Reflective Moments

By Joyce Walter - Moose Jaw Express

Early explorers would have been confused by map

As soon as one of the fall, winter and spring snowfalls began to melt, the other person in the household began plotting.

He drew lines on sheets of paper and made markings that any seasoned explorer of centuries gone by would not have been able to navigate. Who knows where Christopher Columbus might have landed if his map had had such markings.

But to Housemate, those lines and marks meant exactly where the potatoes would be planted, how many tomato plants could be accommodated in the space allotted for them, and even how many pea seeds per row he would have to soak before poking them in the ground.

Naturally, there were some adjustments made to the initials drawings, but one thing about the plan was clear: the annual vegetable garden would be planted again this year in the back yard.

Our first garden back there was planted in 1978, the year we moved to our current address. That garden was planted in mid-June based on the occupation date of our purchase. Amazingly, that garden yielded vegetables that kept three households fed up for winter and was the benchmark year for abundance.

The tomato plants, found at an East side corner store, were full grown, with stalks like mini trees when they went into the garden soil. No wonder a neighbour lady, one early morning, told us with excitement that we had a large, ripe tomato on one of the vines. She was indeed the neighbourhood watch while she lived on our block.

When our crop-sharing friends moved away and the Parents couldn’t handle the chores that went along with a full-sized back yard garden, we down-sized to a more manageable space and still we were able to eat fresh and frozen home-grown vegetables for several months following the gardening season.

After Housemate’s official retirement, he had more time to devote to his horticul- tural pursuits and a bit of the grass once again was appropriated for garden space. And then a few more inches seemed to be added each year as ambitions grew.

A sour cherry tree took up residence a few years back and the harvest has grown each year, despite the birds’ discovery of the fruit. A dwarf apple tree joined the orchard this spring. Four stand-up garden boxes for vegetables and another for flowers now have a place in the garden.

With my consistent black thumb and back problems, I have become a mere bystander in most of the agricultural activities in our yard. That’s absolutely fine with me and I am happy to pick the beans and enjoy the vine-ripened tomatoes. I collect the peas but can’t enjoy them raw because of allergies but wow, do they taste better than wonderful when cooked and served with tiny potatoes from our own patch.

We’ve gone away from corn and pumpkins but I think a home-grown watermelon would be the icing on the cake for Housemate’s harvest.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position of this publication.

In just a few days, the seeds and bedding out plants will be in the ground and in the boxes. My contribution thus far has been in providing transportation for the bags of dirt and potting soil.

I have been diligent in ensuring the bags are removed within minutes of purchase. Last year, several bags were loaded on a hot day and left in my vehicle overnight. I’m sure pedestrians could smell my vehicle’s approach from several blocks away.

A coconut-based mosquito repellant sprinkled generously throughout the vehicle eventually removed the feedlot odour. The mosquitoes stayed out of the SUV too. Now let the growing begin, and may the strawberry plants bear fruit this year and beyond.

Joyce Walter can be reached at ronjoy@ sasktel.net

Vanier business students compete against top teams during provincial event

Business students from Vanier Collegiate put their critical thinking skills to the test during a provincial competition that saw them go up against some of the brightest students in the province.

The eight Grade 12 students attended the Saskatchewan Business Teachers’ Association’s annual case competition on May 4 and 5 at the University of Regina. Ninety-five youths from Saskatchewan and Alberta competed and honed their business case analysis skills in the categories of entrepreneurship and personal finance.

Teams of three had three hours to analyze a situation and make recommendations in a strategic and organized manner. Meanwhile, more than 30 judges — university professors, entrepreneurs, businesspeople, and college students — adjudicated the competition.

This was the first post-pandemic event the association held since 2019.

Vanier’s teams — both competed in the entrepreneurship category — included Rising Stars Consulting, composed of Ashton Glova, Eric Meili and Kate Waldenberger, and Summit Consulting Firm, composed of Feona Tolentino, Alexa Gungob and Chealsea Cruz.

Waverely Demassi and Olga Tolentino also attended as volunteers.

“It was a very fun experience. It was a great opportunity to be there. It really taught us some good skills, such as networking,” said Cruz.

It was great to meet other students also interested in business or entrepreneurship since they will likely be in the same university classes next year, said Meili.

It was a positive experience since students attended several presentations and heard from businesspeople about how they became successful, said Glova.

Neither team placed in the top 5, but that was OK since their goal was to learn, help their younger classmates and build future skills, he added.

This type of inquiry- and experiential-based learning using case studies is the norm in college, so the event gave students a preview of post-secondary life, said teacher Christa Lapointe. While only four students plan to pursue business in university, the others are entering industries where this experience — public speaking, problem-solving and collaboration — will help them.

Cruz, Glova and Meili agreed that they faced major pressure having to speak with little preparation when answering judges’ questions.

Competing in the entrepreneurship category gave them the freedom to develop any solution to the problem, said Meili. That was fun because they could be creative with their answer.

Eight students from Vanier Collegiate’s Entrepreneurship 30 class participated in a recent business competition in Regina. Those who attended — in no particular order — include Ashton Glova, Eric Meili, Kate Waldenberger, Feona Tolentino, Alexa Gungob, Chealsea Cruz, Waverely Demassi and Olga Tolentino. Photo courtesy Christa Lapointe

“And we were also at an advantage because most of us did entrepreneurship as a class, so we got to apply what we learned from that class into the case competition,” said Cruz

The case study asked students to help a new ethnic food business find a market in Canada.

One team decided the business would sell its products at farmers’ markets in the Toronto/Hamilton region before expanding across Canada, with the long-term goal of opening a brick-and-mortar store. The judges liked most of this solution.

“There were just some things we missed that they were looking to see,” said Glova. “Our implementation plan … was a little too broad and wasn’t right down to the point and super specific.”

The second team decided to sell at trade shows and build out from there. Cruz noted that the judges liked her team’s suggestion but urged them to consider franchises and online sales.

Student Olga Tolentino thought volunteering was a good experience. Some of her duties included bringing reports to judges, counting the scores from each adjudicator, bringing food to rooms, arranging rooms, collecting other documents and being a role model for younger Vanier students who also attended.

“It was stressful but fun. I loved it … ,” she added.

The students said they were awed by how good the top teams — Regina’s Campbell Collegiate and Weyburn Comprehensive — were and learned plenty from them. Lapointe noted that some schools compete at several events yearly, which is why they are so strong.

The students also thanked Lapointe for the direction and help she provided.