7740 - 40 Avenueconnectedtotheland.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/... · Helen McMenamin Writers...

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PublisherTNC Publishing Group

EditorHelen McMenamin

WritersHelen McMenamin

Penn State ExtensionGord SchroederBonnie Warnyca

Marketing DirectorsJennifer Quinlan

Benveet Gill

Art DirectorAnne Allen

MarketingEva Stefansson

Accounting & AdministrationNancy Salatino

Peavey Industries LPHome Office

7740 - 40 AvenueRed Deer, AB T4P 2H9

P: 403-346-8991F: 403-346-3432

E: [email protected]: www.peaveymart.com

To find a location near you:peaveymart.com/store_locator.php

Connected to the Land is published by TNCPublishing Group in conjunction with and forPeavey Industries LP. The publisher accepts noresponsibility for advertising claims, the safe arrivalof unsolicited manuscripts, transparencies,illustrations or other materials: however inquiriesare welcome. Writing�submissions are also welcomeand can be sent to [email protected]. Forother inquiries, call 1-888-822-8112.

PRINTED IN CANADA. All rights reserved.Reproduction in whole or in part is prohibitedwithout prior written permission from thepublisher.

#1, 6923 Farrell Road S.E.Calgary, Alberta

T2H 0T3A Division of TNC Publishing Group

http://www.tncpublishing.com/

PresidentDoug Anderson

VP MerchandisingAlbert Lee

Director, Customer ExperienceJest Sidloski

Marketing ManagerAlan Flowers

Cover DesignFrancis Arevalo

CONNECTEDA Message from Peavey IndustriesPresident Doug Anderson

NEVER STOP LEARNINGLearning Skills, Making Friends

CANNING:A Food Safety Guide

HERITAGE CHICKENSFun for Town and Country

GARDENINGQuality Plants Make All theDifference to a Garden

MANAGING GRAZINGGet More Out of Pasture

BEEKEEPINGIt’s Not Just Buzz -Learning About Bees

HOMESTEADINGThe Make-It-From-Scratch MovementFinds Support at Peavey Mart

7 REASONS TO RAISE SHEEP... And How to Get Over the ReasonYou Don’t

GROWING COMMUNITIESThe Community Agricultural Grant

FAIRY GARDENSDelight Young and Old

CUT THE CORDCordless Workspace a RealityWith New Systems

CHARGING STATIONSA Vital Piece of a Sustainable Future

56810141820222426282930

4 Connected to the Land

Spring 2017 5

We are all connected to the land – through the food and crops wegrow, the resources we dig for, the places we call home, and thetravels we take.

Whether we’re in town, on an acreage, or on the family farm, we carefor the land, and especially for our own patch of it. We use our backsand our machines to till it, test it, nourish it and protect it. And, whenour family’s harvest comes – whether it’s carrots, canola or cattle, orchives or chickens – we see the results of our caring and ourconnection.

Being connected to the land means we’re all farmers at heart. We wantthe freshest, healthiest food, and a lot of us will grow it ourselves, asnaturally as possible. We want our children to see where food comesfrom, and appreciate the work that goes into its growth. We want thebest-looking (and easiest to care for!) garden of flowers and shrubs. Weknow we have to preserve the land to ensure it will sustain us.

Since 1975, Peavey Mart stores have been connecting to communitiesacross Western Canada. We’re happy to know some customers considera Peavey Mart one of their favourite places to gather, to share a story ora tip, to connect with each other and with us.

Being connected to the land means being down to earth, andapproachable. It’s been a pleasure to serve our neighbours andcustomers for more than 40 years. We hope this magazine is anotherway of strengthening that connection with you.

Doug Anderson

CONNECTEDA MESSAGE FROM PEAVEY INDUSTRIES PRESIDENT DOUG ANDERSON

Cutting the barbed wire at thegrand opening of Peavey Mart inHigh Prairie, AB.

Photo by Drew Kenworthy.

Peavey Industries LP PresidentDoug Anderson.

Photo by Drew Kenworthy.


Farming can be a lonely life, especially foraspiring farmers not raised on a farm. Theymay find land far from family and friends,

where help in finding solutions to farmingchallenges is hard to find. The districtagriculturists who helped previous generationslaunch their farming careers have all butdisappeared from Western Canada.

Conferences, workshops and field days help withinformation sharing and farm skills training, butnewcomers need community, as well asknowledge. And events targeted at farmers mayassume skills and experience that startingfarmers don’t have.

Some young farmers have developed their owncommunities to link to others facing similarchallenges. They’re doing things their own way –mostly online.

FarmOn is a non-profit organization thatsupports farmers in an online community ofsocial learning called that has reached over15,000 viewers from all over the world. It aims toimprove the lives of farmers. The site hasmembers’ videos of their families and farming,little parts of their day, as well as training videos.Other posts tell stories of farmers and theirachievements.

One FarmOn family shares their farm manifestowith their goals and reminders set out on handlettered signs to themselves and others: “Take amoment to appreciate the beauty, ask for help,there will be struggles, never stop learning,” andmore.

Young Agrarians share skills and knowledge butthey also aim to renew rural communities andstrengthen links between consumers and foodproducers. For many, this means working

directly with consumers who want local foodproduced in a more traditional way by a personthey know.

The group began with mostly market gardenersin BC and expanded into Alberta about a yearago and has grown to include a variety ofventures from large managed grazing operationsto market gardens of less than an acre. Many renttheir land and have little land equity, but they arebuilding social equity with their customers.

A Peavey Mart Community Agriculture granthelped Young Agrarians launch their Albertaprogram of events, such as mixers and pot luckget-togethers, and establish an online presence.They were then able to access some fundingfrom the Alberta Meat and Livestock Agency todevelop a formal apprenticeship program,develop a mentorship guide, and work with farmclubs.

The group has an informal mentorship systemusing established farmers as hubs wheremembers can get advice. Sometimes mentorshost get-togethers where aspiring farmers canlearn from each other, as well as from farmerswith more experience. They’re also working onlinks with other organizations and looking forways young farmers can grow some equity intheir businesses.

“People are getting into farming. It’s notimpossible,” says Dana Penrice, of YoungAgrarians. “There’s a lot of land available inAlberta and a huge market for local food. We’dlike to see government policies that help retiringfarmers hand over their land to new farmers.”

NEVER STOP LEARNINGLEARNING SKILLS, MAKING FRIENDS

Story by Helen McMenamin. Top photo by 4-H Manitoba.

NEVER STOP LEARNING

A Young Agrarians event. Photo by Sara Dent.

Spring 2017 7

Like all farmers, she’s an optimist.

“We see a lot of room for creativity in agriculturenow. Farming needs to be profitable and one wayis certainly providing local food.

“My partner and I are direct marketing our grass-fed beef, lamb and chicken, and setting our ownprices. We are price setters rather than pricetakers.

“We do have a challenge teaching our customersto cook our chicken. Our heritage chickens growslower than commodity chickens, so they needto be cooked low and slow.”

