Little Path Farm

A young entrepreneurial farmer who has recently woken up sleepy land  in one of the most scenic locations in the area. He  grows fresh organic veggies, free run chickens and turkeys all available to the public who are strongly encouraged to come meet him and check out what he has created. Camping on the beautiful landscape is welcome with a fee (fee will be waived and a free meal will be offered if camper helps weed the garden).

Contact: 204.868.5224 or littlepath@hotmail.com

Dave McFarlane and Mindy Dobreen

Willowind Alpaca http://www.willopaca.com/

Offers  Alpacas ranging from $100-$10 000 and their high quality wool products (hats, mittens, yarn, teddy bears etc) in a range of colours. Come meet these docile creatures and see what it takes to produce this softer than sheep’s wool fiber.

Contact: 204.865.2412 or dmcfarla@mts.net

Trisha Lee

Secrets From The Garden

This Toronto-native moved to Inglis with the intent of getting back to the earth. Secrets From The Garden offers handcrafted Aromatherapy Soaps, Potions and Lotions from scratch, using the “old time” method with plant based /organic raw materials.  Located in a service station that is on it’s way to being completely green.

Susan Proven

Fairmount Bed & Breakfast

Susan owns the beautiful Fairmount Inn, a B&B near Minnedosa. Having been in the house for almost 40 years, she has made it beautiful and offers guests lamb from her own flock or rainbow trout from around the corner. She sells jams, jellies, pickles, mint tea, dried beans, wool duvets and fresh veggies from her garden.

Contact:204.874.2165 or sproven@mts.net

Raven Creek Farm

Offers Alfalfa, wildflower honey, honeybutters, beeswax based skin care products,  and a variety of different types of candles year round. Located in the rural municipality of Park,  4 1/2 miles north of Menzie.

Contact: 204.234.5271 or ravencreekfarm@hotmail.com

Henry Oshust

Organic seasonal asparagus, raspberries, potatoes are grown a few miles west of Onanole but are offered in this convenient general store setting in Erickson. Locally made jams and jellies are also available. Calling ahead is recommended as hours are irregular, prices from $2.00.

Contact: 204.636.2730

Dale Nichols

Located two miles south of Onanole on Highway 10, he offers pencil drawings of Manitoba rodeo and ranch type scenes, available all year round range from $50-$100.

Contact: 204.848.1782 or shellynichols8@hotmail.com

Kate & Doug Storey

Poplar Glen Organic Farm

Located near Grandview, 7 km wst of Gilbert Plains this year round organic farm offers grassfed organic ground beef, organic flax and eggs from some of the happiest cage free chickens we’ve ever seen.

Contact: 204.546.2099 or kstorey@xplornet.ca. Follow Kate on Twitter!

Riding Mountain Biosphere Reserve, in partnership with Parks Canada and Friends of Riding Mountain Park, have teamed up with elementary schools in the Park West School Division to bring kids back to nature in the form of a three-day trip.

On the first morning of the 2nd annual grade six trip, 71 kids from schools in Park West School Division set off in the Lake Audy area to search for hidden clues pertaining to the wildlife around them.

“It’s like a treasure hunt and a race crossed with survivor,” described Britney Hamilton, a grade six student from Russell Major Pratt.

The students used GPS units from Friends and the Biosphere Reserves’ Caching Riding Mountain GPS Program who also run the annual GPS Adventure Quest, do school and community GPS workshops and rent them to park guests.

Following the programmed coordinates, students broke off into groups of three. “It’s better and more fun than sitting inside and looking at pictures of wilderness in books, I like learning this way,” says Nick Harper, a student from Birtle Elementary.

Jen Tyttle teaches a grade five and six split class in Birtle. It’s her second year attending the Park West School Division outing and she says that the students are “very proficient with the interactive technology”.  And it’s true. The kids caught on immediately, racing off to the shoreline or deep into the trees and tall grass.

She says the students really enjoy the trip to the Riding Mountain area because of the hands on learning and outdoor atmosphere. “It reaches all students. In class not all the students can seem engaged at all times, but out here they really are.”

On day two, Riding Mountain Biosphere Reserve and Friends of Riding Mountain National Park set up an archaeological dig for the kids at a former “kill site” (a valley where bison would’ve been herded to be hunted more easily) near Gorge Creek.

By examining these placed “artifacts” the students learned about the people and animals that lived in the park thousands of years ago, including giant sloths who snacked on the tops of trees and beavers the size of picnic tables.

“Because it’s from the past and there are stories that go along with each object, I think it’s important to learn about archeology,” says grade six student Harry Hodgins from Shoal Lake who helped “discover” some historic blue and green glass.

The kids worked on small plots of land called units, brushing away soil and shale to uncover animal bones, glass, and pottery.

