Canadian consumers seek out sustainably produced food

As many Canadians are interested in sustainably grown food, various agricultural industries and farmers are embracing practices that meet the demands of conscientious shoppers.

The strawberry industry is a prime example of the strides made in agriculture in pursuit of sustainability.

There is high demand for strawberries in Canada - in fact, far more than domestic production can supply. Almost 100 per cent of strawberries imported into Canada come from California, allowing us to enjoy this favourite berry yearround.

These strawberries are grown on multi-generation farms with sustainable techniques to minimize environmental impact. For instance, farmers prioritize hand weeding to reduce the need for chemical herbicides, use mechanical bug vacuums that effectively remove harmful insects (which reduces reliance on pesticides), release beneficial insects like ladybugs as a primary defense against pests and opt for fish emulsion as a natural alternative to chemical fertilizers.

We continue heading north on Highway 95 in British Columbia on a great highway and lots of scenery.

There are many places to travel in British Columbia and there are miles and miles of great highways.

This particular highway has some stunning views as you travel through the valley, make sure you take some breaks to take in all the views.

Our first stop and the place we stayed for the night was Invermere.

Invermere has a year round population of around 3,400 people and is another one of those towns that flourishes on tourism.

Invermere is popular destination for people that come from Calgary and Edmonton to get away from the city for a place more relaxing. Invermere is close to

Kootenay National Park.

The original name for this community was “Copper City”, named by Edmund Johnston who claimed the site with plans for a settlement.

The first trading post in this area was way back in 1807. Real growth in the community didn’t happen until after 1909 when the Columbia Fruits Company purchased the area and started promoting the town site to English and Scottish immigrants.

The name was changed to Invermere, a Scottish origin meaning “Mouth of the Lake”.

Forestry is the leading resource industry, but tourism comes plays a very important role in the economy of this town. There is evidence that the Indigenous Ktunaxa Peoples sustained themselves in this area for over 12,000 years by hunting and fishing.

Invermere is a popular spot in the summer for people looking to get out on the water with their boats and do a little fishing, but also popular in the winter when the lake freezes over and there is numerous areas to go skating. On a bright sunny winter day there could be a few hockey games on the lake. One thing that we would do different is to check out your hotel room weeks in advance, booking early. Our hotel room was the most expensive on the trip and the worst accommodation. I won’t mention the name of the place, because we a least got a room for the night and didn’t have to travel anymore that day.

If your into a good cup of coffee, the “Kicking Horse Coffee” shop start- ed in Invermere, and you can now see their brand of coffee in many stores across Canada.

The restaurant of the week has to be the “Ullr Bar and Grill”, this wasn’t our first choice, but are we glad that our first choice was full. The Ullr Bar offers a tavern type atmosphere but the food is absolutely spectacular.

The service is just as good and it’s no wonder that they continue to be busy. This place, to eat and drink, was so good that we even bought the t-shirt to go along with it. Oh ... and by the way ... the meaning of Ullr? It means a “Norse God of Viking Decent” that is associated with winter skiing and snow sports. Kind of goes for the area.

For the morning it has to be the “Beginnings Restaurant”, what a great way to start the day.

Stay tuned for more adventures of The Saskatchewan Traveller.

Randy Weekes, MLA

Biggar - Sask Valley Constituency Office 106- 3rd Ave. West, Box 1413 Biggar, SK S0K 0M0

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Penton on sports

Bruce Penton

Clint Eastwood starred in the movie The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, but little did he know in 1966 it would turn into sports column fodder almost 60 years later.

But hey, it’s the dog days of August, and the world of sports is filled with examples of all three of those title words, so