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Shel Zolkewich, Manitoba’s Travel Writer and Adventurer Extraordinaire

Shel Zolkewich in her favourite setting

Shel Zolkewich squealed with delight when she opened an envelope from the Manitoba government a few weeks ago. Inside was confirmation that she was one of the people to win the draw for elk hunting licenses this season. It meant that she and her dad could take the hunting trip they had been planning.

For Shel Zolkewich, a Manitoba travel writer who splits her time between Winnipeg and Gimli, there is no separation between her work and her personal life. She lives what she writes, and all her trips yield content for her next travel story. Her specialty is the outdoors, and for one week every month she is on the road, fishing, hunting and taking photos. Her preferred place is the north, she says, “where there are small airplanes, muddy roads and feisty northern pike.”

We caught up with Shel Zolkewich between a stint of caribou stalking and a trip to Alaska. (more…)

Hot Dining: Editor’s Picks: Top 5 Spots for Manitoba Regional Cuisine

Saskatoon berry pie from Tall Grass Prairie Bread Company

Manitoba regional cuisine marries nature’s bounty with local cultural flair. Here are our top five choices for tasty locally sourced eats in Winnipeg and nearby. (more…)

The Saskatoon Berry: the Prairie Provinces’ Perfect Fruit

By WAHEEDA HARRIS

Photo: Tourism Saskatchewan

A favourite summer taste in Canada’s Prairie provinces, the Saskatoon berry is in season during July and August. Similar to a blueberry in size and colour, the wee berry was gathered by aboriginal people for medicinal purposes—the name comes from the Cree word mis-sask-quah-toomina—and became a staple of the diet of the early farm pioneers.

Modern science has found this purple fruit is high in antioxidants as well as vitamin C, calcium, magnesium and potassium and that it has three times more iron than raisins. Once found only at farmers’ markets or in the wild, the berry it is now the second largest crop in the three Prairie provinces after strawberries, and can be found throughout the Prairies in jam, jelly, syrup and pies as well as in a wide variety of savoury recipes.

Where and how to try Saskatoon berries:

The Riverbend Plantation in Saskatoon offers an array of gourmet treats using Saskatoon berries from its farm—you can even order Saskatoon-berry-and-buffalo pemmican online and have it shipped. If you’re in the Prairies and want to pick your own, check with the Alberta Farm Fresh Producers Association (Alberta), BuyFromtheFarm.ca (Saskatchewan) or the Prairie Fruit Growers Association (Manitoba).

Hudson Bay Sunset — Churchill, Manitoba

Every Friday we feature an inspirational travel photo of a Canadian destination.

Why we chose it: Can anyplace on Earth possibly be this gorgeous? The still-as-glass water in this image conveys a perfect sense of calm and is a flawless mirror for the golden-orange sunset. Icebergs as far as the eye can see really set this landscape apart. Is there anything else to say? We’re speechless. Drink it in. (more…)

Once-in-a-Lifetime Trips

By CARISSA BLUESTONE

Dempster Highway (Photo: S. Stuart/NWTT)

What defines the ultimate Canadian adventure is a matter of individual taste, but some trips, whether due to extravagance, effort, rare glimpses of life in far-flung corners, or unremitting “The hills are alive…” catharsis, fall firmly into the once-in-a-lifetime category. (more…)

20 of Canada’s Most Unusual Museums

by CARISSA BLUESTONE

World Famous Gopher Hole Museum (Photo: Colin Smith)

Did you know that Vancouver has an entire museum devoted to corkscrews, that diehard Anne Murray fans can devour every detail of her life and record a CD with her in Nova Scotia, or that a tiny town called Vulcan in the Alberta Prairies is home to a Star Trek–themed tourist “station”?

(more…)

10 Nature and Wildlife Safaris Across Canada

By KAT TANCOCK

Orca, British Columbia (Photo: Jonathan E. Shaw)

You don’t have to go as far as Africa for a world-class nature experience, whether it’s wildlife viewing or something a little less traditional. Bring homegrown excitement to your next vacation with these 10 Canadian wilderness and wildlife safaris. (more…)

Canada’s 10 Best Island Holiday Destinations

Cape Breton Island (Photo: Nova Scotia Tourism)

By Kat Tancock

When we think of island vacations, the tropical always springs to mind: hot sun, sand, flip-flops and a fruity drink with an umbrella. But Canada has islands on offer, too, with a lot more to attract visitors than you might think. (more…)

Journey to the Polar Bear Capital of the World

Photo by Mark Cosgriff

By Kristina Breckon

On the shores of Hudson Bay in northern Manitoba is a hidden gem for eco-tourists: Churchill, Manitoba. This small town of 900 permanent residents is known as the polar bear capital of the world. Approximately 300 of the up-to-1,600-pound bears pass through here each fall.

Polar bear season runs until the end of November, so book now to avoid disappointment. If you miss bear season, take heart that visitors to Churchill in late December to March are often treated to world-class views of the northern lights. (more…)

Union Station, Winnipeg, Manitoba

Every Friday we feature an inspirational travel photo of a Canadian destination taken by one of our readers. Share your adventures by joining our Flickr Group so we can easily find you. We’ll credit you and link to your photo. If you have a particular theme you’d like us to showcase, let us know on Facebook or Twitter.

Photo by StephenZacharias

Why we chose it: Ever wonder what speed looks like? Now you know. The vibrant colour and nighttime motion blur effect in this shot make it a work of abstract art. At first glance you might miss the columns and entryway in the background: Who knew Union Station could be so sexy?

Essentials: From Field to Table

Learn about agriculture from field to table at the Bruce D. Campbell Farm and Food Discovery Centre.

Learn how to plant crops, grind flour, raise pigs and be a modern food producer inside the Bruce D. Campbell Farm & Food Discovery Centre. The new, family-friendly facility connects the dots between producer and consumer with fascinating displays, videos and hands-on galleries. Drive a virtual combine, check out 150 live pigs, and bone up on the science of agriculture inside the 8,300 sq. ft. centre. Food processing, safe food handling and a live weather station round out the experience. Open Tue-Sat 10 am-4 pm. Adults $5, students and seniors $3.50. Research Station Rd, 15 kilometres south of Winnipeg on Hwy 75, 883-2524.

Hot Art: Rural Arts

"Watching the Men Watch the Horses" by Earl Graham.

To October 2 From a life-like painting of colony farming to stained glasswork depicting a grain elevator to stylized portraiture, the Manitoba Arts Networks’ 9th Annual Rural and Northern Art Show highlights the talented skill and diversity of work by rural Manitoba artists. Paintings, drawings, photography, sculpture, stained glass and more are displayed on the 2nd floor at Pavilion Gallery Museum. The prize-winning works are selected from each region of Manitoba in six annual juried art shows. At the Conservatory, the Foyer Gallery showcases work by emerging youth artists in Manitoba. 55 Pavilion Crescent, Assiniboine Park, 927-6000.

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