source: Farm and Food ReportThe word Economuseum may not be part of our daily vocabulary here in Saskatchewan, but it sure has caught on in the Maritimes and Quebec, where 41 such establishments have opened since 1992, with a view to eventually reaching Saskatchewan.
Architect and ethnologist Cyril Simard is the founder of the Economuseum concept.
"We are currently working on launching an Ontario network," Simard says. "In every region of the country we go, we first establish a local organization to take on expansion activities. This network of businesses is composed of multitalented artisans who open their doors to the public, so as to share their passion for their art, trade and heritage. The businesses are chosen mainly for the quality of their welcome and for their products."
Economuseums are fine cider houses, mills, dairies, blacksmith shops, apiaries, furriers, weavers, leather makers, soap manufacturers, wild berry pickers and bakers -- the stewards of a craft or agri-food business whose products are the fruit of an authentic technique or know-how.
They are self-financed through the sale of their products and make innovative contributions to tourism and local economies by tapping into knowledge that is rooted in tradition and identity.
"These independent businesses help preserve skills and traditional occupations that are often in danger of being lost," Simard explains. "They create new jobs and often turn temporary employment into permanent jobs. Together, current Economuseums employ more than 400 people; they cumulate sales of more than $25 million, and welcome annually over 750,000 visitors."
More than a third of Economuseums have an agri-food angle, and they all have six fundamental components that guests experience as they enter the facilities.
There is a reception area where the Economuseum network is introduced and where space is devoted to cultural heritage through the commemoration of a key figure, craft, event, historical period or site. A permanent plaque indicating the partners associated with the development of the business is also exhibited in a visitor gathering area.
There is a production workshops section. It is the heart of the Economuseum, where the craftsperson and/or his team produce contemporary objects drawing inspiration from traditional methods. Visitors must see the craftspeople at work to understand the production process. They are encouraged to ask them questions about the techniques used in fabrication. This area is equipped with educational tools suited to explaining the production process, techniques, and materials, and to providing other relevant information.
Guest then move to a section devoted to the interpretation of objects from the past -- exhibition space showing visitors of all ages the creativity of the craftspeople using documented traditional objects and texts explaining the various facets of the craft from a historical perspective.
A typical visit next takes guests to an area designed for the interpretation of contemporary production, which involves how the craft has evolved into what it is today. This features products, works or pilot-projects referring to the adaptation of traditional products from the past to contemporary needs.
Next, there is an area set aside for reading, documentation and archives, where visitors who want to learn more about the craft practiced by the craftsperson can access additional information.
Lastly, there is a boutique or salesroom, which is the point of transaction where the museum earns its keep -- this is a space set aside for the sale of products made by the craftsperson, as well as for associated merchandise.
All artisans interested in becoming members of the Economuseum network must first meet some stringent eligibility criteria. Once this requirement has been met, the next step consists of submitting a business portfolio for further evaluation by the network's selection committee.
"The business has to have been in private operation for more than three years," explains Simard. "It must use a traditional technique or know-how to craft one's products -- for instance, a fine saddle maker might be considered. It must make products of recognized quality; it must have the ability and the desire to innovate in one's production; it must operate throughout the entire year and be open to the public for at least four months a year. There is quite a list, but this background work greatly contributes to the Economuseum's success."
Once established, Economuseums add a richness to tourism offerings that significantly diversifies the local economy in rural settings -- in that, they break new ground successfully.
For more information on Economuseums and the International Economuseum Network Society, visit:
http://www.economusees.comFor more information, contact:
Cyril Simard, President and CEO
International Economuseum Network Society
(418) 694-4466
source: Farm and Food ReportPicture this: a hundred or more sleek, exuberant sled dogs straining at the lines -- raring to get started on a 600-km race. Yips of excitement; prancing animals; breath on the cold air; fit, lean mushers -- teenagers and retirees checking their gear, as handlers make sure the teams have everything they need.
On February 17, that will be the scene on Central Avenue in Prince Albert, as the 8th annual Northern Lights Canadian Challenge sled dog race gets under way.
