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Shellbrook Chronicle, 46 Main Street, Shellbrook, SK (2026)

06/18/2026

W.P. Sandin celebrates Class of 2026
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By JORDAN TWISS
Shellbrook Chronicle Reporter

The 26 graduates in W.P. Sandin High School’s Class of 2025 were toasted by the community with all the traditional pomp and circumstance during their graduation ceremony and parade on Friday, June 12.

The afternoon of celebration began in the school’s gymnasium, which was decorated and intimately lit, and filled with proud and supportive parents, family members, friends and school staff.

Serving as the MCs for the graduation ceremony, staff members Devon and Dianne Thorpe introduced the graduates ahead of the traditional candle passing ceremony, during which the graduates walk onto the stage and pass a candle — symbolizing the flame of knowledge — to a friend or relative.

Once all the graduates were seated on the stage, the mic was passed to principal Tyler Kuzma, who began by reflecting on the class’ decision to forego a theme this year. He then focused on describing the graduates through their own words, before offering some important advice for the road ahead.

“No theme doesn’t mean a lack of identity. It means there’s not any one label to capture all of you. You are a class with different stories, different goals, and different definitions of success,” he said.

“The world you’re entering needs your energy, your creativity, and your willingness to take responsibility for your own path. It needs people who are willing to try, to fail, to learn, to adapt, and to keep moving forward.”

Up next, former W.P. Sandin teacher James Meyers returned to the school to serve as the graduating class’ guest speaker. Like principal Kuzma before him, he called upon the graduates’ own words, using them as a mirror to reflect how much they’ve grown over the years.

Meyers also shared memories from both inside and outside the classroom with the graduates, and urged them to express gratitude to the family, friends, and teachers who helped them reach this moment.

“Be sure to move with grace, interact with respect and love,” he said. “This community has given you so much, so be helpful, committed, coach, lead, and give back wherever you end up. You’ve got what you need from all of us. Now it’s up to you to use it.”

From there, the mic was turned over to Class of 2026 valedictorian Adison Kyliuk, who began by reflecting upon how quickly graduation arrived, bringing an end to a chapter that once felt like it would last forever.
Closing out her speech, Kyliuk encouraged her classmates to not be afraid to walk along an imperfect road.

“Often, it’s the winding road that teaches us the most, gives us the greatest adventures, and leaves us with the memories we treasure most,” she said.

“As we step into this next chapter, remember that there’s nothing to regret, only lessons to learn and experiences that help us grow. I hope that one day each of us can look back and say we were brave enough to chase the life we wanted.”

Following Kyliuk’s address, Hayley Van Hereweghe and Airionna McQuillan paid tribute to W.P. Sandin’s staff, with teacher Pam Boettcher offering the reply. Then, Emersyn Nahorniak and Aiden Tait toasted the parents, with Chantel Nahorniak and Shauna Tait giving the reply.

Closing out the speeches, Matt Muller and Xander Dupuis toasted and roasted the girls, and Reese Galloway, Kallie Ferster, and Kyleigh Schmalz did the same for the boys.

The ceremony concluded with the presentation of diplomas and plenty of time for visiting, before the graduates gathered once more for the graduation parade to bring the celebration to the whole community.

W.P. Sandin’s class of 2026 is: Peyton Ahenakew, Ayston Aiken, Xander Dupuis, Kallie Ferster, Madi Finlay, Reese Galloway, Wyatt Henderson, Carter Herndier, Tanner Hoffarth, Alex Kartes, Lane Keyowski, Brooklyn Klaassen, Jesse Kreese, Adison Kyliuk, Dustin Lamontagne, Haden McLeod, Airionna McQuillan, Matt Muller, Austin Musgrave, Emersyn Nahorniak, Kyleigh Schmalz, Davin Schmitz, Gaia Smart, Aiden Tait, Hayley Van Hereweghe, and Sara Verbonac.

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06/11/2026

Kennedy reflects on Lobstick experience
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By JORDAN TWISS
Shellbrook Chronicle Reporter

Shortly after moving to Shellbrook in 2017, Krystal Kennedy knew she wanted to do something to help people in and around the community.

For most people, this means getting involved with a community group or sports organization. However, in 2023, Kennedy decided to join Shellbrook Fire and Rescue.

“Back in my home town, Bradwell, Sask., I was part of the local fire department and was a first responder as well,” she said. “I also love driving the fire trucks.”

Being the one to run into, rather than away from, a fire isn’t for the faint of heart. And for members of Shellbrook Fire and Rescue, who are certified for extrications as well as fighting fires, the training is constantly ongoing and no less gruelling.

“The department has regular meetings during which we work as a team going through the trucks, using the equipment to ensure it is working properly,” Kennedy said. “Sometimes we set up vehicles and cut them apart with the extrication tools to learn the best ways to get the job done.”

