COLUMN: Carillon Flashback April 28, 1993 – Big birds enjoy Manitoba winter at Dawson Creek Ostrich Ranch

Three-year-old Carly Penner does not have to tune in to Sesame Street to catch a glimpse of Big Bird. She can watch her father’s favourite video, or better yet, go out in the backyard and chat with the real thing.

Delbert Penner’s Dawson Creek Ostrich Ranch, near Giroux, has been growing by leaps and bounds since four three-month-old chicks arrived from Oklahoma, three years ago. The herd (flock if you prefer) is now at 14 birds and four adult females are expected to start laying fertile eggs any day now.

In addition to two breeding trios, Penner’s 1993 herd includes one two-year-old male and seven yearlings. The yearlings are expected to be sold this summer, in spite of the steep asking price of $22,000 a pair.

The interest in the birds is phenomenal, Penner says, and hardly a day goes by that he doesn’t get a call from Quebec, Alberta or British Columbia. There is just as much interest beyond the boundaries of North America.

PHOTO GALLERY: Pioneer Days Parade 2026

The Pioneer Days Parade 2026 was the biggest display of floats and community spirit to date for the annual event.

COLUMN: Carillon Flashback Aug. 2, 1963 – Man who cannot move has built his own car

One of the more interesting floats in the 1963 Hanover Fair parade was a full-sized replica of a 1905 Model ‘N’ Ford car. The prize winning antique auto was the only float in the parade built by a man who cannot walk a step or lift a finger.

The old car’s architect and builder by proxy is Peter J. Toews, a man of stronger than average mechanical inclination with no direct means of putting his ideas into concrete form. Toews has been a victim of multiple sclerosis for the past 23 years, and has not walked for 12 years and has not been able to move a hand even to feed himself for three years.

In spite of what is generally considered a crushing affliction, Toews has discovered an effective defense against the murderous blows of frustration. He learned several years ago that he has a rare gift of interpreting his own mechanical ideas and aspirations to other people in terms they can understand. His creeping paralysis has left his higher faculties unaffected and his thinking crystal clear. His eyesight is 100 percent and he hears acutely and speaks lucidly.

Working at first with members of his own family and later with neighbourhood boys, he has from his wheelchair built a house, a motorized wheel chair, an electronically-operated invalid road car, numerous mechanical household timesavers and now this replica of a 1905 car.

13U Carillon Sultans claim provincial championship

The future of the Carillon Sultans program is as bright as ever, as the program sent teams to both the 15U and 13U AAA Provincial finals Aug. 2.

The organization’s 15U team fell short in the final, surrendering 11 runs over two innings to fall well behind South Central in the final early.

The team finished just 16-13 during the Manitoba Premier Baseball League season, but caught fire at tier 1 provincials, rattling off three wins in their first four games to lock up a spot in the final before their final pool game of the tournament.

Both the 13U and 15U tier one and tier two tournaments took place at Optimist Park in Winnipeg.

1946 – 2026 Watching Steinbach grow: Grunthal 4-H Club excels at ’63 Hanover Fair

From the time spectators began lining up for the parade in sweltering 90-degree plus heat, until two days later, when the last amateur-hour number was performed, the directors of the Hanover Agricultural Society agree the 1963 Hanover Fair was one of the most successful on record. An estimated 7,000 spectators attended the fair during its two-day stand.

Members of the Beausejour Boys’ Band led the parade down Main Street to the fairgrounds, where 4-H clubs marched into the show ring, before local and visiting dignitaries officially opened the fair, welcoming guests and exhibitors.

A member of the Grunthal Sunshine Clothing Club had been chosen as standard-bearer for the 4-H parade. That was the start of a pretty good day for the Grunthal 4-H Club.

Twelve years of painstaking work ended in triumph for two dedicated Grunthal 4-H club leaders, when the Grunthal club walked away with the biggest package of honors ever bestowed on a single club in a Southeast 4-H Rally.

Frog Follies jumps into action this weekend in St Pierre-Jolys

There will be more than frogs jumping into action this weekend in St Pierre-Jolys during the annual event, as the grand softball tournament makes its much-anticipated return to the festival’s schedule, along with some Jurassic participation for families.

“One thing that people used to love with the Frog Follies was the softball tournament we used to have. Back in the ‘70s and ‘80s, it was always the biggest thing that could happen in the summer in this area,” says programming director Roxane Gagne.

“We brought back the slo-pitch tournament for this year, and it looks like that is gonna be a huge success. We’ve already sold out; we don’t have room for anymore teams … Individual competitions are very spectator oriented, but this gets everyone involved, it’s like The Field of Dreams thing,” said Gagne.

Combined with a unique funding model, where different groups run different aspects of the festival but keep the proceeds from those operations as their own fundraiser, such as the local softball association and the tournament this year, excitement and participation in the follies has a renewed energy and interest.

Prairie Day offers guided walks and presentations

A unique opportunity to learn about the diversity of species that make their home in the tall grass prairie ecosystem comes with Prairie Day, an event scheduled for Saturday at Prairie Shore Trail near Tolstoi and Gardenton Park and Museum.

The Aug. 8 event will include guided walks from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Prairie Shore Trail, approximately three kilometers east of Tolstoi on Provincial Road 209. Prairie themed presentations will take place from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Gardenton Park and Museum under the shade of the oak trees.