At the other end of the learning spectrum,Nuffield Scholarships give mid-career peoplewith a passion for agriculture an opportunity tostudy some aspect of farming in depth, includingat least 10 weeks outside Canada.

Each year Canada’s three scholars join scholarsfrom other countries to meet with major figuresin agriculture, expanding their understanding of

world trade issues. They also explore farming ina region very different from their own, meetingpeople at all levels of agriculture, from farmersand their staff to cabinet ministers and others.

Nuffield scholars are committed to lifelonglearning and sharing their knowledge withfarming and other communities, oftenbecoming leaders. They all speak of their

Nuffield opportunity as life-changing. ClaytonRobins, Executive Director of 4-H in Manitobaand a Nuffield Scholar, speaks of 4-H as thefoundation of agricultural leadershipdevelopment and Nuffield as its pinnacle. Maybehe needn’t limit that leadership to agriculture.

Photo by 4-H Manitoba.4-H – IT’S FOR CITY KIDS TOO

The traditional view of 4-H as a way to learnabout livestock, is no longer the whole story.4-H clubs can focus on anything that interestsyoung people. It’s not just for rural familieseither.

Members can be any age from 9 to 21 and 6-to 8-year olds can join as Cleavers. As few astwo young people from different families anda leader can form a club. It can be mountain-biking or sewing, small engines, canines orrabbits; just about anything.

The great thing about the 4-H model of hands-on learning is that the adults lead and themembers learn skills by doing – whether it’sworking on their project, setting up a meeting,planning an event or public speaking, saysClayton Robins. Each member has to help runthe club, do something for their communityand participate in a public speaking event.

“The skills learned in 4-H serve an individualwell as they go forward in their career,” saysRobins, executive director of 4-H, Manitoba.“It’s a great program all around.

“We’re developing future leaders, but alsoproviding a lot of life skills – working together,helping others, teamwork and organizing.Much of what our members learn, they don’tappreciate till they’re 21,”says another 4-H’er.

4-H offers a lot ofopportunities to youngpeople, from summercamps to internationalexchanges andscholarships. It’s also arespected item on aresume.

Peavey Mart is a sponsorof Provincial 4-Horganizations.

Photo by 4-H Manitoba.


Traditional canning recipes may not be safe, say food safety experts.When canning low acid foods, such as meats and vegetables, boilingwater is not hot enough to kill spores of Clostridium botulinum, which

can grow and produce a toxin that can cause fatal food poisoning.

To can meat or vegetables safely, you need to use a pressure canner. Highacid foods can be canned in a boiling water canner. Dry heat, such as theoven can cause jars to explode and does not exclude toxic bacteria.

Standard Mason jars work best for canning. Use new lids. Do not userecycled commercial food jars – they don’t always withstand the heat of apressure canner. Bail jars with glass lids, sealed with rubber rings are alsonot recommended.

Follow recipes and instructions published since 1994 as older recipesmay not havepressures andprocessingtimes thatensure foodsafety.

Cold-packingfood can lead toair spacesdeveloping inthe food thatcan discolor instorage.

PRESERVING METHOD NEEDED FOR VARIOUS FOODS:

PRESSURE CANNING BOILING WATER BATH CANNING

Most�vegetables ��Most�fruits Asparagus Apples and apple sauce Beets Apricots Carrots Berries Green & dried beans Cherries Okra Grapes Peas Jams and jellies (fruit only) Peppers Peaches and nectarines Potatoes Pears Pumpkin Pie fillings (fruit only) Sweet corn Plums

Meats��Acidified�and�fermented�foods Beef and Poultry Chutney Mincemeat pie filling Pickled vegetables Seafood Pickles (cucumbers) Wild game Relishes

Combination�Foods��Salsa Meat sauces Sauerkraut Soups and stews Tomatoes (acidified)*

* Most tomatoes do not have enough natural acid to be safely canned in awater bath canner. To acidify tomatoes add 2 tablespoons of bottled lemonor lime juice or vinegar per litre, or half a teaspoon of citric acid per litre.Vinegar can cause a change in flavor. Add sugar if the acidified tomatoes aretoo sour.

Guide by Penn State Extension.

CANNING:CANNING: A FOOD SAFETY GUIDEA FOOD SAFETY GUIDE

Spring 2017 9

Chickens in a range of colours pecking andscratching in the yard are the iconicpicture of a traditional farmyard. Maybe

that’s what attracts people to the idea ofbackyard chickens, or maybe it’s the

appeal of still warm, rich-tastingeggs. It could be that being

around coloured andpatterned chickens — clucking

quietly to each other (and you) as theygo about their chicken business —

just feels good.

Whatever the reason, there’squite a demand for city andtown councils to change bylaws

prohibiting keeping livestock intown to allow chickens. So far, just afew of the bigger centres in Western

Canada permit urban chickens inresidential areas.

Chicken bylaws generallyrequire a license, a limitednumber of hens (3 to 8) andno roosters or chicks, acoop with an outdoor run,and good husbandry.Some cities require thatpeople take a formalcourse on chicken-keeping. Keeping thechicken coop and runclean and secure is the

main concern so thechickens are not a nuisance

to neighbours.

The spring after Red Deerapproved backyard chickens,

Jest Sidloski had a license and acoop with an enclosed run and four

day-old barred Plymouth Rock chicksordered from Peavey Mart, where he’s

Director of Customer Experience. As he, hispartner Marilou and their two dogs watched the

chicks grow, the original do-it-yourself notion ofchickens faded and the little birds became pets.

“At first, they were not going to be pets, but they’re pets now,”says Sidloski. “And, I defy you to find one person who has backyard

chickens who doesn’t consider them pets.”

Each chicken lays an egg a day, except for the six weeks or so each yearthat they moult, growing new feathers and losing their old ones (feathersare made of proteins so the birds can’t spare the protein needed for eggs).The hens live and produce eggs (no rooster needed) for 8 to 10 yearsalthough the number of eggs drops off as they age. Getting eggs year-roundrequires more light, which can be provided, along with some warmth froman LED light.

“We give most of the eggs to our neighbours and friends,” says Sidloski.“The chickens have made us lots of new friends, who love them almost as

much as we do. I think they like the colour and the taste of the eggs, but Ithink they also like knowing the chickens and the good life they have.”

Daily chores for the chickens are collecting eggs, feeding them, refilling,and often washing the waterer. Four hens eat about a 20 kg bag of feed amonth. Hens happily eat kitchen scraps, fruit and vegetables close to goingto waste and forage on plants and insects in their run. Sidloski’s chickensalso get dried worms from the pet store and fresh fruit. In the evening, orif it rains, the chickens just put themselves to bed in their coop.

The downside of urban chickens is the same as keeping birdsanywhere, but in the city, it’s a more frequent chore thatcannot be put off to another day: cleaning out thecoop. In the city, it has to be done at least oncea week, bagging up the used bedding andreplacing it with fresh shavings or straw.

“The chickens have changed the waywe live,” says Sidloski. “One of us hasto feed and water the chickensseven days a week. And if we goaway, we have to arrange forsomeone to look after thechickens.”