This consistent training ensures members of Shellbrook Fire and Rescue are well prepared when major fires, like the recent Lobstick wildfire, spark up close to the community.

According to the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA), the blaze kicked off in the Nisbet Forest in between Duck Lake and Prince Albert on Tuesday, May 26. Though it was initially believed that the fire was started by an ATV, the SPSA has since attributed it to a lightning strike.

Fueled by dry, hot conditions and blustering southeasterly winds, the Lobstick wildfire blazed a path through the forest over the next few days, despite the efforts of SPSA crews and local fire departments to contain it.

The situation changed rapidly on Friday, May 29, as the fire grew by 1,300 hectares throughout the day to reach a size of 13,000 hectares and jumped across the North Saskatchewan River, posing a more immediate threat to Holbein and properties in the southern part of the R.M. of Shellbrook.

The rapid spread of the fire prompted the SPSA to issue an evacuation order for 130 R.M. of Shellbrook residents. Though the fire posed no immediate threat to the Town of Shellbrook, long-term care residents and acute care patients at Parkland Integrated Health Centre were also evacuated as a precaution. The hospital remained open for emergencies.

Kennedy and Shellbrook Fire and Rescue worked on the frontlines of the Lobstick fire, first by assisting the R.M. of Shellbrook and SPSA with evacuation preparedness and driving around to people’s homes to get them to evacuate.

Shellbrook Fire and Rescue also assisted other firefighters and a ground crew from the SPSA with containing the blaze, hauling water and putting out hot spots.

“The experience was hot and tiring, but we kept pushing,” Kennedy said. “I can’t really compare [it to other] firefighting experiences — every situation is different and we all feel different ways about each situation.”

Through the efforts of fire crews, the evacuation order for the R.M. of Shellbrook was rescinded late last Monday (June 1). The residents and patients from Parkland Integrated Health Centre returned to the facility later in the week.

By Thursday, June 4, the SPSA declared the Lobstick fire contained.

Though she fights fires to serve the community, Kennedy says Shellbrook Fire and Rescue couldn’t have done it without the community’s support, and the individuals, community groups, and businesses who helped keep crews fed and hydrated.

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06/04/2026

Community effort shines in wildfire response
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By JORDAN TWISS
Shellbrook Chronicle Reporter

A week ago, washed out roads and inundated farm fields were the top-of-mind concerns for residents of the R.M. of Shellbrook.
But on a dime, the Lobstick wildfire pulled them from the flood and cast them into the fire.

According to the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA), the blaze kicked off in the Nisbet Forest in between Duck Lake and Prince Albert on Tuesday, May 26. Though it was initially believed that the fire was started by an ATV, the SPSA has since attributed it to a lightning strike.

Fueled by dry, hot conditions and blustering southeasterly winds, the Lobstick wildfire blazed a path through the forest over the next few days, despite the efforts of SPSA crews and local fire departments to contain it.

Over Wednesday and Thursday, billowing smoke from the growing fire blanketed the Shellbrook area, but it remained at a safe distance from the surrounding communities. As an additional safeguard, however, local and provincial fire bans were put in place.

The situation changed rapidly on Friday, as the fire grew by 1,300 hectares throughout the day to reach a size of 13,000 hectares and jumped across the North Saskatchewan River, posing a more immediate threat to Holbein and properties in the southern part of the R.M. of Shellbrook.

The rapid spread of the fire prompted the SPSA to issue an evacuation order for R.M. of Shellbrook residents who live 1 mile west and 5 miles east of Shellbrook and south of Highway 3, as well as an evacuation alert for Holbein and the areas south of the hamlet.

Though the fire posed no immediate threat to the Town of Shellbrook, long-term care residents and acute care patients at Parkland Integrated Health Centre were also evacuated as a precaution. The hospital remained open for emergencies.

To assist with the evacuation response, the Shellbrook Community Hall was set up as a registration area, and members of the Shellbrook Kinettes stayed at the facility to assist evacuees.

As of Monday afternoon, the evacuation order and evacuation alert remained in place, and an estimated 130 people had been evacuated from their homes to communities as far away as Warman.

Christine Strube, Reeve for the R.M. of Shellbrook, said those residents won’t be able to return home until the SPSA declares the fire contained. However, she expressed optimism that things were heading in a positive direction and praised the community for coming together.

“I’m feeling incredibly overwhelmed with gratitude. The support we are receiving from this amazing community, local services and surrounding areas has been nothing short of astounding. We are truly blessed to live in a place where people show up for one another,” she said in a statement.

“The statement ‘Better Together’ is the best way I can describe what we are experiencing here, and this situation is evidence of that. This collaborative spirit is what makes our municipality strong every single day.”

