Ah, the dog days of summer. I always thought this term came from the idea that dogs, lazy in the summer heat, take it easy. Not so, apparently. The term has its roots in Roman mythology, where it was believed that the Dog Star, Sirius, caused the hot, sultry weather of summer. It was considered […]

Summertime, and the livin’ is easy.  So goes the most famous line of George Gershwin’s opera, Porgy and Bess.  Personally, I think Gershwin was on to something. Summertime livin’ can be easy, at least in the dining department.  What is more enjoyable than simple summer meals, served on the patio?  In my opinion, a simple […]

  As the Broadway song so aptly describes it, “June is bustin’ out all over!” Here at Field Stone, June means that more seasonal markets are bustin’ out, and that means Alberta’s best-loved fruit wines move even closer to your door.   Do you love summer outdoor farmers markets?   Almost every day of the week, we […]

To borrow a phrase from the nautical world, in the merry month of May, all things get under way! It’s true.  Here at Field Stone, May hosts the start up of summer, the start of the growing season, the start up of seasonal markets.  The winery gets ready to open for the summer season, the […]

Tomorrow, in our neck of the woods, the forecast is for April Showers reigning supreme (pun intended). I always find rain a bit of a downer. But in the midst of it, my mind often drifts to Bing Crosby and his opening line in “April Showers”: “Life is not a highway strewn with flowers, still […]

In case it’s gotten by you, let me declare the obvious:  it’s already March!  Which means that, believe it or not, St. Patrick’s Day is almost upon us.  Interestingly enough, because it began as a religious holiday, in times gone by this day was known as the ‘Feast of St. Patrick’ and the celebration centered […]

In my opinion, it is no coincidence that “wine” rhymes with “Valentine.” Like the proverbial birds of a feather, they go together . Who could argue? This year Field Stone has a special treat for your Valentine! This weekend only at Calgary Farmers Market, we are offering ALL of our luscious dessert wines at 15% […]

As I browse the newspaper and some social media sites this morning, I am coming to the conclusion that the chosen buzz-phrase for the beginning of this new year is “Keep It Simple!” No matter what the subject – cooking, clothing, décor, relationships, life-in-general – the undoubtable advice of every headline seems to suggest that […]

There’s a popular Christmas tune by Johnny Marks, made famous many years ago by Burl Ives, that goes like this: Have a holly jolly Christmas; It’s the best time of the year. I don’t know if there’ll be snow, But have a cup of cheer! It occurs to me that there are many things about […]

Contrary to popular belief, in the fruit wine industry, November is a crazy-busy month! As I discussed in last month’s newsletter, serious winemaking begins in the fall. This month we pressed 2000 pounds of cherries, 1000 pounds of raspberries and 600 pounds of strawberries. They are all now on their way to becoming some delicious […]