Chickens have also changedSidloski’s yard. He used to have abeautifully landscaped backyard,


HERITAGE CHICKENSFUN FOR TOWN OR COUNTRY

Story by Helen McMenamin.

DUCKS FAVOURITES WITH POULTRY FARMER

Poultry of all kinds are a mainstay of Trent Smith’s farm, west ofEdmonton. He raises exotic chickens, guinea fowl, ducks, geese,turkeys and peafowl, which he sells through his internet site,Duckopolis. This year, he’ll also be selling duck chicks through PeaveyMart.

Calling ducks – so called because hunters used them as decoys to callwild geese within range, are his favourites of all his birds. “Ducks aremuch more social, and noisier, so they draw attention to their ownpersonalities more than most birds,” Smith says. “And the little callingducks seem to me to have the nicest personalities. I just like those littleguys.”

Ducks can be raised much the same way, even in the same coops aschickens, as long as the birds aren’t on medicated feed. But, Smithcautions that they are messier than chickens.

“They don’t need a pond, and they can’t swim until they’re 14 days oldand develop the waterproofing on their feathers, but if they’re aroundany water, they try to get into it.”

Ducks are tougher than chickens, but grow more slowly, mature laterand live longer. They also lay bigger eggs that some people prefer tochicken eggs.

The eggs have a different allergen from that in chicken eggs, so somepeople who are allergic to chicken eggs can eat duck eggs. Duck eggshave twice the protein, almost twice the beneficial fatty acids, and 50%more vitamins and minerals. They are especially good in gluten-freebaking, as the extra protein makes up for the lack of protein in the flour.

Photo by Jest Sidloski.

Spring 2017 11

but the chickens scratched and pecked one area afteranother into a desert as he moved the run to freshground. Now, he moves the run and immediately rototillsthe area and reseeds grass.

Most of the days-old chicks Peavey Mart brings in go toacreages and farms where people can keep up to 100birds without restrictions. For some it’s a hobby. Forothers the birds bring in some income. Some peoplegraze chickens, moving them in portable runs every dayto fresh grass to make tasty meat chickens.

HERITAGE CHICKS HELPSAVE RARE BREEDS

Heritage chickens are breeds that wereonce common, but are almost forgottentoday as fewer and fewer people keepchickens and each egg producer has morebirds. In Alberta, fewer than 200 farmsproduce eggs for over 3 million people.Those producers and their birds areefficient, but there’s risk. All the layinghens in North America have very similargenetics. Rare breeds, the ancestors oftoday’s super-efficient chickens, might beneeded to provide new genetics for eggsand meat in the future.

Some of the genetics are preserved inCanada’s gene bank, where seeds ofthousands of plant species and frozensemen and embryos of hundreds ofanimal breeds are preserved. But livingflocks of these birds will allow futurebreeders to look at the birds themselvesand their records. And, in the event ofsome problem at the main centre ofheritage chickens at the University ofAlberta farm, breeders will look to hobbychicken keepers for help. The chickensare food security for the long term, as wellas a joyous hobby.

Peavey Mart has been working in apartnership with the Poultry Research

Centre at the University of Alberta in2014, offering pre-orders of chicks andsending the funds to the centre’s HeritageChickens program. Last year, Peavey Martsold 7,000 chicks for the program.

PRC heritage or conventional chicks canbe ordered at any Peavey Mart store andthe chicks can be picked up at yourchoice of about seven stores.

This support for the program and forhobby chicken farmers reflects thelongstanding commitment of PeaveyMart to food security and to reconnectingurban Canadians with the production oftheir food.

"Overall, species health providescustomer choice, which is great, and theprogram supports scientific excellence inthe Ag sector in Western Canada,” saysDoug Anderson, President of PeaveyMart. “Our customers support theprogram, and we give back 100 percent ofthe purchase price to the University. It's awin-win.”

Peavey Mart also supports poultry showswhere people, mainly hobbyists, canshow off their chickens and other poultry.Shows and sales are great places to meetpeople raising poultry and see differenttypes of various poultry.

Photo by Jest Sidloski.


The key to a lovely garden is matching healthyplants to the unique climate of your place,starting with strong healthy plants. Peavey

Mart plants, grown in Alberta, fit the bill.

“I grow the plants that do well in Western Canada– the tried and true favourites and new varietiesdeveloped for the area,” says Rob Visser ofMeadowbrook Greenhouses. “My favourites arethe old-fashioned ones – pansies, snapdragons,and petunias. There are others too, but we focuson plants that can take the prairie weather andstill look good. And we work hard to have strongplants that adapt quickly to life in the garden,after their cosseted life in the greenhouse.”

Peavey Mart stores bring in well-started annuals,herbs, vegetables and shrubs, all grown inWestern Canada. Visser is also supplying

complete planters of annuals or shrubs,including succulents – a new trend that can bereally impressive.

“A planter can be spectacular – bringing a realWow factor to a patio or entrance,” he says. Someof his planters include herbs like rosemary andlavender, with the annual flowers. Others aremade up of tomatoes, beets, onions, carrots andherbs.

“I’m a big fan of edibles in the garden,’ saysVisser. “Growing herbs and vegetables in yourgarden or in a planter makes it so easy to include

GARDENINGGARDENINGQUALITY PLANTS MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE TO A GARDEN


Photo by Meadowbrook Greenhouses.

Spring 2017 15

them in your meals. It makes such a difference to havefresh-cut herbs, as you’re cooking. Fresh herbs andvegetables make a huge difference to a meal – they’repart of healthy eating.”

Fruit may be the best of garden edibles, and this yearPeavey Mart will have everbearing strawberries as wellas the traditional June-bearing type. All are producedfrom bare root stock for good health, and will be ready tobloom by May.

Traditional fruits like rhubarb, gooseberry, raspberry andsaskatoons never go out of style. But the hardy sourcherries developed at Saskatoon make great pies and arebeautiful in blossom. Haskaps, (also called honeyberries)are tasty right off the bush.

Peavey Mart also has a wide selection of vines that dowell on the prairies: thumbergia, scarlet runner beans,morning glory, lab-lab or hyacinth bean and hops, whichhave attractive foliage and may encourage beer-makersto try gardening.

Visser is a huge fan ofgardening for thewhole family, gettingaway from the iPadsand other screens, toenjoy digging in thedirt together.

“Gardens add colourto your life. It’shealthy, relaxing,stress relief. It’s greatfamily time. You cantalk as you work.”

KEEPING PLANTS STRONGAND HEALTHY

Providing high-end plant material forretail stores is challenging. About 80% ofplants grow from seed, each plant with it’sown ideal conditions. The other 20% haveto be grown from cuttings.

Wave petunias, for example, are bred andgrown in Ethiopia or Israel under verystrict sanitation. Only stem cuttings, noroots or soil, are exported, and they’rechecked to ensure they are free of disease,especially viruses, before shipping togrowers around the world.