Twelve-dog teams will make the trip to La Ronge and back, while six-dog teams will undertake the return leg only, with means that allow little error. Spruce Home's Stewart Elliott led that six-dog race last year, until the last 25 kilometres.
"The dogs just got played out. But it was a learning experience."
Elliott is no ordinary musher. He is a 68 year-old retired farmer who discovered the world of dog sledding a bit by accident.
"My son was into dogs. It kind of grew on me. I was looking for something to stay active and outdoors. It is so relaxing; so peaceful. It is also rewarding to see the dogs evolve as a team while you work with them. When you are out there, it is just you, the dogs and the bush. There is a great sense of accomplishment I get from just that."
And what a journey it is. The race follows a route into the north similar to that of the old dog trail used by trappers, the North West Mounted Police and the First Nations community before the advent of roads.
"You actually race all night," says Elliott. "So you stay up. I hadn't done that since I was a teenager. There is an 85-mile stretch without stops that you must undertake in total darkness. If there is a full moon out, it is just incredible. Your adrenaline gets going. And, you know, the dogs race better at night because they just focus on the trail."
Elliott is a well-known figure in the mushing community. He built his own sleigh and has worked on up to seven of those that will be used during the race. Apparently, bragging about your abilities to win among your peers is a bit of a tradition in mushing culture.
"I want to get to the finish line first. A lot of this is psychological, but you have to set yourself a goal -- that's what experienced mushers say -- and just go for that goal."
The racers won't go unnoticed. The first checkpoint is at Land of the Loon Resort at Anglin Lake. Here, handlers and vets will be standing by to check the dogs before they proceed onto the lake and through the bush to Elk Ridge Resort. These are both good opportunities for the public to follow the race; both resorts offer accommodations and restaurant services for visitors.
The teams leave Elk Ridge eastward along the highway, then go north on Highway 2 to Timber Cove, where they will follow the recently closed road to the third checkpoint at Montreal Lake.
The Montreal Lake Cree Nation is planning a major celebration, including bonfires and food on the lake ice. This would be another great place to follow the race. Vehicle access to Montreal Lake is now via a new highway accessible through the intersection four kilometres south of the Waskesiu River.
The next stage of the race is northward on Montreal Lake, through the forest, to Weyakwin, a highway community at Kilometre 205. More celebrations are planned there before the teams begin the last and longest leg to La Ronge, where they are expected to arrive during the evening of Friday, February 18.
It will be winter festival time in La Ronge, and all kinds of fun and games are planned for that evening at the turnaround point of the race. A large marquee will be set up close to where the dogs finish the first part of the race and bed down for their mandatory 10-hour layover. Chili and bannock will be available to all for a small fee; there will be local entertainers, a jigging contest, king and queen trapper events; hot dogs, marshmallows and hot chocolate later over the outside bonfire, and a silent auction of donated items, with proceeds going to the Children's Wish Foundation.
Saturday morning, the six-dog race gets underway at 10:00 a.m. The 12-dog teams can head for the finish line back in Prince Albert at anytime after their mandatory rest.
Stewart Elliott explains how important this event is for northern communities:
"It is helping keep the culture and knowledge around mushing alive. I noticed that more and more native people in the north are getting back into dogs. When snowmobiles came, people just got rid of their dogs. It seems now more people are getting around with the dogs, conducting some of their traditional trapping activities with dogs again now."
Elliott takes pride in seeing 16, 17 and 18 year-olds developing an interest in this special relationship humans and dogs have enjoyed for so long in this land of trees, lakes and rock we call the boreal forest. Increasing awareness about how people traveled before cars and airplanes, over this vast territory, can only help generate renewed interest in the North and its peoples.
For more information, contact:
Stewart Elliott
(306)764-7843
Dave Young
President, Gateway North Sled Dog Association
(306)764-1711 (W)
(306)960-7521 (Cell)
Gill Gracie
La Ronge Challenge Committee
(306) 425-3826 (W)
(306) 425-7280 (Cell)
http://www.canadianchallenge.ca
source: Farm and Food ReportWhen Leander K. Lane, a descendant of the first African American settlers in Saskatchewan, set his mind on restoring the Shiloh Baptist Church and Cemetery -- established in 1911 north of Maidstone -- what started out as a heritage preservation effort became an intense personal journey.
