become a science,” Lalonde adds.

For more information, visit saskbeekeepers.com.

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“Sculptured trees have become my signature work,” he says. “The elements of nature can affect the design of our surroundings. This is especially true for trees. Trees need to withstand wind, snow and drought, causing them to turn into interesting shapes in order to endure.”

Keen comes by his talents naturally. His father, Paul Keen farmed in the Montmartre district, about 100 kilometres southeast of Regina. From his farm workshop, Paul built and repaired his own farm equipment as well as that of his neighbours. “My father was a farmer first, but he loved inventing, designing and building things. If he couldn’t fix it, he’d make it,” Keen says.

Eventually Keen’s father purchased a machine shop in town and did double duty as a farmer and machine shop owner. “The farmers from a large surrounding area loved Paul Keen because he was a farmer too, and understood their needs. My dad became an excellent self-taught machinist and skilled metal worker using various welding equipment he made himself or bought new.”

Assisting and observing his father had a direct influence on Keen as a youth. By the time he was 18, he had created dozens of metal artworks in ornamental railings and smaller art pieces.

Keen knew, however, that changes taking place in agriculture would affect his father’s work and there might not be a future for him there. He also realized the importance of education, so after graduating from high school, he earned a journeyman’s certificate in arc and gas welding. He went on to receive a BA and a B.Ed. degree with a technical vocation major, and became a high school instructor teaching industrial arts, a career that lasted 29 years. As much as he enjoyed teaching, his real love was creating works of art using metal.

Keen’s artistic journey began in 1970 when he entered his first piece in a national contest and won second place. Inspired by his success and encouraged by friends, Keen forged ahead. His first art show — Bazzart in Regina — was another success, prompting him to attend more shows and exhibits.

A piece usually begins with an idea, which Keen conceptualizes and occasionally sketches out on paper. All the works are individually sculptured by heating, bending, twisting, and welding pieces of formed steel together. Next, the sculpture is cleaned and undercoated, and is then ready for painting.

Initially Keen used copper, stainless steel and brass, relying on the metal, heat and mild acids to create colour in his work. This method was costly, difficult to control and he was often not satisfied with the final finish. “I stopped using these metals and felt using raw steel was the best medium for what I wanted to achieve. It was at this time, in the late 1980s, that his partner Laurette started to paint and add colour to my work.

“Laurette, my partner of 50 years, an artist herself, has always had a hand in my work. In the early years, she would critique my work and say what she liked and didn’t like. Therefore, the work was never shown until we both felt satisfied that it was complete,” Keen said.

The couple has attended many shows across Saskatchewan over the last 40 years. About 10 years ago they added a private gallery in their home, where visitors can view their work by appointment. They have done many custom pieces for private homes, businesses and corporations, and the latest was a “Memorial Tree” for SGEU (Saskatchewan Government and General Employees’ Union) in remembrance of all the people who have lost their lives on the job.

“I love my work and it means everything to me. When people like it and actually spend their hard-earned money to buy it, it gives me a very special feeling. If you love what you do and it gives purpose to your life, what more could you want?”

For more information visit wckmetalartist.ca.

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Janzen, her husband Don, and his brother Larry raise bison near Glenbush, Saskatchewan, and having now retired from a long nursing career, she is eager to devote more time to her hobby.

“About 25 years ago some friends and I would exchange homemade Christmas gifts every year. Our two daughters both have a creative side and helped come up with gift ideas we could make. One year we decided to make a small batch of soap, which turned out really well. One of my friends challenged me to sell it at her church’s bazaar, and I was pleasantly surprised how much the ladies liked it,” Janzen said. It was the green light she needed to forge ahead.

Using local, natural ingredients in her soap, such as bison tallow, and locally grown wild herbs, is important to Janzen. “I believe the world would be a better place if we all used local products instead of relying on imports from other countries. Also, making the soap in my own kitchen brings it back to basics and cuts out all the chemicals that harm our skin and our water supply.”