Visser ships only within Western Canadafrom his Meadowbrook Greenhouses,near Red Deer, so plants are picked,shipped and in the retail location thesame day. He uses his own semi-trailerswith translucent roofs or lights in theceiling, so plants don’t become stressedand vulnerable to disease betweengreenhouse and the store.

By contrast, plants destined for big boxstores are mostly grown in the southernUS where costs of growing plants arelower. That means over 24 hours in a dark,humid truck – a perfect environment forplant diseases to gain a foothold in theplants, and usually not long enough forsigns of disease to appear.

Plant disease experts talk about thetriangle of disease because it takes threethings for disease to become an issue: thedisease organism (often a fungus), asusceptible host, and an environmentthat suits the disease organism – mostplant diseases like high humidity andsome can be inactivated by sunshine.Diseases only become a problem when allthree are present.

Diseases that cause only minor problemscan sometimes spread to other plants, liketrees or important crops. Late blight, aserious fungal potato disease (it was thecause of the Irish potato famine), hadnever been found in Alberta, even thoughit’s common in most potato-growingareas. The disease suddenly appeared afew years ago – apparently on importedtomato plants (relatives of potato). Now,Alberta potato growers have tocontinually watch for weather conditionsthat suit the fungus, and spray chemicalsto protect their crops.

Photo byJest Sidloski.

Photo by Meadowbrook Greenhouses.

Spring 2017 17


Simply putting cattle, sheep, goats or horsesinto a field for the summer is probably notwhat’s best for the animals, the grass, the

earth or your pocket book.

The problem is that grazing animals treat thenice big pasture as a smorgasbord. They eat thetastiest things first. And then, when they’ve hada little of all their favourite foods, they go back tothe plants they bit off first and take another bite.By then, the plant is especially tasty to theanimals because the plant has just put itsresources into rebuilding its leaves. The newgrowth is generally soft and sweet, so grazinganimals enjoy it a lot.

The trouble is that regrowing the leaf – the solarpanel that powers the plant – requires resourcesfrom the plant’s roots. The plant diverts nutrientsstored in the roots to building new leaves,pruning off its own roots for energy. If the newleaves have long enough before the next animalcomes to bite it off, they absorb the sun’s energyand carbon dioxide from the air to make sugarsand other plant nutrients. The plant can usethese nutrients to build new roots. With moreroots, the plant can absorb more moisture andnutrients from the soil to fuel more growth ofleaves.

If the grass plant is repeatedly grazed before itcan recover its original size, it falls into a deadlyspiral. Without enough roots to bring in themoisture and soil nutrients it needs, and withoutenough leaf to collect and use sunlight, it canonly grow slowly, and hungry grazers keep bitingoff the developing leaves. The grass mightdisappear entirely, leaving a bare spot for weedsto take over.

As the nutritious grasses are being repeatedlychewed by animals that choose the tastiestplants, the less tasty plants were left to grow,becoming more fibrous and less appealing tograzing animals. Old grass may look brownishwith lots of old-looking leaves, sometimes seedheads. Ranchers say those plants are wolfy andmost animals avoid them.

As nutritious grasses are constantly bitten off,weeds and wolfy grasses have an advantage andcome to dominate the pasture and there’s lessand less nourishment for the animals. Thepasture greens up later in spring and it’s a thinstand that’s grazed off quickly.

There is an alternative. You can imitate Nature,instead of matching your animals’ grazing to theexisting fences.

Before settlers arrived and fenced their ownfields, bison (buffalo) roamed the west, grazingtheir way around half a continent. A vast herdgrazed and trampled an area for a short time andthen moved on to new grazing. Likely, the areathey left behind looked terrible with muddycreeks and no green grass to be seen. This stillhappens with some of Africa’s free-ranging herdsof grazers. But, the herd didn’t return to area fora year or more. By then, the grassland hadrecovered.

Today, we can mimic the natural grazing systemby giving animals only a part of the pasture,hopefully one with about 8 inches of growthbefore grazing. With limited grazing available,the animals graze all the plants. It's calledintensive, or rotational, grazing.

Ideally, each plant should only be bitten off once,leaving some leaf for photosynthesis to fuelregrowth of leaves and replace the roots thatwere lost after grazing.

Moving animals off the pasture – giving it a “rest”– allows the plants to work hard and use thenutrients left by the animals to produce morenew growth. It’s the most important time for ahealthy pasture. The time a pasture needs torecover depends on the time of year and weatherconditions, as well as how much plant materialwas removed and the type of grass.

How to make sure a pasture has enough rest isdifferent for each operation, but many grazierssubdivide their pastures into small paddockswith electric fencing, and move the animals fromone to another as soon as the available forage isabout half what it was when grazing started.

There’s a lot to learn about rotational grazing.Judging pasture utilization is a skill that takestime to learn, but most intensive, or rotationalgraziers help one another and beginners. Toursof operations let you see how they manage theirgrass and see the ingenious solutions they’vefound for their challengers. Grazing seminars,the internet and forage associations help too.

Grazing with this more natural system ofmanagement gives animals more and betternutrition and the grass is healthier, fastergrowing with more roots. The plant roots takeadvantage of nutrients from the animals’manure and urine to grow more roots.

Healthy plant roots ooze sugars into the soil,nourishing soil microorganisms and increasingsoil organic matter, an indicator of soil health.Organic matter is mostly carbon, pulled out ofthe air for photosynthesis – the original carbonsequestration.

Good pasture management means moreproductive animals eating more fresh forage,healthier, more productive forage plants, morenutrients in the soil and less carbon dioxide inthe atmosphere, and lower costs from less needfor hay or reseeding pasture. It’s a benevolentspiral.

MANAGINGGRAZING

GET MORE OUT OF PASTUREStory by Helen McMenamin.

GRAZING & ROOT GROWTH

40%50

50

10%

60

60

70

70

80

8090SOIL

% of grass plant grazed

% of root growth stopped

Overgrazing occurs when plants are repeatedly grazed without opportunityto fully recover. Overgrazing reduces grass production by stopping rootgrowth. Plants may need to rest for a few weeks to a few years,depending on the type of plant, weather conditions, and the intensity ofgrazing.

Spring 2017 19


There’s a lot of interest in keeping bees thesedays, but a full-time honey producer and ahobby beekeeper have the same advice:

learn as much as you can about beekeepingbefore jumping into a hive of your own.

Dean Rugland, Manager of the Peavey Mart inYorkton, Saskatchewan, has two hives of his ownbut he says the hobby isn’t for everyone.

“It’s not just a matter of setting out a hive andtaking out the honey in the fall,” he says. “It’s nota lot of work, but it does take time and you mustknow what you’re looking for and what to do.Bees are living creatures, and we have to care forthem.”

Rugland advises taking all the time you need tolearn about bees. He started learning aboutbeekeeping because he was curious and PeaveyMart (where he works) offered an introduction

to beekeeping. Then, he moved back home toSaskatchewan and wanted a functional acreage.

“I thought I could get right into bees, like you canwith chickens, but I found there’s a lot more tobees,” he says. “You really do need to read andtalk to people, attend every course you can. Wehave the basics at Peavey Mart. But join a beeclub, and work with somebody on their bees.