"My great grandfather Julius Caesar Lane was the first person to be buried in the cemetery in 1913," Lane says. "My father lived in the area until the 1950s. There are no longer any black families living there -- I live in Edmonton -- but I became interested in finding out more about the Shiloh people and their history."
At the beginning of the 20th century, African Americans answered the call for new settlers with the lure of free homesteads if they travelled north to Canada, from their native Oklahoma.
With very few means, dozens of these families arrived in Saskatchewan around 1910, from which 12 families settled in the Eldon District north of Maidstone. The rest carried on their quest and eventually created the community of Amber Valley in northern Alberta. By the following year, the new Saskatchewan residents had started to build from squared logs a church for their community.
By the late 1940s, most of these families left the area and, by 1971, only one member of the original group was left. In 1971, when the Saskatchewan Homecoming 71 celebration was held, the building was in serious need of repair.
At that time, the provincial government was providing funding for homecoming projects across the province, so the North of the Gully District Committee -- made up of a group of individuals from the five surrounding districts of Mclaren, Middleton, Dry Gully, Standard Hill and Eldon -- decided that the restoration of Shiloh Church would be a worthy project. Tractor blades were bolted to the walls to reinforce them, flooring was repaired, and the roof was re-shingled in preparation for the celebration.
In October 2002, Lane and 10 other interested descendants of the Shiloh people created the Shiloh Baptist Church and Cemetery Restoration Society. Their first goal was to raise the funds to create a monument to commemorate the history of the community. But the most ambitious project was yet to come. The church building was in dire need of repairs. Lane and his group went about raising $20,000 in cash donations to completely restore this important municipal heritage property, with the help of another $20,000 from the Saskatchewan Heritage Foundation.
"The restoration work started in late October of 2004," Lane says. "We had to replace half the logs of the building, including 75 per cent of the north wall, which was beyond repair. We had to replace all the joists; poured concrete pads; then we re-laid all the original foundation stones. We repaired some windows, put in new doors, and installed new flooring -- and we're not nearly done." The Society is currently trying to raise funds to pay for daubing and chinking, new shingles, and some additional landscaping needs.
"Seven senior members of the Society were born in Saskatchewan," Lane says. "And while we younger members never lived in the area, we all have in common this desire to preserve our heritage. With the help of the R.M., our Society has legally acquired the cemetery grounds and the church. It was recognized early on that we had a certain moral authority to do this, and we are really pleased that the Rural Municipality of Eldon and people of Maidstone have been this supportive of our initiative."
Today, Leander K. Lane is a heavy-duty mechanic working for Canadian National Railway, with a significant part of himself invested in a beautiful site in the Saskatchewan parkland, sheltered by tall evergreens and trembling aspen groves.
"I guess, in a way, I also take pride in how the elders who have this direct and quite vivid experience of life in the Eldon District trust me to guide the development of the site in a respectful -- yet inclusive -- manner," says Lane. "Our intentions are simple: celebrating the contribution of African American settlers to Western Canadian society."
For more information, contact:
Leander K. Lane
Shiloh Baptist Church Cemetery Restoration Society
(780) 478-9969
source: Farm and Food ReportAgritourism as a means to diversify income sources on the farm has been getting increased attention lately because of the number of options that can be considered, as well as the number of success stories right here in Saskatchewan.
The magnificent Historic Reesor Ranch in the Cypress Hills, where each guest room has its own theme, is a case in point. The William D. and Alice Room celebrates the lives of the first Reesor family in the Hills, with artifacts and photographs lovingly displayed on the walls. The Keith and Helen Room features the second generation; the Ranch Hand's Room interprets the lives of those less celebrated who contributed no less to the success of the ranch.
Everything about the 1916 ranch house, yard and buildings tells of the hardships and joys of life in a part of the world that one must inhabit to truly understand. Authenticity radiates all around the ranch, thanks to its heritage. Yet, authenticity can be articulated in innumerable ways.