She initially consulted a book on how to make pioneer soap using the basic ingredients she could access locally. The process requires precise weights and measurements, and there are many steps and pauses while you wait for it to dry and cure. It takes about a month from start to finish.

“Even after 25 years, I continue to work at improving my soap. It’s like all skills — the more time you invest, the more you learn and the better you become,” Janzen said.

In 2013 Janzen’s oldest daughter, Pam, started an online Etsy shop selling bison fibres. An avid knitter, Pam loves working with natural fibres, and the unique and special bison fibre was easily accessible through her parents’ farm.

Pam and her husband Charles (who live in Stony Rapids, Saskatchewan) wanted to learn how to turn the raw fibre into yarn. Since then, Pam has learned how to spin the fibre on an electric spinning wheel, but she’s also had some commercially processed into rovings (a long bundle of fibre prepared for spinning) and yarn. Their Etsy shop is called “Buffalo Charlie.”

“Bison fibre is extremely soft and warm and has a high moisture ‘regain,’ which gives it the ability to wick moisture away and insulate while wet. Additionally, it contains no lanolin (perfect for those allergic to it), doesn’t attract moths, and is considered to feel and look similar to cashmere, but is more durable,” said Pam.

The question is: how do you go about harvesting fibre from a bison? Initially, Pam would go to her parents’ farm and collect the shed fibre. “We have since found that we are able to get cleaner, better-quality fibre directly off the animals, so in the spring when the bison are put in the squeeze for deworming, we are able to remove some of the fibre they shed with the change of season.”

Because bison fibre is difficult to obtain there are a limited number of suppliers, and as interest in it is growing, the Etsy shop quickly sells out.

The Etsy shop also serves as a place where Barb can sell her handmade natural soap.

“For me, the benefit of having a home-based business is that I can work at my own speed, in my own kitchen, without leaving the farm,” said Janzen.

She also sells her soap at the annual Northern Horizons Studio Tour where the public can drive out to visit various Saskatchewan artists and see their work. “I love meeting the people who come to the art tour because they’re truly interested in what we do. Most of the visitors love coming out to see the artists and get the chance to talk to them about the work all of us are obviously passionate about.”

For more information visit Buffalo Charlie’s Facebook page or northernhorizons.ca.

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“We were looking for a commodity suitable to a seven-acre parcel of land that was not being used for grain due to its location — it was too small for equipment to move around easily,” said Krista. A factor that also entered into their decision was her desire to get out of shift work and work at home with their children.

That first year the McBains planted, weeded and harvested their crop by hand. “Our three kids and many of the neighbour kids helped for the first few years. It was a learning curve for everyone,” Krista said.

The couple tried selling the garlic in bulk, but at that time people were still avoiding garlic. “Very few were open about loving it. Some didn’t even know what good garlic tasted like.”

The McBains persevered and began making garlic powder. Soon they were adding other products such as pickled cucumbers, beans, carrots and asparagus, all with a full garlic flavour. Sales initially were limited to small markets and several local retail outlets. The locally grown movement hadn’t yet taken hold.

In 2000 the McBains learned about the Food Development Centre at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon, and that fall they hauled their cleaned garlic there. Having access to the larger processing equipment allowed them to process and bottle their products in large batches. The next year they rented health-inspected kitchens in the area.

“We put in long hours at home cleaning the garlic because it is time sensitive — it starts sprouting after you peel and clean it. We would have everything pickled within three days of cleaning. It was a couple of trips that year, but very busy,” Krista said.

In 2002 the couple built their own processing facility on the farm. It included a large commercial kitchen and later a storage area was added. Today the business produces about 21 different garlic products, including pickled dill carrots, cucumbers, beans, asparagus, salsa and minced and powdered garlic. “The bestsellers have changed over the years,” said Krista, “but the fresh minced garlic for household everyday use is still the go-to for many homes. Anything with dill is popular too.”

