Editorial
Volume 24 Issue 2 — July/August 2018
by Melva Armstrong

It is summer and time to enjoy walking, travelling, relaxing, visiting family and friends, swimming, fishing, golfing, sports, BBQs, picnics, bike riding, camping, sunny days, and so many other nurturing activities that go with this amazing season. It is so short, we often have to jam everything in as quickly as possible before the snow flies again. I trust each of you will be able to get in as many fun things as possible that you absolutely love. Getting out in nature is a blessing and healing and I hope you partake in lots of outdoor adventures.

Throughout May and June I was doing yard clean up and clearing out clutter in the garage, along with hauling junk to the dump. Living on a farm there are always many things to take care of including walking the dogs, feeding and watering the cats, horses, and dogs, trimming and pruning trees and shrubs, cutting the lawn, and planting a very small garden and now continuing to look after it. There are always things that need to be fixed or changed or replaced. The things my soul appreciates the most are peace and quiet, listening to birds singing and watching them fly, seeing a few bears, moose, elk, deer, foxes, coyotes, skunks, groundhogs, and other sweet creatures that grace my vision, and being surrounded by loads of gorgeous trees.

I also have been having fun singing in the Kamsack community choir for the last three months with the concert at the end of June. We have lots of laughs and I appreciate the company of others who love singing.

Once again, I have enjoyed putting together this summer issue and meeting, sharing, and connecting with all those who are part of it. I love how each issue comes together in its own unique way and when the final proof is ready, it always feels like magic has something to do with it. There are many cool things to discover inside these pages and everything is meant to help you on your life journey. I like to include articles that fall into the body, mind, spirit, and environmental categories so there is a nice balance of information that is being passed onto you.

Our regular food writer, Stacey Tress, decided to focus on the importance of enzymes in our daily diet in her article, Energy Up! Eat From the Garden and Feel Amazing! (p.8). She says, when eating we need enzymes to digest the food, and if the food we eat is raw, then all the enzymes are right there to do their proper job. Eating predominantly cooked foods, she adds, puts a tremendous strain on the body. This is when we need to understand the very important role enzymes play in the body, which is where she goes into more detail. I certainly found reading it educational. This is the season to enjoy those nutritious raw foods right from your own garden or from a farmers’ market or perhaps from your neighbour.

I am a huge supporter of organic food and I was super happy when Betty Hamm decided to submit her article called, Catherwood Organics, Humble Beginnings (p. 16), which explains how she and her whole family ended up creating their certified organic farm. Several minor health challenges within their immediate family turned out to be the key to them doing research and discovering that food was the best medicine for the body. That’s when they decided to switch their farm to being certified organic and which, most importantly, cleared up their health challenges.

Saskatoon’s Steep Hill Food Co-operative is celebrating 40 years in business and it was a pleasure for me to interview the manager, Gerry Yakimoski, and write an article (p. 26) to honour this achievement. The co-op has had a very unique history, having come from humble beginnings to a full grocery store today with a high priority on carrying large amounts of organic products. The longevity of this successful co-op is a testament to the power of like-minded people working together and making their dreams come true.

Another Saskatchewan success story of like-minded people getting together to support their industry is a non-profit organization called Organic Connections. It was established to organize conferences and trade shows for the prairie organic industry and to facilitate activities that enhance and promote the organic sector through education and awareness. This year their conference and trade show is taking place in Saskatoon November 1–3 and Marla Carlson has written about it in her article, Making “Organic Connections” (p. 14). Their line-up of speakers is well worth checking out.

Blessings to all for a fun-filled and healthy summer!

Namaste
(The spirit in me honours the spirit in you)