PembinaValleyOnline Partner Profile

A thriving new development is turning heads in southern Manitoba – and for good reason. With housing in short supply across many rural communities, Prairie Hearth in Rosenort is offering a fresh alternative with a variety of lots, nearby amenities, and a welcoming small-town atmosphere. And now, Phase 2 is officially open for sales.

“This is a 235-lot development that will be phased out over several years,” explains Candice Bakx-Friesen with Royal LePage Dynamic. “Phase 1 has been around for about two years, and now I’m very excited to be launching Phase 2.”

When most people think of “organic”, they think of a label they might see in a store. But what does that label actually mean? At Kroeker Farms in Winkler, that label represents innovative farming and consumer choice.

“Really, organic is another food production system,” says Jason Peters, Agronomist at Kroeker Farms. “If you want to put that organic label on your product, you have to follow certain rules. It takes a lot of effort; everything we do is third party verified. If they say we’ve done everything right, then we can put the organic label on our product.”

"We’re still quite young, so we get a lot of enjoyment out of people discovering our business.” 

Need a specific tool to get the job done? Dead Horse Sales and Rentals can help.  

The company opened back in 2023, when owners Annie and Barry Wiebe recognized the need for a construction equipment rental company to operate within Morden. Before this time, Morden residents had to travel to Winkler to find the required gear.  

You’ve seen them in parades this past summer, at the Harvest Festival, and at the Corn and Apple Festival, giving out their high-quality potatoes.

“We gave out about 6,000 pounds of potatoes just in Winkler alone,” notes Christian James, Director of the Kimberly Packing Plant.

“Kimberly is a division of Kroeker Farms that handles the crops after harvest.” This includes the washing, grading, and size profiling of potatoes to ensure the best quality product is packed and shipped. “This is where we guarantee 100% quality to the customer” explains James.

“Community is huge. Older people need community. They don't all have families close by who can come and visit, so we work at building community. We work at improving the buildings, and that's where the fundraising comes in. It's affordable living for people who are 55-plus, and we’re providing community. So, with that, funds do need to be raised to make sure it all continues.” 

Whether it’s become tradition to attend every year or it’s your very first time, all are welcome to attend Blue Sky Opportunities’ 43rd Annual Fundraising Dinner, coming up in early November.

Ryan Potter, Executive Director at Blue Sky Opportunities, has spent the last few months organizing the event with his team, and is looking forward to providing their community with an evening of wild laughter, delicious dishes, and cool prizes.

He started as a harvest truck driver for a six-week stint. From there, his career progressed year over year as he gradually took on different roles and more responsibility.

Sixteen years later, Richard Klassen is the Director of Table Potato Production at Kroeker Farms.

Klassen says when he started with the company, there were approximately 100 employees at that time.

Answer me this- how much of your gear has seen the turn of the century?

Novid Inc. in Rosenort is in the business of making things that last. Firstly, they build quality stainless steel fertilizer and chemical tanks. Secondly, they view each and every employee in their care as an opportunity for investment.  

Many prairie farmers are familiar with the nervousness and sleepless nights that follow the storage of damp grain in bins without proper aeration – or any aeration at all.

It isn’t every day that a successful business has a career path for young employees baked into its long-term strategy. Then again, Valley Central Appliance isn’t just any other business. 

“When we started the business, my wife and I talked about figuring out a system where we could hire young people, and they could have a future with us,” recalls Harry Stiller. “When I started out, I was the only young person I knew of who was getting started in this industry.”