Guided walks will highlight a number of plant and animal species listed under Canada’s Species at Risk Act.

“While it’s too late in the season to spot the endangered Poweshiek Skipperling flitting about, you will likely see threatened Riddell’s goldenrod in bloom and an assortment of other provincially rare species,” a press release stated.

Peat moss workers hit the picket line in Richer

Employees of Premier Horticulture walked out onto the picket line on Aug. 4.

The Construction Workers Union, CLAC Local 152 said they’ve been working for a year to negotiate a renewal of their expired six-year collective agreement.

“Wages for these workers have not kept pace with inflation,” Geoff Dueck Thiessen, the regional director of the CLAC said. “We’re looking for this employer to respect the work their employees perform under difficult circumstances by keeping pace with their neighbours.”

Premier Horticulture employs people who harvest peat moss from peat bogs and package it at a plant near Richer.

Town of Carrick can “bearly” contain the excitement for upcoming weekend celebration

The fun and activity this weekend during the 32nd annual Carrick Days festival should be more than enough action to keep the town’s famous bears away and attract families, friends and festival goers to all the entertainment in town.

A smaller community southeast of Woodridge with less than a dozen year-round residents, Carrick Days draws from the many cottage owners and families that summer in the area and gives the celebration that attracts hundreds the feel of a large backyard barbecue.

With the gates to the Spurgrave Historical School Park opening at 11 a.m., the parade will kick off the weekend’s celebrations by heading straight along Main Street.

A free children’s playground will keep those with younger children active along with the petting zoo and bouncing tent, while a dunk tank and 50/50 draw in addition to a “bring your own hammer” spike-driving contest will keep older attendees in the spirit of the celebration.

Eastman Wildcats celebrate strong showing at nationals

The Eastman Wildcats certainly can hold their heads high after some strong results at the U15 and U17 national championships.

The U15 team had a 3-1 record in pool play, and eventually losing out to the eventual national champion Coverdale Fury 1-0 in the knockouts.

“Offensively, we battled against some of the best pitchers in the country — pitchers we rarely have the opportunity to face back home,” a social media post recapping the tournament reads.

“Our girls continually picked each other up. If one player struck out, the next found a way to get on base. They competed every inning and never stopped believing in one another. Defensively, we were outstanding. Our girls played smart, stayed composed, and never backed down from any challenge.”

Community comes together to put on annual Sprague family days celebration

Sprague will host its annual Sprague Fest Family Fun Day on Aug. 8, starting off with a pancake breakfast at 8 a.m., with proceeds going to support the Sprague Community Centre. The traditional parade along Main Street starts at 10:30 a.m. The event then hosts a day of music, games for all ages, including pickleball and cornhole, along with a highly competitive Bingo tournament starting at 2:30 p.m.

A petting zoo, magician, wood carving demonstration and beer garden from noon until 10 p.m. will keep the social activities going for the hundreds expected to attend.

Doris Hovorka, who has been a volunteer with the festival since it began over 20 years ago, said the secret is variety.

“We always have a good crowd because we have events for all ages … all the folks that used to live around here come to visit for the day and catch up on things. We’ve been doing this for very many years.”

RCMP concerned about increase in road fatalities

An increase in road fatalities has Manitoba RCMP asking people to make safe decisions.

As of the end of July, police had already responded to 43 fatal collisions that resulted in 48 deaths this year. That’s up by 23 percent from the same time last year when 39 deaths had been reported.

It’s also trending higher as RCMP report that those numbers are 34 percent higher than the five-year average.

Police say the causes of the crashes are also concerning.

OPINION: Role of farm advisors overlooked in new food strategy

Canada’s new food security strategy promises billions of dollars for a more affordable and resilient food system. But investments in technology, infrastructure and production will only work if farmers have the knowledge and support to put them into practice.

The need for such a strategy is clear. Canadians have faced among the highest food inflation rates in the G7 in recent years. Five retailers control three-quarters of grocery sales, and Canada imports 88 per cent of its fresh fruit and 72 per cent of its vegetables, leaving consumers vulnerable when supply chains are disrupted or tariffs increase costs.

In June, the federal government launched Canada’s first National Food Security Strategy, committing more than $3 billion over 10 years to strengthen grocery competition, expand food processing, increase greenhouse production and reform regulations.

The plan aims to increase the share of healthy food produced in Canada from 75 to 85 percent by 2032, double the value of greenhouse and indoor farming, and reduce greenhouse labour and energy costs through automation.

Pride and passion ride into Richer for annual rodeo

This might not be Calgary and the Saddledome, but during the weekend when the Richer Rough Stock Rodeo takes to the saddle, you’d never know it as competitors of all ages vie to earn one of the highly prized Richer Rodeo belt buckles.

The annual event that has often won the title of rodeo of the year takes place Aug. 7 to 9 at the Dawson Trail Park.

“We’ve doubled the prize money this year,” said rodeo committee president Pat Stolwyk. “But like one lady coming from Saskatchewan to compete told me, ‘I’m not coming for the money, I’m coming to get me one of them buckles.’”

That big stampede attitude, by both those volunteering to put on the event and those coming from all over the prairies to compete, is at the heart of the Richer weekend.