December 2002 was also the first year the McBains began selling their products at the Sundog Arts and Entertainment Faire in Saskatoon. “We were overwhelmed that first night with only the two of us and people so excited for home preserves!” said Dave.

M & M Garlic products are sold in retail stores across the Prairies and numerous Saskatchewan farmers’ markets. The McBains also attend spring trade shows around the Nipawin area, a summer show in Candle Lake and Christmas Craft Fairs across Saskatchewan. “The individual Co-op stores work with us in many places and are great local promoters. We are in a number of Co-op stores across Saskatchewan, as well as Dauphin and Flin Flon, Manitoba, and are currently working on expanding to a few new stores in Regina,” said Krista.

The McBains grow both the hardneck and the softcore garlic. “For the raw market, most people prefer the hardneck garlic, or winter garlic as it’s sometimes referred to. For our processing market, we use hardneck, but softcore is used for pickling.”

M & M Garlic has received agriculture awards from the Nipawin Chamber of Commerce as well as a nomination for an ABEX award from the Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce.

How are they able to keep up with growing their successful business as well as the responsibilities on their grain farm? “We rely on hired help for both the garlic and grain farm. Good employees are the key to our success,” Dave said.

For more information go to mmgarlic.com or phone 306-276-2518.

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Pepper’s black and white photographs, taken with a Rolleiflex camera, often feature the ‘ordinary’ women of Saskatchewan — the pioneers — whose inner strength of character she wanted to capture. Her latest book released in 2011 Human Touch: Portraits of Strength, Courage and Dignity, highlights these women.

Thelma Pepper (nee Stevens) was born in Nova Scotia’s Annapolis Valley in 1920. Both her father and grandfather were photographers, and as a youth, she spent many hours in her father’s darkroom, learning the art.

After high school Pepper received a scholarship to Acadia University, graduating with a bachelor of science degree, and later, completing a graduate degree in botany at McGill University. It was during this time that she met and subsequently married Jim Pepper, a scientist.

In 1947, the couple moved to Saskatoon where Jim taught at the University of Saskatchewan, and Thelma stayed home to look after their four children.

“The children were my first priority. I wanted to do the best job I could of raising them,” she says.

By 1980 all the children had left home, and Pepper was wondering what to do next. It was at this time she received a parcel from her sister containing hundreds of negatives from her father and grandfather’s estate, dating from 1900 to 1940. She began printing them and, “I was very pleased with the results,” she said.

It was then that Pepper, at 60 years old, knew she needed to follow her instincts and seriously pursue photography. “My son, Gordon, encouraged me to believe in myself. He told me, ‘you are a different person when you do something creative,’” she said.

Pepper had her first solo exhibition in 1986. Next she created a show called “Decades of Voices: Saskatchewan Pioneer Women” which documented the lives of a number of women she’d interviewed and photographed while volunteering at a seniors’ home in Saskatoon.

“I tried to ask them about things they’d be interested in or events they could relate to. Their strength and resourcefulness impressed me, particularly those who had gone through the Depression,” she said.

Pepper’s next project was documenting the lives of 10 pioneers living along Highway 41 in Saskatchewan, resulting in the exhibition “Spaces of Belonging: a Journey along Highway 41.”

“Some of these people remained on their homesteads while others moved away, taking something with them from that time and place. I didn’t photograph them until a long time after I got to know them as I wanted them to be themselves; to feel comfortable and relaxed, and to trust me,” she said.

“Untie the Spirit” was a work Pepper compiled after a joint project with artist Jeff Nachtigall at Sherbrooke Community Centre, a long-term care facility in Saskatoon. Sherbrooke Centre had adopted a philosophy called the Eden Alternative that incorporated healing arts as part of treating the whole person through art, music, children, pets and plants. A National Film Board documentary was produced in 2009 called “A Year at Sherbrooke,” that featured Pepper and Nachtigall working with the residents.

Pepper likes to quote American painter, printmaker and photographer Arthur Wesley Dow: “Art is the most valued thing in the world. It is the expression of the highest form of human energy, the creative power nearest to the divine. The power is within — the question is how to reach it.”