“Beekeeping is very personal. I’ve found that ifyou ask 10 people how to do something, you get10 different answers. But there are guidelines.”

Kevin Nixon has been a commercial beekeeperand packer near Red Deer for 20 years. He hasthe same advice for getting into beekeeping.

“Not everyone should be a beekeeper,” he says.“It’s very labour intensive. It takes lots of timeand there’s a lot to learn. But, everybody starts

somewhere. I encourage people to take a course,participate in workshops and conferences. Stayabreast of changes through a beekeeperassociation, so you know what’s going on withbees.

“Bees are not native to this country, so they haveto be looked after like other livestock - but youcan’t corral them like cattle. They travel 3 or 4miles from the hive, and they intermingle withother bees, so there’s a big biosecurity risk. We allhave to look out for other people’s bees as well asour own.”

Many bees are used for pollination, with honeyproduction only a byproduct, but getting thebiggest yields of fruit, nuts or seed may mean ahuge number of hives in quite small areas, sodisease can spread very quickly.

As Chair of the Canadian Honey Council, Nixonis particularly aware of the risks to domestic beesacross the country and the need for good beehealth care. He focuses on honey and does notput his bees to work pollinating crops. Butworking with owners of land where bees work isimportant.

“We have to stay in contact and respect eachother,” he says. “If a farmer needs to spray achemical to protect a crop, I can suggest a morebee-friendly chemical or they can spray in theevening after the bees are back in the hive. If wecan’t work around each other, I move the hives.

“As a beekeeper, you must be able to identifydiseases and treat for them with effectivemedications, or you’re putting other bees at risk.There’s even some thought that domestic beescan spread disease to native bumble bees. And,some organic bee disease remedies do moreharm than good.”

BEEKEEPINGIT’S NOT JUST BUZZ - LEARNING ABOUT BEES


Photo by Melanie Kempers, Canadian Honey Council.

Spring 2017 21

Rugland agrees, and cautions against startingbeekeeping with used equipment that couldcarry disease. It’s false economy, if bees contracta disease and the hive and equipment have to bedestroyed.

“Bees are time-consuming and you will be stung,even through a suit,” he says. “But I find workingwith them rewarding. My 10-year old son and Iwork together. We enjoy the bees. And, my firstyear in bees, I had the best Saskatoon berry cropI’ve ever had.”

THE HONEY BUSINESS

Nixon processes all his own honey and only hisown honey, which he supplies to Peavey Martstores. He selects only the best honey as part ofmaintaining Alberta’s reputation for premiumhoney, with mild flavor and good colour.

He uses a unique proprietary creaming processbecause it involves less heat and less processingthan that needed to ensure a long shelf life forliquid honey.

“We think it’s important not to kill the naturalenzymes in honey, he says. “Our process allowsus to get the consistency we want and preservethe natural antimicrobials and enzymes.

If you’re buying honey, he advises looking at thefine print on the label. “Canada Number 1 is justa grade,” he says. “It can be applied to honeyproduced anywhere in the world. You need tocheck the back of the label where you’ll findwhether the honey is 100% Canadian, producedelsewhere or a blend of Canadian and importedhoney.”

Customers pick up theirgovernment-certified bees.

Photo by Alan Flowers.

Peavey Mart hosts in-storeWarehouse Workshops to learnabout bees and other interests eachSpring at several locations. Contactyour local store for details. Photo by Jest Sidloski.


There’s a whole new section at some PeaveyMart stores – homesteading. It’s supportinga trend to “make your own…” that’s gaining

quite a following these days.

People are making all sorts of foods andhousehold products from scratch, rather thanbuying the ready-to-eat or ready-to-use versionsyou might find in a supermarket or specialtystore.

When you’ve made something yourself ratherthan shopping at the mall, it’s very satisfying to

savour its unique flavor or perfume, whether it’sa pretty soap you’ve perfected with essential oils,or sauerkraut that’s even better than grandma’s.Families who have members who suffer fromallergies can relax, knowing they’ve madeallergen-free products and they don’t have toscrutinize the packaging for problemingredients. There’s also satisfaction in theindependence of being able to make your own,rather than depending on professionals.

“For some, it stems from distrust of large foodand packaged goods companies,” says Peavey

Mart Vice-president ofOperations, Dave Simmonds.“They prefer to make their ownproducts just the same way theywere made 100 years ago.”

Revisiting old ways fits well withPeavey Mart’s appreciation ofcustomer traditions. Thecompany suspected there wasan unmet demand for theequipment and ingredients forpreparing foods and evenpersonal hygiene products.Peavey Mart located makers oftraditional equipment andmodern labour-saving versions,and put them in specialHomesteading sections of a fewstores.

It’s been a success, and Homesteading is beingadded to more stores in 2017.

Dione Frenette works in the Kamloops PeaveyMart, where she is the Homesteading specialist,providing advice on using the equipment. “I lovethis section,” she says. “It has a different lookfrom the rest of the store, with a log archentrance that draws people in. And the greytreated wood shelves add to the feeling of goingback to our roots.”

Fermented foods are being promoted asprobiotics that encourage beneficial gutbacteria. Peavey Mart has traditional Ohiostoneware crocks for making sauerkraut, kimchiand other fermented vegetables. A traditionalcabbage shredder keeps the vegetables even andculture ensures rapid fermentation.

Frenette is seeing huge interest in kombucha, ortea kvass. It’s sweetened green or black teafermented with a scobi, a combination of yeastand a special bacteria. It’s reputed to improve guthealth, prevent and treat arthritis, boost theimmune system and help prevent cancer.Frenette likes the taste, which she says variesfrom resembling a fizzy dry lemonade to a fullersweeter drink, nothing like tea. And the scobifloats like a puck on top of the fermenting tea soit can be recycled to make another batch ofkombucha.

HOMESTEADINGHOMESTEADINGTHE MAKE-IT-FROM-SCRATCH MOVEMENT FINDS SUPPORT AT PEAVEY MART


Photos this page bySean Christophers.

Spring 2017 23

In the Kamloops area, big gardens are everywhere, soall sorts of fruit and vegetable preservation arepopular. Peavey Mart has a wide variety ofdehydrators, including at least one type that can beused to make jerky without power. There’s a steamjuicer, apple peelers and cherry pitters, as well as allkinds of equipment for jams, jellies and canning. Andfor fresh salad any time of year, there’s a big range ofseed sprouters.

The most ambitious homesteaders can even find ahand-cranked grain mill and cheese making supplies.And to keep the whole house in line with simplertimes, there’s a whole range of J.R. Watkins products,fresh honey from an Alberta beekeeper, and unfilteredapple cider vinegar.

“People are going back to their roots and they’relooking for ways to have a sustainable way of life that’shealthier for themselves and better for the planet. Wehave things that fit that nicely,” says Frenette.

Photo by SeanChristophers.

Photo by SeanChristophers.

Homemade cheese. Photo by Jest Sidloski.


