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ROTATELLER
ROTARY CLUB OF SASKATOON Meeting, October 17, 2022.
Hybrid meeting at the Saskatoon Club with Zoom alternative.
 
We sang ‘O’ Canada led by Gary Rusu. Elaine Zakreski led us in grace.
Avis was the greeter and introduced our one visitor, presenter Barb Stefanyshyn-Cote.
Marc Gryba monitored Zoom. Wendy Cooper was the emcee and Steve Wilson did the Rotateller.
 
                HAPPY AND SAD DOLLARS
  • $ 50 from Mark Gryba, His son Curtis, who has started a chiropractic business received an awarded entrepreneur of the year.
  • $100 from Elaine Zakrseki. She travelled to celebrate her aunt’ s 100th birthday. She is grateful that although three other visitors caught covid, she did not.
  • $50 from Gary Rusu for our time on Thanksgiving at the Friendship Inn. We had 3 from our club and 5 from other clubs.
  • $50.00 from Jim Weber. The Huskies defeated the Rams, although there was one bad call which cost the Huskies a touchdown. The Raffle is selling tickets and generating donations.
 
ANNOUNCEMENT
 
We need to hold a grant certification seminar. Mark Gryba would like to have it on November 22. We need at least two to attend from our club. Let Mark or I (Steve) know if you would like to join us. We would meet at the Saskatoon Club.
 
SPEAKER - Barb Stefanyshyn-Cote was introduced by Avis Hardy.
 
Barb and her husband John formed and own a business, Black Fox Farm and Distillery where “They carefully cultivate grains, fruits and flowers on their land into award winning gin and whiskey” through the operation of their distillery.
 
Barb ‘s background is that she is a graduate of the U of S College of Agriculture. She is a Nuffield Scholar, recognized as the Outstanding Young Agrologist of Saskatchewan and Canada who did research on bulk fuels, and she also lectures on animal nutrition.
 
In 1939 the King and his wife visited Canada and were gifted Canadian Whiskey. It became know as whiskey ‘fit for a king’.  Barb wants to regain the prestige of this whiskey.
 
Before they got into this business the family had inherited 1500 acres from the parents that they grew to 5000 acres. They had four children and they decided to rent out the land and live abroad for two years, which they did - one year in Mexico and one year in Chile. 
 
Then they sold the family farm and bought 80 acres outside of Saskatoon. They grew vegetable, flowers, corn, and pumpkins, along with the grain. The corn growing did not turn out well, so they kept the U-Pick flowers and the U-Pick Pumpkins and developed the grain and distillery. They started storing the finished product in 2015 and after 3 years (which is the minimum), they started to sell. They have received several awards for their Whiskey and Gin. They are environmentally friendly in that they recycle 95% of their water and use no-till farming.
 
Their markets are Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Denmark, the U.K., and China.
 
Wendy thanked Barb for her presentation. Barb left an example of their products to be given to the member who sells the most tickets in the upcoming raffle.
 
Next meeting is on October 31, which will be a hybrid meeting. Presenter is Terry Seto on Trades Education in the province.
 
-   reported by Steve Wilson