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This is the story of Craig and Janine Wagar and their farm near Rosetown, in west-central Saskatchewan.

Where do you farm?

“We farm in west-central Saskatchewan. Our land is located halfway between Rosetown and Elrose.”

How much land do you farm?

“We farm two sections. That’s small compared to today’s standards. It’s just Dad and me; it works pretty well for us. The farm was passed down from my grandparents to my parents. My mother passed away in 2016, but my dad continues to be highly involved in the farm, which I appreciate.”

What crops do you grow?

“We grow wheat, durum, lentils and peas. We also grow a quarter section of canary seed every year. It’s not real common, but it’s relatively risk-free and inexpensive to grow. It requires less fertilizer and no fungicide. We spray it once for weeds and maybe a pre-harvest. Canary seed seems to withstand the elements fairly well. It’s usually the last crop we combine. Grandpa and Dad experimented with it a while back. It’s been successful for us.”

How long have you been farming?

“I grew up on a farm and started helping ever since I was old enough to drive a tractor. I went to university, got a degree in civil engineering and worked at Stantec in Saskatoon for a year inspecting bridges. That wasn’t quite up my alley. I wanted to get back home to the farm.

“Janine and I got married in 2016 and we now live in Rosetown. We have a little girl Blayke, who is 14 months. I work full time at Western Sales — a John Deere dealership in Rosetown. I’m involved in their water management department. “They’re pretty flexible if I need time off in the spring during seeding or during fall harvest.”

“I work two jobs, which averages about three days a week. I’m a community dietician at the Rosetown hospital, and I also work in Milden at the Bridgeport Center for people with eating disorders,” says Janine.’

What’s the farm implement you can’t live without?

“I would have to say the sprayer. It’s the first piece of equipment that we use in the spring for pre-seed burnoff. It seems like you run over your crop three or four times a year with it.

“We used to hire custom operators to do the spraying. Due to weather, they sometimes weren’t able to make it on time, which was frustrating. The timing of having your own sprayer is crucial. So we invested in one and in a few years it’s paid off.”

What’s your favourite farming season?

“Harvest is my favourite season. All your work comes to an end and you see the results — what worked and what didn’t,” says Craig.

“Harvest is my favourite time too. There’s an element of slowing down, of family time; geese flying south, beautiful sunsets,” says Janine.

You could have done anything. Why did you decide to farm?

“I enjoyed being on the farm. I think I took it for granted growing up. I went to university because that was what everyone else was doing. But I stuck with farming through university and while I was working full time in the city. I missed the farm and realized that’s where I wanted to be. I like the freedom,” says Craig.

“I think Craig has a passion for it. We were both raised on a farm. It’s a part of life I definitely want our kids knowing and being a part of,” adds Janine.

Tell me about a good decision you made on the farm.

“Moving home and getting more involved in the farm was pretty big. I’m not sure what direction the farm would have gone if I hadn’t moved home,” says Craig.

“In some instances a family has no children to take over the farm, so they have to sell. We appreciate the amount of work, and the blood, sweat and tears Craig’s grandpa and grandma and his parents put into the farm,” says Janine.

Tell me about a decision you regret.

“Land prices were lower during the time I went to university. I was a bit oblivious to that fact. I should have taken advantage of that opportunity and tried to expand. It’s something I missed out on. It’s so much tougher now with the higher land prices,” says Craig.

What opportunities do you see ahead in the next five to 10 years?

“Number one would be trying to rent some land. In our area there may be some older generation farmers that will be getting outof it.

“Secondly, we may try some other crops. There are some farmers in our area who are trying hemp or soybeans, for instance. It’s something to think about.”

What challenges do you see ahead in the next five to 10 years?

“The price of land is definitely a challenge. Our ability to expand will be hampered by that. Also, there is much in the news about glyphosate getting overused. If it is eventually phased out, it will be tough to control weeds. It’s an important tool.”

What do you do for fun?