Canadian lamb producers have a hugeopportunity. Lamb consumption isincreasing in Canada, and Canadian lamb

is the product of choice.

Lamb production in Canada is not keeping pacewith the demand. We produce just over 40percent of our domestic consumption – the restis imported. Consumers and retailers continuallyask for more Canadian lamb.

Good things about the lamb industry: • The lamb industry can be a family enterprise

– the size of the animal lends itself well tofamilies with small children.

• The lamb industry has a low cost of entry. • The production cycle is quite short – you can

see positive returns quite quickly.• Lamb producers can control production and

margins. Good management can increaselambing percentages and lambs marketedper ewe.

• Sheep adapt to new feedstuffs quickly. Theycan be raised in a variety of productionmethods, from grass-based to dry lotintensive production units, and anything inbetween.

• Sheep can be used to create a positiveenvironmental impact.

So, what’s the problem – what prevents peoplefrom entering the lamb industry? In my opinion,it has to do with an inaccurate perception of thelamb business. There’s the notion that sheep area stupid animal, lots of work, and the financialreturn is limited. I say this is not accurate.

Commercial lamb production can generate verypositive financial returns. You can manageproduction to increase the number of lambsmarketed annually per ewe for a tremendousfinancial reward.

Look at the numbers. A general target is that onelamb sold per ewe should pay the bills – anything

above that should be the producer’s. Six ewes areone animal unit, equivalent to one cow in termsof the feed they need. The six ewes shouldproduce nine lambs based on averageproduction of 1.5 lambs per ewe.

Many lamb producers are currently marketingtwo or more lambs per ewe per year. Dependingon the weight of the lamb at marketing, thereturn per lamb has been around $150-175 for afeeder lamb and $200-225 for a finished butcherlamb. From birth to marketing usually takes fiveto eight months, depending on management.You can do the math.

To the thought that sheep are stupid animals:contrary to what you may have heard, sheep arenot stupid. They rank just below the pig and onpar with cattle in intelligence among farmanimals. The problem is more that people do notunderstand how sheep think. I was a sheepproducer with a large flock for many years andstudied sheep behavior.

Behaviour is an animal's response to itsenvironment. People working with animals oftendo the same thing over and over again andexpect a different response. I say if it’s notworking, change the environment, and theanimals’ behaviour will change. Sheep respondto the situations they are placed in according tothe instincts they have been created with andhave developed. Understanding how sheep thinkand using it to your advantage makes workingwith sheep much easier and more enjoyable.

Here are just a few examples of sheep instinctsand characteristics you need to understandwhen working with sheep:• They are social animals, and don’t want to be

by themselves. Separation causes themstress and a negative response.

• They are followers, so create systems thatallow them to follow each other and theshepherd.

• Sheep have poor depth perception. Shadowsand changes in walking surfaces make themhesitate, so eliminate shadows and changesin walking surfaces when working sheep.

• A sheep’s defence is escape, so when theyfeel preyed upon or too much pressure isapplied to them they seek an escape. A keyto handling sheep is to create a controlledescape.

• Sheep, like other animals, have a flight zone.Understand what it is and use it whenworking with the flock.

If you’re considering, entering, or are already inthe sheep business, learn two basics. Firstly,understand the animal’s normal behaviour anduse this to your advantage. Working with sheepis more of a mind game than physical effort.Secondly, know the basics needs of sheepproduction: if you know the basics, you canexpand from there. When done right, the sheepindustry is enjoyable and profitable.

My desire is to share my years of experience tohelp grow the lamb industry, and for producersto enjoy the business and management of sheep.The Saskatchewan Sheep Development Boardoffers a 2-day workshop called “Getting Startedin Sheep.” During the workshop, I address suchtopics as the basics of lamb production,nutrition, lambing time management, sheepbehaviour, and handling and marketing.

For more information on the full workshopoutline and information, please see our websitewww.sksheep.com and click on Services andTraining, or call me at 306-933-5582.

Gord Schroeder is Executive Director ofSaskatchewan Sheep Development Board, and for18 years ran about 1,000 ewes.

Peavey Mart is a sponsor of the SaskatchewanSheep Development Board.

7 REASONSTO RAISE SHEEP... AND HOW TO GET OVER OVER THE REASON YOU DON’T

Story by Gord Schroeder.

Spring 2017 25


Each year since 2013, the PeaveyMart Community Agricultural Granthas offered funding to community

groups to help strengthen theircommunities. Here's a roundup of theimpact of some of the winning projects.

DESTINATION WHITEWOOD,WHITEWOOD, SASKATCHEWAN

Destination Whitewood applied toPeavey Mart for a grant to help beautifytheir town. They wanted to turn arundown double lot across from thetown office into a useful green space,and call it Town Square.

“We had hoped to finish the project in2015, but flooding in the area preventedus from completing it until the summerof 2016,” says Lee Aldous, volunteercoordinator for the project.

Once word of the $15,000 Peavey Martgrant got out, other area businesses

stepped up to contribute funds andservices, bringing the total funding forthe project to $27,000 – enough to add tothe original blueprint.

The once forlorn looking lot was clearedand levelled and black dirt was broughtin and grass planted. Now, the TownSquare is the pride of the communitywith a 20 by 30 foot gazebo that holdsfour large picnic tables. Two large flowerbeds were built using interlocking stoneand cement pads poured along the westand north edges of the property. Picnicbenches line each side. Ken Aldous iscurrently building a wishing well to helpdisguise a water hydrant.

While the ornamental trees planted haveyet to mature, the Town Square nowhosts family gatherings and is thebackdrop for many wedding and gradphotos. It’s also a serene spot for folks tojust sit and enjoy the scenery.

GROWING COMMUNITIESTHE PEAVEY MART COMMUNITY AGRICULTURAL GRANT

Story by Bonnie Warnyca. Photos by Community Agricultural Grant recipients.

IMAGINING STRONGER COMMUNITIES

Each of us has a community, and most of us have ideasabout how our community can be helped to be better andstronger.

But we don’t all develop those ideas into plans, build supportfrom other individuals, groups, businesses and government,and act on those plans. That kind of development is thepurpose of the Peavey Mart Community Agricultural Grant.

The Grant exists to nourish that entrepreneurial spirit, helpincubate and develop good ideas, to give people a reason tocome together, and ultimately help the communities wherewe live and work – all with a focus on Agriculture.

The Peavey Mart Community Agriculture Grant applicationperiod is from March 1 to May 31 annually. We encouragegroups to visit our website at www.peaveymart.com todownload an application for funding.

Doug Anderson, President, Peavey Mart.

Whitewood Town Square: A vacantlot has been turned into a beautifuloasis with new grass, a gazebo, picnictables, ornamental trees and severalpermanent benches. This photo wastaken early on in the developmentand it will take a couple of years forthe flower beds and trees to mature.The official opening took place inSeptember 2016.

“We’re so thankful for the money that PeaveyMart provided,” says Aldous. “Two young fellowsfrom Peavey Mart in Yorkton brought gifts for thekids and helped us celebrate our grand openinglast fall.”