Garret Rubeniuk from Major Pratt wasn’t afraid to get his hands dirty, as he enthusiastically sifted through soil to find projectile points. “You’re active, doing more, it’s really like a big experiment. You get to walk through outside and touch everything instead of looking at a piece of paper. You can actually do things…you learn how people survived.”

Biodiversity Day

To celebrate International Day for Biological Diversity which was on May 22^nd , Riding Mountain Biosphere Reserve enlisted the help of five students from Erickson Elementary School.

Biodiversity Day

To celebrate International Day for Biological Diversity which was on May 22^nd , Riding Mountain Biosphere Reserve enlisted the help of five students from Erickson Elementary School.

On May 20^th, utilizing chalk, and artistic talent they created a 45 by 14 ft biodiversity-themed mural, which passersby can view in the driveway of the Riding Mountain Biosphere Reserve Office, located at 61 2nd Street NE, in Erickson, Manitoba.

The students wanted to create an art project demonstrating the diversity of plant and animal life encompassed in the only Biosphere Reserve in Manitoba.

But the project had one main requirement; that it wouldn’t harm the environment in any way and leave no lasting effect. Grade five student, Kieran McKay chose deep blues and greens to draw the Earth and that he “thought the project was cool”.

Chalk was the chosen medium, as it would wash away leaving no trace of pollution and a clean slate for the next mural.

The United Nations proclaimed May 22nd The International Day for Biological Diversity to increase understanding and awareness of biodiversity issues.  On top of this, 2010 is the United Nations’ International Year of Biodiversity.

Executive Director of Riding Mountain Biosphere Reserve, Valerie Pankratz says it is important to recognize the diverse eco-systems and our own biodiversity issues within the area: “Valuing our surroundings, and taking care of them is an integral part of educating our youth, especially in our region.”

UNESCO designated Riding Mountain Biosphere Reserve in 1986. Its mission is to foster and encourage a sustainable community based regional economy, with high biodiversity, landscape, and social values.

Onanole Elementary School has received notification that their application to become a UNESCO ASPnet candidate school has been received and that they can now promote themselves as being such.  Onanole Elementary continues to create programming in line with the four pillars of learning and within the themes of the UNESCO ASPnet. This year they worked on project’s incorporating the theme of racism and discrimination and the effects on youth and our community which included a peace fair that embraced the community’s’ diverse cultures, and promoting peace throughout the school, and the community. Three teachers at Onanole Elementary has also been awarded the

Manitoba’s Celebration of Excellence in Teaching Minister’s Award 2008-2009 for Team Collaboration for last year’s F.I.S.H. project. Inspired by Mahatma Ghandi’s powerful words ‘Be the change you want to see in the world’, these teachers were very involved in the Friends Involved in Stopping Hunger (FISH) project. Activities included distributing Christmas food hampers, volunteering at Samaritan House in Brandon and the Empty Bowl project that raised $2,000 to help relieve local hunger.)

Gord Brown, MP for Leeds-Grenville

Environment Canada announced $5 million dollars of funding for Canadian Biosphere Reserves and the Canadian Biosphere Reserve Association (CBRA)! This will provide support for an additional three years of funding through to 2012-2013. We are elated and very grateful to Environment Canada to say the least! This is just what we have been hoping for.

Gord Brown, MP for Leeds-Grenville, made the announcement July 16, 2009 on behalf of Environment Minister, Jim Prentice, at a press conference held at the Frontenac Arch Biosphere Reserve (FABR) office, organized by Environment Canada and CBRA, with host, FABR.

Gord Brown congratulated the great work of Biosphere Reserves over the years and for their support of CBRA with their new endeavours. Addresses were also made by Richard Murzin and Karina Mullaly, CBRA Chair and CBRA Executive Director, respectively; David Walden, Secretary General on behalf of the Canadian Commission for UNESCO; Gary Clarke on behalf of FABR; and was moderated by Don Ross, FABR. There was attendance by Environment Canada representatives, regional mayors, and FABR Board members and friends.

Environment Canada is providing financial support of $5M over five years to 14 of the 15 UNESCO Biosphere Reserves in Canada ($3 M in addition to the 2$M already announced). The fifteenth biosphere reserve, Clayoquot Sound Biosphere Reserve, already has a federal source of core funding.

The Environment Canada Press Release is available on their website at:
[ Environment Canada ]

The core protected area, Riding Mountain National Park, covers some 3,000 square kilometers of mixedwood forest, eastern deciduous forest, and rough fescue prairie. RMBR also includes a Zone of Cooperation which consists of the 15 municipalities that surround the Park, comprising an additional 12,000 square kilometers. The RMBR is rich in lakes, streams and natural habitat. Development within the Biosphere Reserve has largely been for the growing of grain and forage crops, and for the production of livestock. Hunting, guiding, and eco-tourism also contribute to the local economy.