“I enjoy sports — baseball and golf in the summer; hockey in the winter. We also try to do some traveling. Janine’s parents have a place in Palm Springs. We also try to do something small scale in the summer,” says Craig.

“I enjoy golf and time at the lake with family. I just like to be outside, go for runs,” Janine adds.

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This is the story of Neil and Misty Wasmuth, along with Misty’s parents, Wade and Linda Parkinson.

Where do you farm?

Wade and Linda Parkinson are transitioning their farm over to their daughter and son-in-law, Neil and Misty Wasmuth. The farm is located in northwest Saskatchewan, about an hour northwest of Saskatoon.

What crops do you grow?

“We crop approximately 3,100 acres in wheat, canola, peas, lentils and soybeans,” says Neil. Wade and Linda currently farm approximately 1,000 acres.

How long have you been farming?

“I’ve been farming about 50 years,” says Wade. “We bought the family farm about 30 years ago from my parents when they retired. Prior to that I worked other jobs, but always did some farming as well.”

Neil grew up on a farm near Wilkie. After graduation, he attended the University of Saskatchewan, where he obtained the three-year Diploma in Agriculture. He worked for over 11 years at the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool and Agricore United (now Viterra).

Neil and Misty moved to the family farm about 11 years after they were married. They grew their first crop in 2004. Neil and Misty have a daughter, Aliyah, who works in Saskatoon, but enjoys coming home to the family farm on weekends.

What’s your favourite farming season?

Wade says his favourite season is fall. “You reap the rewards of your work. That first hopper of grain is always a special one.”

Neil also enjoys the harvest season. “But I like seeding almost as well because you have all the control at seeding time. If you do a good job of seeding, then hopefully you’ll have a good harvest.”

What’s the farm implement you can’t live without?

“For me, it’s a good tractor. Several of them, actually,” says Wade.

“The sprayer sees the most hours. But the air drill I bought three years ago changed life in a big way. I would say that’s the most important implement right now,” says Neil.

Linda adds: “The truth is you can’t live without any of them — seeders, sprayers, augers, tractors.”

You could have done anything. Why did you decide to farm?

Wade and Linda state that the lifestyle farming provides has been important to them. “It’s nice to be out in the country, and being your own boss for the most part.”

“I like being my own boss. You make your own decisions and you live by them and die by them. I’m not much of a city person,” Neil adds.

“The best part of farming for me is being surrounded by nature,” Misty comments.

Tell me a good decision you made on the farm.

Both Wade and Neil say that purchasing land when it was affordable was a good decision.

“Also, for me, buying machinery, like the sprayer, was a good decision. It was a lot of money, and I didn’t sleep all winter, but it was a great investment. It is still working well. When I look back at the equipment I purchased, sometimes you buy equipment that doesn’t turn out, but this did.”

Is there a decision you regret making?

“Not purchasing more land when the price was good,” says Wade.

“I have a couple of bins of lentils that I’ve wished Happy Birthday to a couple of times. I didn’t sell them when the price was good. We were busy combining at the time and I thought I’d wait until after harvest. Then the price dropped suddenly,” says Neil.

Wade adds that despite watching the markets carefully, it’s difficult to predict all the factors involved.

What opportunities do you see ahead for the next five to 10 years?

Neil says he’d like to try some different crops and see how they pan out. “We tried some different wheat, but ended up going back to the old standby. We have to consider ease of use, and other factors. It has to fit the program.”

What do you anticipate your biggest challenge will be over the next five to 10 years?

“I think disease, crop rotation and marketing are probably the three biggest challenges. Also the weather is more unpredictable than it once was,” says Wade.

“Weed resistance is another challenge,” adds Neil.

What do you do for fun?

“I like to fish, hunt and ski-doo in the winter,” says Wade.

“We go down to Arizona for a couple of months during the winter. But most of the time these guys just work,” adds Linda.

Neil says he and Misty and their daughter occasionally get away on a camping trip. “Aliyah and I occasionally go horseback riding in the summer,” says Neil.

