On Saturday, 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, I can’t help but remember Bing Crosby and his opening line in “April Showers”: “Life is not a highway strewn with flowers, […]

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! From now until the big day, only at Calgary Farmers Market, we are offering ALL of our luscious […]

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 will see several thousand pounds of saskatoon berries, rhubarb and black currants prepped and pressed and filling the tanks. Soon they’ll be on their way […]

If you’ve listened to reports lately, you’ve heard the experts tell us that Indian Summer will  soon be waving goodbye, and Old Man Winter will be coming up the road. Summer markets finished, Thanksgiving behind us, fall field work completed. What do we look forward to now? Let the winemaking begin. Unlike grape wines, fruit […]

With the chill in the air, and the yellow leaves everywhere, it certainly feels like fall today!  When autumn begins, I love to remember this famous quote by David Henry Thoreau: Live in each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influences of each. […]

It’s been a whirlwind month. Hand-picking 2000 pounds of raspberries over a two-week period, and bringing in 3000 pounds of saskatoon berries in a single day, we can’t help but be amazed by all the wonderful fruit that Alberta can actually produce!  You are seeing much of it fresh at farmers markets this month, and […]

If you’ve ventured out of the basement at all lately, you’ll have noticed that the summer heat is upon us.  Always a long time coming, it’s nothing short of super-appreciated.  Now that it’s here, I find myself almost frantically trying to make the most of it, before it’s gone again! Yes, the summer’s short around […]