Manitoba Rural Adaptation Council

Miles of bush descended into more miles of bush as we wound our way around the many lakes scattered across central Manitoba. The MRAC board of directors and staff chartered a Greyhound bus and travelled north to The Pas, Man. for a board meeting from June 23 to 25. Fortunately there wasn’t time to dwell on the endless miles of bush as we spent the approximately seven hour trip tackling various agenda items.

After checking into the Super 8 hotel, we walked next door to Good Thymes restaurant for dinner. I was pleasantly surprised when the group broke into the Happy Birthday chorus and the server walked in with a birthday cake for me. Following dinner we boarded a pontoon boat and sailed down the Saskatchewan River on a calm, warm evening. Our tour guide shared interesting historical facts with us while we took in a beautiful sunset.

The next morning we headed to the Carrot Valley Community Hall for our board meeting. We enjoyed a delicious lasagna lunch prepared by community ladies. Shortly after lunch we boarded the bus for a tour of the Carrot Valley farming community around The Pas. We visited a pumping station, the only potato farm in the area, a berry farm, nitrogen test strips conducted by the Kelsey Conservation District, and a cattle and grain farm. The day wrapped up with a fish fry at the Carrot Valley Community Hall provided by the Kelsey Conservation District. The event gave us an opportunity to meet with local producers and municipal council officials from the area.

The following morning we hit the road for the trip back to Winnipeg. Once again we spent the hours on the bus discussing various ag-related issues and identifying opportunities where MRAC can act as a solution provider.

A big thanks to Shawn Sexsmith from the Kelsey Conservation District for organizing the tour and hosting us in The Pas. And thanks to MRAC youth director Gwen Donohoe for welcoming us to her home community.

View photos from the road trip on MRAC’s Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Manitoba-Rural-Adaptation-Council/108187039224781.

~ Teresa Falk, MRAC Communications Officer

Photo: MRAC Board directors having a discussion on the bus trip to The Pas. Photo by Teresa Falk.