An Afternoon at the Calgary Farmers' Market

What a nice way to spend an afternoon. Tasting food samples, talking with enthusiastic vendors and browsing through stalls filled with interesting craft items. I like the idea of supporting local farmers, producers and artists and what better way to do that than visiting a farmers’ market.

The Calgary Farmers’ Market has the most diverse range of ethnic specialties I’ve seen at a market. Greek, Indian, Cuban, Ukrainian, Mexican, Italian, Chinese just to name a few. I walked away with a variety of dishes from around the world.

I was also surprised at the lineup in front of Simple Simon Pies. Customers were waiting 2 people deep and about 10 across just to place orders for Simple Simon’s meat and fruit pies. After tasting a sample I could see why. Another highlight was the kettle corn from the Sugar Creek Kettle Corn Co. The light, fluffy popcorn with subtle hints of sweet and salty made it the best kettle corn I’ve ever tasted.

The market is also filled with passionate and knowledgeable vendors. I was so impressed with the Old Country Sausage Shop’s commitment to keep fillers, binders and MSG out of their products that I purchased some of their Moroccan sausage. After talking with the folks at Patsy Clark Farms I decided to be adventurous and try Ostrich burgers.

In addition to food products, the market also offers a selection of craft items like painted glassware, jewelry and art.

By the time I left the market my bags were filled with goodies. The only thing I would have done differently is leaving time at the end of the afternoon to stop for a beer at the nearby Wild Rose Brewery.

The Hunt is on for Easter Activities

With Easter on the horizon, I’ve been thinking about activities that families can do to have some fun for Easter. Many major attractions in Alberta have kid-friendly events planned during the Easter weekend.

Calgary

• Munch on Easter Brunch at Heritage Park and participate in a scavenger hunt and traditional Easter egg decorating. Sunday, April 4
• Kids can meet Peter Rabbit, enter the colouring contest and enjoy face painting, crafts and games at Fort Calgary’s Spring Fever. Sunday, April 4
• At the Calgary’s Zoo’s Easter Eggstravaganza, families can enjoy treats of many kinds - entertainment, the Cadbury scavenger hunt and personalized cookie treats. Friday, April 2 and Saturday, April 3

Edmonton

• An afternoon of old-fashioned fun awaits at Rutherford House. Taste cookies baked in the wood-burning stove and find historically-coloured Easter eggs. Sunday, April 4
• At Fort Edmonton Park’s Sweet Treat Hide and Seek, kids can exchange eggs found on the Easter egg hunt for treats. There will also be storytelling, a petting zoo, and a rabbit jumping demonstration. Saturday, April 3

Grand Prairie

• Grand Prairie’s Muskoseepi Park is the site of an Easter Eggstravaganza with a bunny display, cookie decorating, games, Easter egg hunt and a visit by the Easter Bunny. Saturday, April 3
  

Lethbridge

• Dye eggs and snap photos with the Easter Bunny at the Galt Museum’s Annual Eggstravaganza. Saturday, April 3

These activities are sure to keep you hopping.

Ice Golf Baby

Golf on a frozen lake in the middle of winter. Can you say f-f-f-f-fore?

My friend Mike does the wackiest things. Last weekend he participated in an ice golf tournament on Pigeon Lake. When I asked him why he did it he replied, "Cuz it's crazy fun."

Golfers make their way around a course marked out by old Christmas trees and putting greens made of indoor/outdoor carpeting. I'm told you don't have to be an especially skilled golfer because you are only allowed to use two irons and a putter. You're not even required to have an eagle eye to spot the little white golf ball on the snow because coloured balls are used.

The tournament draws around 200 people for golf, dinner and a chance to thumb your nose at Old Man Winter. Are you game?

Check out some of the creative costumes and methods of transporting beverages around the course.

A Fruitful Endeavour: Alberta's Cottage Wineries

When people think of wine, they don’t usually think of Alberta. Two local cottage wineries are changing people’s minds using Alberta-grown organic fruit to craft a surprising range of fruit wine.

I think most people assume that wines made from fruit like wild cherries, apples, strawberries, and raspberries are sweet and syrupy dessert wines. Although many are fine examples of dessert wine, the surprise is that many of the wines are medium-dry or off-dry and pair nicely with meals of pasta, Asian food, pork, red meats and salad.

In central Alberta, Brosseau’s en Sante Winery is using some unusual ingredients to make their refreshing fruit wines. In addition to typical fruits like apples and saskatoons, they use rhubarb, honey and even alfalfa hay!

Lovers of port will appreciate the fortified dessert wines made by Strathmore’s Field Stone Fruit Wines. For tastings of their entire selection of wines, drop in to their on-site wine store between May and September or call during the off-season to make an appointment.

You can find these wines at some Alberta farmers’ markets and in select liquor stores. Vendor information is listed on each winery’s website.

Try Alberta’s fruit wines tonight and sample a taste of Alberta in a way you thought you never would.

A Joyful Noise: The Kokopelli Choir Association

I never fail to be moved at a Kokopelli Choir Association concert.

Whether the choristers are singing traditional African songs, gospel, or contemporary compositions, the four Kokopelli choirs deliver a passionate performance. In addition to the namesake Kokopelli choir, Oran, Shumayela, and Kikimasu round out the Edmonton-based youth and young adult choral ensemble.

The choirs hold you spellbound as they integrate movement and occasional use of instruments with their powerful vocal arrangements. At times, the choristers leave the stage and surround the audience in a cocoon of harmony. It is an experience like no other.

Attend Kokopelli’s next concert and experience singing for the pure joy of it.

Go for Gold in Calgary

For those of you watching the 2010 Vancouver Olympics and thinking how cool it would be to try some of the more daring winter sports, I have a tip for you. You can live your Olympic dream at the venues from the 1988 Olympics in Calgary.

Canada Olympic Park, site of the 1988 bobsleigh and luge events, offers the public a chance to experience the course that many Olympic athletes compete and train on.

For an insanely adventurous experience, try the luge. A skilled luge athlete will teach you the finer points of propelling yourself down an icy track and then let you give it a try.

If you prefer someone else to be in the driver’s seat, hop in the bobsleigh. A professional driver will pilot you down the course at speeds of up to 120 km/hr.

Icons of the Prairies

The news that a historic grain elevator in Fleming, Saskatchewan was destroyed by fire this week made me wonder if Alberta has any iconic wooden grain elevators still around.

We do. And here is a list of communities with restored grain elevators that are now museums and/or are open for people to explore:

• Acadia Valley
• Alberta Central Railway Museum (near Wetaskiwin)
• Andrew
• Big Valley
• Heritage Park in Calgary
• Castor
• Heritage Acres Farm Museum (near Pincher Creek)
• Leduc
• Lougheed - Iron Creek Museum
• Mayerthorpe
• Meeting Creek
• Nanton - Canadian Grain Elevator Discovery Center
• Paradise Valley (near Wainwright) Climb Through Time Museum
• Radway
• Rowley
• Scandia
• St. Albert
• Stettler
• Spruce Grove
• Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village (near Edmonton)

Read the CBC news story about the Fleming, SK elevator.