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Many interesting and unusual grasses and “everlasting” flowers can be grown from seed, although some grass species will need to be started indoors and transplanted as seedlings in the garden. I’ve started bunny tails, ornamental blue oat grass, ornamental millet, and fountain grass indoors and harvested the stems and flower heads in late summer and fall. Flowers grown from seed include globe amaranth, strawflower, baby’s breath, xeranthemum, sea holly, celosia, nigella and statice. Make sure to cut the flowers before they are fully open.

Plan to go on a wild grass-harvesting expedition early in the summer before many of the grasses are in their full blooming stages. This will ensure the grasses are in their prime and also won’t be shedding flowers or seeds. (Hairspray could be used to prevent shedding.) Take a pair of scissors, pruning shears and a bucket, and choose flowers and foliage that are without holes and blemishes. Make sure to cut the stems long enough to be suitable for tall vases. Fall is a good time to find interesting material such as pods, rushes, berries and branches that will add sculptural accents to your arrangements.

Bring your harvest into a well-ventilated drying location that will be dark and dust free. Hang your bunches of flowers and grasses, tied in small bundles, upside down from hooks or hangers, and more delicate grasses can be dried horizontally in boxes. Grasses with thicker stalks such as ornamental millet will dry better standing up because the leaves will retain the graceful arching. Label all your bundles. It will take from three to five weeks for the grasses to be thoroughly dry.

Once your grasses and flowers are completely dry, you can begin to make your arrangements. Inexpensive vases or baskets can be purchased at second-hand stores, but make sure there are no chips or flaws in them. If you use a container with a small neck, carefully insert the dried grasses and/or flowers directly into it. Vases with a larger neck will require floral foam held in place by two strips of floral tape crisscrossed over the foam. Hide the foam by gluing moss over it.

The basics of a good arrangement include the correct integration of form, space, line, colour and texture. Other important elements are balance, proportion and scale, and the height of the flowers/grasses should be approximately 1-1/2 times the height of the vase. Insert five to seven taller flower or grass stems into the vase first, spacing them evenly, follow with an odd number of medium-size stems, and lastly, add sufficient filler to create a full arrangement. Experiment and have fun with your grasses and flowers. With practice you’ll be able to create an arrangement pleasing to the eye.

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It all began in 2005 when Bitner set out to celebrate Saskatchewan’s centennial. “Initially I thought I would visit 100 communities to celebrate our 100th anniversary,” she said. From there the project snowballed, and her goal came to include every community in Saskatchewan south of the 54th parallel. Twelve years later, in September 2017, Bitner, retired Western Development Museum (WDM) collections curator, had visited 16 cities, 144 towns, 284 villages, and 517 hamlets and ghost towns long abandoned.

“With my background at the WDM and my knowledge of Saskatchewan history, these trips were made more meaningful. Once I got started, I couldn’t stop,” she said.

Her friend and former work colleague Leslee Newman or her sister-in-law Roxanne Bitner often accompanied her, and Ruth’s husband Lorne joined her whenever time permitted.

Equipped with detailed maps, bird books, wildflower books, Bill Barry’s Geographic Names of Saskatchewan, a picnic lunch, and a full tank of gas, the friends set out on their adventures. For overnight excursions, they arranged to stay at bed and breakfasts. “People in the area know their communities, and they can often tell you interesting stories. It adds to the whole ambience of the trip,” Bitner said.

While Bitner did most of the driving, Newman navigated, kept a journal, and read tidbits from Barry’s book about place names. At each stop they took photos.

Bitner was unable to select a favourite area. “There are so many interesting landscapes. I very much enjoyed the southwest. The drive west along the Frenchman River Valley between Eastend and Ravenscrag is stunningly beautiful. You can see the white mud layers in the hills from which clay is derived for pottery.

“We went on a one-day excursion to the Nisbet Forest south of Macdowall with a group from the Saskatoon Nature Society. The boggy landscape is home to numerous species of orchids and pitcher plants so it was a most interesting day.

