The owners of two local acreages have been recognized for doing their part to beautify the MD.
David and Bernadette Ringuette, and Elaine Bolin were presented with Rural Beautification Awards during the MD's tour last week. The award-winning property owners had a chance to show off their hard work to those in attendance.
The first stop brought the tour to the winners of the 2017 Rural Beautification Acreage Award, the Ringuette family.
When David and Bernadette Ringuette bought their three-acre property in 1984, it was nothing more than a hayfield. Since then, they have transformed the property, planting over 800 trees in the process.
“We bought the land in August of 1984, and in 1985 we ordered 660 trees for our shelterbelt,” explained Bernadette.
A dry, hot summer caused 80 of the original 660 to die, forcing the Ringuette's to replace them the following year.
In 1987 they built their house on the property, and immediately began planting trees inside the shelterbelt.
“It was very dry here, and we were watering each one by hand because we didn't build the house until 1987. As soon as we did that we started planting within the parameter of the shelterbelt,” said Bernadette. “When you look at it all together, it's probably about 850 trees that we've planted.”
Bernadette also grows fresh produce every year in her garden. While making their acreage what it is today took hard work, the Ringuettes enjoyed every minute of it.
“We've been doing this every summer for 32 years but we're almost done. Next year, we're going to plant a few mountain ash trees and that's it. It's a lot of work, but to us, it isn't because we love it,” explained Bernadette.
Later in the day, the tour stopped at the home of Elaine Bolin for the presentation of the Rural Beautification Farmstead Acreage Award.
After taking over the quarter of land in 1974, Bolin hasn't stopped working towards bettering the acreage.
Approaching the property, 10 acres of crop stands behind over 500 trees making up a shelterbelt. Closer to the residence, Bolin's work begins to shine through.
Over 80 types of hand-planted trees are scattered throughout the grounds to go with the countless other plants on the property.
Bolin lives almost entirely off of her homestead, buying very little on trips to the grocery store.
“I worked out of the nursing home in Bonnyville for 25 years before retiring. Now, I grow all of my own produce. To put it into perspective, I have just frozen nine gallons of peas and canned 23 quarts of beans. When I go shopping, I buy rolled oats, coffee, sugar and tea, not much else,” explained Bolin.
Keeping everything as cost-effective as possible, Bolin recycles a lot of the materials she uses on the grounds, and refrains from spraying her crops.