CHAMPIONS FOR CHANGE, ST PAUL, ALBERTA

Entering their final year of their Peavey MartCommunity Agricultural Grant of $49,000 overthree years, Champions for Change in St. Paul,Alberta, has come a long way in the past twoyears.

“The grant has enabled us to develop newoutreach programs promoting healthy lifestylesin the community,” says Penny Fox, Chairpersonof St. Paul Champions for Change. The fundshave allowed the group to have administrativehelp, develop healthy lifestyle displays andpublish a list of local food producers. They alsosponsored a health and wellness show in thetown, and their workshops on the basics ofgrowing vegetables have been popularthroughout the community.

One of the most successful projects to date hasbeen putting “Incredible Edible Barrels”throughout the community – 68 in 2015 and 59in 2016. Each barrel is filled with fruit andvegetable plants, including edible flowers. Allplants were labelled along with ideas on ways touse the produce. Families are encouraged to talkto their children about the food, and to pickwhatever is ripe.

The remainder of the foodstuffs are servedduring “Party in the Park” events in summer. Thispopular project will continue, and several other

communities have asked about starting theirown “Incredible Edible Barrels.”

In 2015, the CFC partnered with St. Paul Familyand Community Support Services in theHeritage Festival, showcasing music, culturalfoods, entertainment and art of all the differentcultures in the community. During the Sundayart show, CFC provided appetizers made oflocally grown foods prepared by students at theCulinary Arts Program at Portage College.

The Peavey Mart grant helped kickstart manynew projects that will continue (or be run inpartnerships with) other communityorganizations.

“We are now a pilot community for the AlbertaPrevents Cancer Project,” says Fox. “We’ve beenable to take experience gained through thePeavey Mart projects into this partnership. We’reworking to expand the Incredible Edibles projectand to have school students build raised gardenbeds and install them at the food bank, the crisiscentre and 15 group homes.”

ASSOCIATION FOR COMMUNITY LIVING,BEAUSEJOUR, MANITOBA

Prior to receiving a $30,000 Peavey MartCommunity Agriculture Grant, the Association

for Community Living (ACL) in Beausejour reliedon a small six by six foot greenhouse to establishvegetable and flowering plants to raise funds toprovide training to clients with intellectualdisabilities.

“The grant money allowed us to build a 60 by 20foot greenhouse, which was completed in the fallof 2014. We planted our first seeds in the springof 2015,” says Ashley Seymour, Director ofOperations for ACL Beausejour.

“It was an exciting time and a project that pulledso many people together. More than 50 of ourclients, support staff and community volunteersparticipated in the planting of seeds and helpedto nurture the seedlings which included a varietyof vegetables, flowers and grasses.”

The first year, the group had to invest in tools,trays and lighting so their inventory and profitmargin was fairly small. But in 2016, the groupwas able to profit more than $6,000.

“This is truly a gift that will keep on giving,” saysSeymour. “We use the greenhouse profits topurchase new technologies, classroom materialsand art supplies for pre-vocational classes totrain people for various types of employment.”

Bonnie Warnyca is a freelance writer fromIndian Head, Sask, where she also runs a bedand breakfast.

Spring 2017 27

St. Paul:Local volunteers and members of the Boys andGirls Club help plant Incredible Edible Barrels.

Beausejour greenhouse.

Beausejour greenhouse.

St. Paul: Workshop –Harvest of the Forest.

St. Paul:IncredibleEdibleBarrels arelocatedthroughoutthe St. Pauldowntownandbusinessareas.


For some, fairies are irresistible. And, fairygardens – with real plants but also tinyfigurines of fairies and their own tiny

furniture and buildings – can provide hours offun for young and young-at-heart gardeners.

Most Peavey Mart staff had not seen fairygardens until they arrived in a few stores, butthey’ve been happy to see the delight ofcustomers discovering the figurines. Customerspurchased the figurines as fast as staff couldunpack them to build a display garden. PeaveyMart has now shipped fairy gardens to morestores this spring, part of a trend sweeping acrossNorth America.

Fairy gardens were introduced in the US in 1893,probably as part of bonsai gardens at theJapanese pavilion at the World’s Fair in Chicago.They were featured in the New York Times, andfairy gardening became a popular hobby that’scarried on since with occasional surges. Thecurrent enthusiasm might be linked to fairyhomes built into hillsides – rather like hobbithouses in Lord of the Rings.

Fairy gardens can include a whole village in ashallow pot that’s centerpiece for a picnic tableor they can be bigger and easier for little handsto manipulate the fairies and their furniture.Some owners use window boxes to keep theplants healthy.

Prairie gardening guru, Lyndon Penner, has aslightly different take on a fairy garden. In hisexcellent book, Garden Design for the ShortSeason Yard, he tells his response to a new condoowner who had a tiny garden space, less than 6by 2 feet. Rather than crowding in just a fewplants, he made a fairy garden.

He used flat pebbles to create a “path” through aminiature landscape. Miniature perennialsincluded thymes, Scotch moss, saxifrages,Corsican mint and some bulbs with delicateflowers and tiny dianthus. Miniature roses andtopiary fuschias are the trees in the landscape –fairy trees always have flowers! Fuschias can bequite easily trained into shape by pinching offside shoots.

Small fairy figurines complete the tinylandscape. Young visitors love the garden, andsearch for the fairies after the gardener hasmoved them around.

Choosing plants that either stay small or can betrimmed to fairy scale and keep the gardenlooking good can become an addictive hobby.One US retailer whospecializes in miniaturegardens says fairy gardenscome and go, but neverfade away entirely. Afairy figurine alwaysadds a touch ofwhimsy to a small giftplant.

Miniature gardening is growing steadily, says theretailer. “As you get older gardening becomesmore difficult . This is a way to downsize and it’seasy to maintain. It’s a great thing to do with kidsand grandchildren. Children love them. It’s justtheir size.”

FAIRY GARDENS FAIRY GARDENS DELIGHT YOUNG AND OLD DELIGHT YOUNG AND OLD

Story by Helen McMenamin. Photos by Helen McMenamin and Susan Pfefferie.

Fans of fairy gardens choose any combination of figurinesfrom Peavey Mart displays, and create their own space.

Spring 2017 29

Cordless tools have taken over for small handtools like drills. Now, new batterytechnology has made cordless tools more

powerful and more convenient than ever, andmade the workplace safer.

Old style cordless tools just didn’t have thetorque to be as powerful as a corded or a gas-powered version, so it’s been back to the shop orextension cords or generators on site, along withtripping and other hazards. New batteries andrelated technologies are leading a revolution onjobsites, around homes and on farms.

For homeowners, garden tools that used to begas-powered or corded now use batteries andmore powerful versions are available forlandscapers.

DeWalt has developed over 100 tools that all usethe company’s FlexVolt system to deliver thepower of a corded tool with the convenience ofbattery power. The batteries are sold separatelyand are interchangeable among tools, and eachone draws just the power needed to give you thetorque and the run time you need for a job.

