Clearwater Course summary 2008 (University of Manitoba)

Written - 29 August, 2008

This year marked the forth return of the University of Manitoba’s Rural Communities and Living Environments course led by Dr. Stephane McLachlan to the Clearwater area. Along with Colin Anderson and Alexis Knispel (with Troy Stozek as the ‘busdriver’), twenty-three students engaged in learning, sharing and community to better understand the anatomy of a small prairie town through a whirlwind ten-day visit.

Through precedence by previous years, students ate an almost exclusive diet of food produced by the community and thus the first priority was to visit the Koslowsky’s garden and harvest meals for themselves. The bounty consisted of tomatoes, zucchini, beans, beats, potatoes, peppers, onions and way too many carrots to eat in a week. Fortunately for the group, the Anglican Church group provided a delicious meal after the garden harvest and further chores were left for another day.

On the Saturday, the group spent time with Roy McLaren, who shared some of Clearwater’s rich history and stories of its inhabitants, after which Jan McIntyre explained how the Harvest Moon Society emerged to educate people about food, rural culture and environment. The students were genuinely interested in learning of how a small community had struggled to establish itself and more recently, to preserve itself.

Later that day, the group visited two gardens: Val Pogson’s and Louise Johnson’s, where they learned a bit of the art of gardening, but more importantly about a way of life that is largely absent in the urban landscape. After a long day, the United Church provided a delicious meal and in the evening, the group learned to make jelly with Louise, while Jean Gardiner demonstrated the art of her canned tomatoes and fresh bread was baked in the adobe oven under the tutelage of Carol Guilford. While the group may have learned some about food culture, Carol and Jean learned that students would be quiet at night if their bellies were full of fresh bread and jelly.

On Sunday, the group explored a different conception of land, which was shared with them by Elder’s Richard and Dennis Morrison from Red Gut Bay, Ontario. Richard and Dennis led the group in a Sweat Lodge ceremony and spent the day speaking with the group about Anishnabae spirituality. The Sweat was extremely hot, as was the day, and several students ran to the creek for a dip before a dinner largely prepared by the instructors. Despite the instructor’s food, the Elders were happy to visit Clearwater again and hope to return soon.

The following morning, the Senate spent time with the group and discussed how the community had changed and grown over the years. The wise voices of the women elders was reinforced that evening by Jan McIntyre and Jo-Lene Gardiner with her daughter Haley, who spoke of the changing role of women in rural communities. Collectively, the women demonstrated the pride they felt for their community and showed that the next generation of women in Clearwater would be as beautiful and strong as those that preceded them.

Next day, the group experienced a diversity of farming techniques by visiting the Windy Bay Hutterite colony, Guilford’s Farms and ended the night with a seed saving workshop with Mrs. Koslowsky. The students were impressed on many levels, but quickly learned that the Guilford Farm tour didn’t really end until Dave had extinguished the last embers of the campfire.

Wednesday marked the halfway point for the students, and despite a couple of late night campfires, the group was keen to explore holistic management on a planed tour with the McIntyres and a surprise one with Don Guilford. On Thursday, the group explored some of the shocking realities of the global food system through discussions with Les McEwan, Dan Deruyck and Fred Tait. For some students, the discussions were a wake up call about agricultural issues in Canada and helped them better appreciate where their food comes from.

One week in, the group visited the Caver’s farm and learned how a young family has uniquely adapted their operation to be sustainable for themselves and their land. The students played with the Caver livestock and gorged themselves on fresh bacon the next mourning. One vegetarian was so impressed with the Cavers farm that he has reconsidered his diet (though hasn’t ate a hamburger yet). Robert and Celia Guilford served dinner that evening and discussed urban-rural linkages in the food movement and the role of the Harvest Moon Society. Later that night, the Griffin family talked of their move back to farming after living in the city and how it has fulfilled their lives, though changed it significantly.

On last day of touring, the group visited the Paddock’s ranch where they learned that donkeys were friendly, but bison were less so. Rounding out the farm visits was the magical Room to Grow where the Nuefeld’s showed their straw-bale constructions and discussed sustainable, small living in the country over a delicious meal.

On the last Sunday, the students prepared a feast for the community, which was as rich and diverse as the group. International students held workshops on cooking East Indian cuisine, as well as Chinese dumplings. A smorgasbord of desserts and dishes were served, as the students developed into a community to serve the one that had taught them so much. The night’s entertainment was the ‘Farmer’s Olympics’ where the rural folks took all the strength events, but the urban folks cleaned up in less strenuous events like tearoom edict (ask Carol, Jo-Lene or Clint for details).

All in all, it was another great year and for myself, as a 2007 Clearwater alumni, I was glad to spend my last days in Manitoba with the great folks of both communities. I know I speak for everyone when I say I will carry these memories in my heart and travels. Thanks again Clearwater, we will miss you!