“Wolseley is a very pretty town. Fairy Lake in the middle of the town has a swinging footbridge across the lake. It has the oldest courthouse in the province, built in 1895, and a unique brick town hall/opera house built about 1906.

“Cumberland House is the oldest permanent settlement in Saskatchewan dating to 1774. The remains of the boilers of the Northcote (the steamboat involved in the Riel Resistance at Batoche in 1885) are located in a park there.”

Bitner didn’t let the 54th parallel be a barrier from travelling farther north. On one trip they drove to Stanley Mission and chartered a boat to take them to Nistowiak Falls — a 10-metre-high falls on the Rapid River — one of the highest in Saskatchewan.

Bitner has a new appreciation of the diversity of the Saskatchewan landscape, how large the province is and the changes that have occurred over the years. “There were so many communities established in the first years of the 20th century that flourished and then were hard hit in the 1930s, particularly in the southwest. After the war things got better, but as transportation improved, schools and railway branch lines began to close. By the late 1960s and into the ’70s, many rural areas began to decline as people moved away, but there’s still lots of life in many small places.”

Bitner encourages people to explore more of this vast and beautiful province — to get off the major highways and simply see what’s out there.

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“Our theme this year is ‘Eating Where We Are,’ and has three aspects: sharing the foundation of Indigenous food systems, sharing the diversity offered by historic and recent newcomers, and a look at the research and development that has gone into creating fruit, vegetables and grains for our Prairie climate,” said Noelle Chorney, president of Slow Food Saskatoon.

Penny McKinlay, a communications consultant, established Slow Food Saskatoon in 2010. She had been interviewing and writing about local farmers, bakers and restaurant owners on her blog, Wanderlust and Words. “I realized it was important for me to have a personal connection with the person who grows or prepares my food. I want to support my local economy and reduce my carbon footprint by eating food that is grown or made locally, and I want food that is grown with minimal chemicals or pesticides. I’m not interested in cheap food — I’m interested in healthy food and in ensuring that farmers and producers receive a fair return for their hard labour. I initiated Slow Food Saskatoon to share my ideas and to grow support for food that is good, clean and fair,” she says.

Slow Food International was founded in Italy in 1989 by Carlo Petrini to protest the opening of a McDonald’s restaurant in Rome. The initial aim was to “defend regional traditions, good food, gastronomic pleasure and a slow pace of life.” Today, it is a global movement involving millions of people in over 160 countries.

The four-day summit in Saskatoon begins Thursday evening (April 19) with a cocktail party showcasing local Saskatchewan breweries and distilleries. “We’re also partnering with YXE chefs (Canadian Culinary Federation Saskatoon Branch) who will be providing appetizers with a focus on local foods. That’s a fun get-together and a place for us to start conversations,” Chorney said.

Friday morning (April 20) the group will travel by bus north of Saskatoon to tour farms involved in the Local Food Trail, a project sponsored by the Saskatoon Food Council, the RM of Corman Park and the town of Osler, with traditional Mennonite food served for lunch.

Friday afternoon will include meetings at Station 20 West, a community enterprise centre in Saskatoon, with a dinner theatre to follow. Circle of Voices will perform the play, written by Indigenous playwright Curtis Peeteetuce, that explores stories around Indigenous food systems.

Slow Food Saskatoon will have its annual general meeting April 21. “We’ll be at the University of Saskatchewan all day conducting demonstrations to show how new Canadians today are utilizing local food to prepare their traditional meals.

“We’ll also be touring the university greenhouses to look at the plant-breeding programs taking place. A gala dinner where we’ll be eating a meal made of food waste, will follow at the farmers’ market,” says Chorney.

The event wraps up April 22 with a breakfast meeting and a discussion of action items for the following year.

For more information about Slow Food Saskatoon go to: slowfoodsaskatoon.com; in Canada at: slowfood.ca or internationally at: slowfood.com.

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