To assist the community in preparing to evacuate, Lake Country Co-op opened its Shellbrook Home Centre on Friday night, and kept the gas station and C-store on Highway 3 open late (with cardlock pumps available 24/7).

Meanwhile, numerous area residents offered up their properties for those in need of a place to evacuate to.

On Sunday morning, the Shellbrook Kinettes put out a call for donations of baked goods to help feed local fire crews and contractors, including members of Shellbrook Fire and Rescue. They received an overwhelming response of both food and monetary donations from local community groups, businesses, and individuals.

Per the SPSA’s update issued Sunday, May 31, at 3 p.m., the Lobstick fire hadn’t grown from its largest reported size of 19,000 hectares, and posed no immediate threat to any new values or structures.

Helped by rain showers over the weekend and increased humidity, retardant lines were holding, and crews and equipment were continuing efforts to contain and extinguish the fire with a combination of water and fire gel.

The SPSA noted that Holbein was 11 kilometres away from the fire’s northeast boundary, and had been surrounded by irrigation lines and perimeter sprinkler heads as well as a fire guard on the community’s southwest corner. Additionally, Shellbrook Fire and Rescue was on-hand to extinguish any jump fires.

“We ask that the public limit vehicle traffic in the affected areas, including the reception area in Shellbrook, to allow emergency services and first responders to respond accordingly,” Reeve Strube said.

With the fire situation ongoing and evolving, Reeve Strube said any offers of services or assistance can be directed to [email protected].

For local evacuees, she reminded them that food security payments will be made to those who have registered with the SPSA and are staying with family and friends.

Those who evacuated but haven’t registered with the SPSA can do so by making an account at: https://app.saskecs.ca/

In the meantime, any questions regarding the state of the fire should be directed to the SPSA at [email protected] or 1-855-559-5502.

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05/28/2026

Ag Minister tours R.M. of Shellbrook floods
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By JORDAN TWISS
Shellbrook Chronicle Reporter

From washed out roads to flooded farmland, much of northeastern Saskatchewan continues to find itself inundated with volumes of water that haven’t been experienced for many years.

The R.M. of Shellbrook hasn’t been spared from the worst of the damage.

As of last week, a map of the municipality put together over the course of many days by Reeve Christine Strube and Councillors Jay Ferster, Kevin Bruce, and Ivan tenBos showed 18 major washouts — though Strube noted that more had been reported after the map was compiled to support the municipality’s application for Provincial Disaster Assistance Program (PDAP) coverage.

“Council did that while the road crew was on different areas to figure out a plan of where we were going to start,” Strube said. “Safety was first, so we made sure the people who were stranded were able to get out.”

While only two washouts have been reported to the south of Shellbrook, Strube says the Briarlea area was hit hard, as well as the Sturgeon Valley, Foxdale, Deer Ridge, and Mayview areas.

In the Mayview area specifically, the main road connecting to Prince Albert National Park and Emma Lake has been left impassable by a 36-foot washout, and plans to fix it have been met with challenges.

To ensure people could get out, the municipality used clay to quickly fix up the backroads in the area. But thanks to the last snow storm earlier this month and the immediate excessive use, they’ve already washed out again.

As for the main road itself, Water Security Agency standards require municipalities to replace what existed before. But Strube says the municipality can’t install a box culvert like the one that was there.

“We ordered a culvert of the same size, but the water’s running so fast that we can’t get that culvert in. What we’re doing right now is we have people on the south side putting in two smaller culverts to reroute the water,” she said.

“We wanted to do that on the north side too, but we don’t have aggregate over there.”

Another problem area was the community of Round Lake, which briefly didn’t have access out.

Initially, the municipality was telling residents to be prepared to be stranded for up to three weeks. But because of the municipality’s ample supplies of aggregate and fast action to acquire culverts before suppliers ran out, Strube says road access was restored within a week.

There are also some major issues in the area near the Shell River colloquially known as the Nut House.

“It’s not impeding anyone’s access to get in and out,” Strube said. “It’s not going to be very helpful to the farmers, but we need to contract that out because we don’t have the machinery to be able to fix that.”

The situation in the R.M. of Shellbrook, and in many other municipalities across northeastern Saskatchewan, was enough to prompt Saskatchewan’s Agriculture Minister, David Marit, to embark on a tour of the area’s municipalities and meet with local farmers.

Making his final stop in the R.M. of Shellbrook last Tuesday, Marit said he saw very similar issues across every municipality he visited.

“We saw a lot of water that came awful quick,” he said, noting that the last major snowfall added a lot of moisture.

“You get east of Prince Albert and the land is pretty flat, so it takes a long time for water to drain off. We saw a lot of washed out roads and challenges with how to fix them. Some big infrastructure problems, some bridges, some massive pipes.”