“I own some of these tools myself,” says PeaveyMart’s Grande Prairie store manager, RobDahlen. “I have an acreage where I don’t havepower. I can take the tools I plan to use and acouple of batteries, and I have the power I needand the flexibility I want.

“I can trim my two and a half acres with myFlexVolt string trimmer. It’s much lighter thanthe gas model I used to use. And I don’t need tocarry a jerry can of gas around. It’s much quieter,too. The only sound is the whack of the brushfalling, so I can hear what’s going on around me.”

“We’re making the cordless workplace a reality,”says Stephen Blain of DeWalt. “It’s moreconvenient and it’s safer, because there isn’t thetripping hazard of a cord and you can hear what’sgoing on around you. Since 1992, it’s been ourmission to convert workplaces to cordless. Now,we have the technology to do that for all ourprofessional tools.”

Milwaukee Electric Tool has a similar vision, butit’s focused on linking each tool’s motor,electronics and power source to a task. Thebattery is the driver but the electronics arecrucial. One key is a phone app that links to tools

for remote on/off, or to set rpm, torque or thespeed of the ramp up. The app can record exactlywhat was done, the date, time and tool settingsand print off a record. An electrician can use theapp to record details of every wire crimped sowork quality can be shown to match the moststringent requirements.

One key can track a tool or other piece ofequipment, easing cross-country inventorycontrol for rental companies and big contractors– but also helping when a tool is misplaced. And,tools can be locked from a cell phone so theywon’t work if they’re stolen.

“We work on needs our customers bring to us,”says Scott Moore, Director of Marketing forMilwaukee. “Lighting is a huge challenge,whether it’s a job site with hundreds of lights, orfixing a combine in the field. We have cordlessLED lights with three or more settings for area,tripod or task lights, and with our new 9-hourbattery they can run all night.

“Electronics are the brains behind the newgeneration of tools – the communicationbetween motor and power source, but alsobetween operator, tool and supervisor.”

CUT THE CORDCORDLESS WORKSPACE A REALITY WITH NEW SYSTEMS

Story by Helen McMenamin. Photo by Stanley Black & Decker.


Most of us think of electric cars asimpractical because their range is tooshort and there are too few charging

stations. It’s time to look again. You can actuallydrive across Canada in an all-electric vehiclewithout once paying for fuel.

Kent Rathwell of Sun Country Highway actuallydid that in January 2013 and to really make thepoint, he made the trip from St JohnsNewfoundland to Victoria in the middle ofwinter.

“If we could do that in the biggest, coldestcountry in the world, zero emissions cars canwork anywhere,” he says.

When the first of the current generation ofelectric cars came out Rathwell didn’t want to seethe concept die again – electric cars werepreferred until about 100 years ago, and effortsto revive them in 1970s and ’80s failed. He sawthe challenge: an electric car doesn’t fit ourtransportation needs unless it can be chargedquickly anywhere.

He developed the Level 2 charger, the world’sfastest. It will power any model of electric vehiclein a few hours. He set up Sun Country Highwaysand installed chargers at partner locations acrossthe country throughout the US and as far southas Chile and in Europe.

Tesla is currently installing even faster chargingstations around the country, but only their newerTesla vehicles can use them. But Level 2, 240-voltand Level 1, 110-volt chargers are compatiblewith all Tesla and other makes of EV vehicles.

“My goal is to create environmentally sensitivetransportation to reduce pollution that damagespeople’s health and threatens the survival ofother species,” he says. Rathwell is particularlyconcerned about birds, whose populations havefallen to small fractions of those of a century ago.(Sun Country Farms, the birdseed supplier toPeavey Mart is a Rathwell company.) Apart fromtheir existence since dinosaurs, birds dohumanity great pest control service, especially asinsect feeders.

“I want to empower Canadians to use zeroemissions transportation,” he says. “Renewablepower and electric cars mean far less emissionsand much lower cost driving.

“Canada can be a leader in changing the worldwith economically, socially and environmentallysustainable choices. It will be the easy choice.”

Every Peavey Mart location now has an EVcharging station.

“Most stores see a car every day,” says JestSidloski. Customer Experience manager withPeavey Mart. “It’s not much yet. Some places, likeour Red Deer store, see more as people stop inbetween Edmonton and Calgary. And chargersare available 24/7 so we don’t see every car thatuses them.

“We started this project in 2013. It was a hugecommitment for us. Putting in the electricalwiring is quite costly. But, it’s an investment inthe future and in our customers’ future needsand the environment.

“It’s important to us to be ahead of the uptake ofelectric vehicles, even though it might be adecade before EVs become mainstream we needto be there. It may be sooner, farmers are bigadopters of new technology.”

Peavey Mart buys power from Bullfrog Power, soits stores and distribution centre as well asvehicles topping up at the chargers are allemissions-free. “It’s all part of our commitmentto a sustainable footprint, and customerservice,” says Sidloski. “I see charging stationsand green energy as one of Peavey Mart’s mostexciting initiatives.”

Capri Rasmussen and her husband, Jason Auch,agree. They charge their Tesla Model S at PeaveyMart whenever they’re close to a store.

“We only worry about charging when we’re on aroad trip,” she says. “We stop for lunch and topup the charge, sometimes we shop in the store,buy birdseed or other things. People we meet in

the store are always friendly and interested inour car. Farmers are always interested in what’snew.

“We really value Peavey Mart and Sun Country.The chargers are a great service, so we visit asmany as we can. And, the stores are centrallylocated so we can walk to a restaurant or stores.”

The couple love their electric sports car, eventhough it’s not a car for everyone or for all typesof weather (the height clearance isn’t ideal forheavy snow). They’re car enthusiasts who like avehicle with panache. They were excited to owna unique proof of concept car.

“It’s different to drive, but fun,” says Rasmussen.“It has a lot of torque, instant power when youhit the accelerator. All you hear is the wind andthe tires. I think it’s a bit like being on Star Trekand hitting warp speed.

“One of the things I really like about this car isthat when you get up in the morning it’s alwayscharged up and ready to go. You never have to goto the gas station. And, there’s almost nomaintenance, updates go direct to the car’scomputer, there’s no oil changes, just tires andwindshield wipers to replace.”

CHARGING STATIONS A VITAL PIECE OF A SUSTAINABLE FUTUREA VITAL PIECE OF A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE

ONE MILLION EVs!

Global sales of electric cars hit 1 million latein 2016. About a quarter were Nissan Leafsand 160,000 Teslas. Another million vehicleswere special purpose vehicles, includingschool buses.

Sales are increasing and lithium ion batterycosts are dropping fast. Vehicle costs forelectric cars are predicted to be competitivewith gas models in the next three or fouryears. With fuel costs of under $100 for10,000 km more us may well be driving EVssooner than we think.

Capri Rasmussen and Jason Auch find planning trips to a Peavey Mart location to top up the charge in their Tesla Roadsteris just part of deciding where to have lunch. Story by Helen McMenamin. Photo by Capri Rasmussen and Jason Auch.

CHARGING STATIONS

Spring 2017 31

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