Just east of Saskatoon, St. Denis' Champetre County espouses a theme that resonates with the Denis family and countless Saskatchewan residents: nostalgia for the Old West. Hence, the frontier town of Tumbleweed was erected out at the Denis farm. It comes with a Sheriff's Office, where guests register; the Howling Coyote Saloon, the main facility for meals and special events; as well as a General Store, a Town Hall, and a Boarding House. Therese and Arthur Denis have created quite the place out here on the prairie.
"We have moved beyond the farm," says Therese. "We have really become a destination. We had to market it right because we are located away from highways, so we chose to focus on group functions. We host family reunions, weddings, corporate events and meetings -- we are constantly honing the experiences and services we offer to answer our customers' needs. For instance, we have a complete photographic studio on-site, so guests can take home with them a little piece of our place here."
The authenticity in this case emerges from the fact that Therese and her family still live right here in the yard, which is tended with the kind of attention to detail one finds normally in the most meticulously looked-after gardens. "We are welcoming these guests at our place a bit like you welcome a friend in your home. In a way, we become part of their celebration; they become part of our family."
It should also be noted that Arthur Denis happens to be Tumbleweed's Sheriff. Guests are advised to be on their best behaviour for the duration of their stay.
Of course, when the natural beauty of the surroundings is as overwhelming as one encounters at Aylesbury's Trails End Guest Ranch, very little theming is required. From Highway 11, the big sign catches the eye. A quick drive east over a couple of kilometres and you enter the picturesque Arm River Valley. Meet Lyle Benz and his wife Chris. She's originally from the eastern United States; he was born and raised around here. They share a passion for horses and cattle.
The Guest Ranch achieved new heights about four years ago, when Lyle came to realize that his 1,000 acre ranch was attracting all kinds of visitors. "We had a lot of city people who used to come down here. It is such a beautiful place in the summertime. They asked us if they could come down for the weekend, and being that I was here every day, I didn't recognize the significance of this until after a few occasions. I had to ask people what they saw here that I didn't? The serenity of the valley is basically the first thing they came up with; the peacefulness; just the aura of the valley itself, the ruggedness of it."
In 2001, they opened the guest ranch with three comfortable cabins made out of cleverly refurbished wooden grain bins. The humble original farmhouse is also available for rent. They have a hot tub; they built a kitchen/office building down by the creek as well as a stable and a sheltered riding arena.
What experiences do they offer? "The whole cowboy experience," according to Lyle, "to go out and ride with us and work with us on everyday activities; checking fences, checking cattle, helping us treat a sick one. People are invited to participate in our round-ups and general herd management procedures. We also offer hourly trail rides. All the land down here in the valley is native grass."
The ruins of a turn-of-the-century sod house are still visible on the hillside across Arm River. The stove sits in the middle of it. Apparently, the homesteader's wife loved this place so much she had herself buried on a point on the hillside, overlooking the valley.
Interpreting the local landscape to visitors is what Chris and Lyle love most, next to sharing their love of horses. "We are set up for people who bring their own horses, as well," says Chris. "We have a complete horse obstacle course. We have bridges; we have a teeter-totter that you ride your horse across. We teach guests how to swim with their horse. We have corrals; outdoor rings; we have a race track; we have full service RV sites if they want to come in and bring their campers with them."
Lyle Benz has noticed a change in the profile of visitors in recent years.
"One of the drawback people in Saskatchewan have about vacationing with their horses is everybody grew up on a farm and in a lot of cases, the last thing they want to do is go on a farm and see a horse. The first generations away from the farm are the ones coming back now. They are really interested in Grandpa and Grandma's roots. We have had a lot of guests from Alberta coming back. Mum and dad moved to Alberta in the '60s, '70s -- they just want to see where Grandma and Grandpa homesteaded."
The Centennial year looks like it will be a good one for agritourism in Saskatchewan.
For more information, contact:
Therese and Arthur Denis
(306) 258-4635
http://www.champetrecounty.com/Theresa Reesor
(306) 662-3498
http://www.reesorranch.com Trails End Guest Ranch
http://www.guest-ranch.ca 1-866-885-0775