With the water still flowing, Marit anticipates there will be plenty of delays before all the issues are fixed, which will mean further delays for seeding operations across the region.

Marit says the primary goal of his tour was to gain a better understanding of the damage the flooding has caused, listen to concerns from local councils and producers, and answer any questions they have about PDAP and other supports the provincial government can provide.

“We’re telling [municipalities] to make sure they log all the work they’re doing and everything they’ve hauled so far,” he said.

“The challenge they have is they still have all the other infrastructure to look after, too. Usually, the spring time is pretty busy for them. Some municipalities are bringing in private contractors so they can focus on day-to-day maintenance.”

Marit says the next step will be to assess the situation, and urges municipalities and producers who are having issues to contact the government as soon as possible.

“Nobody signs up for these kinds of disasters,” he said. “We just want to be here to serve the people.”

In the meantime, Reeve Strube says the R.M. of Shellbrook’s priority will be to fix issues as quickly and safely as possible and ensure that farmers can access their land and get the crop in.

“With safety secured, we are now focused on restoring access for school buses, commuters, and farmers needing to get to their fields,” she said. “And we will be working over the summer to fix the quick fixes to bring them up to standards.”

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05/21/2026

SHS stages deliciously dark comedy
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By BEVRA FEE
Spiritwood Herald Reporter

Spiritwood High School’s drama group presented their one-act play to a local audience at the Civic Centre on Friday, May 15.

We Found a Finger is a dark comedy about two boy-crazy teenage girls who endeavour to grow their own boyfriend from the severed finger of their school’s most popular football player.

Portrayed by Cia Demencuik-Angus and Sophie Fineday, the two quirky characters are forced to revise their plan and grow subsequent clones once “Jackson Two” does not immediately show interest in them.

The play was a lively and fun story that flowed smoothly, thanks to the crew who effectively managed the lighting and stage in order to move the actors from scene to scene. The casting was appropriate and entertaining, with Treyton Ledinski bringing his natural energy to the part of Lucas, the friend and teammate of Jackson One.

Lucas was also boyfriend to Olivia, who was played by Liv Slater. Slater was clearly comfortable on stage in her supporting role, shutting down every pet nickname tried out by Lucas.

The cast appeared to gel together and their play was delivered with skill and a comfortable vibe, turning their performance of this Kamron Klitgaard work into an easy and enjoyable audience experience.

The drama group is fresh off the regional drama festival that was held in Edam on April 16, 17, and 18. During the Saskatchewan Drama Association-sanctioned festival, several of the Spiritwood troupe were recognized for their excellence in the staging of We Found a Finger.

Brock Fry, portraying the lead male characters — Jackson One and Jackson Two — was named runner up for the Mary Ellen Burgess Acting Award. Also recognized at the Drama Festival was Niveditha Kurup, stage manager for the presentation, with the Best Stage Manager Award. Andrew Baesa was awarded Best Lighting and Sound.

Supporting the drama troupe from SHS were staff and parents, key among whom were Wendy Brewer, Robert Demencuik, Shannon MacFarlane, and Tara Petersen. Petersen, who also teaches Foods 30, inspired her class to bake treats for the performance after-party.

Once the play was finished, the audience mingled with the cast and crew while enjoying “finger” cupcakes and “earthworm” parfaits.

The cast of We Found a Finger includes Cia Demencuik-Angus (Sophia), Sophie Fineday (Aubrey), Brock Fry (Jackson), Josie Bennett (Emma), Live Slater (Olivia), Treyton Ledinski (Lucas), and Kalem Battersby (Danny).

Niveditha Kurup served as stage manager and set designer, Kelsey Doucette was assistant stage manager, Andrew Baesa handled lighting, sound, and set design, Glyn Demencuik-Angus handled set building and ran the crew, Keira Tootoosis assisted with set design, and Saphira Naytowhow and Zaylie Pahtayken did hair and make-up.

The production was directed by Wendy Brewer, Robert Demencuik, Shannon MacFarlane, and Tara Petersen.

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05/14/2026

Couture wins $42,817 in Lucky 7 draw
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By JORDAN TWISS
Shellbrook Chronicle Reporter

In recent years, the Chase the Lucky 7 draw hosted by the Shellbrook Kinettes and Shellbrook Curling Club has made a habit of going all the way down to the final night.

Big final draw winners over the years include Laurie Kennedy, who won $30,000 in 2017, Colby Moe, who took home $54,902.50 in 2021, and Matt Dagenais, who earned a $37,000 pay out in 2023. And few will ever forget Braidon Turner, who won the largest ever Lucky 7 pot of $103,125 in 2024, or Emilie Wallace, who won $87,237.50 when the 7 was the final card left in the draw pile last year.

This year’s Chase the Lucky 7 draw continued the trend established by the past two years, ensuring the Shellbrook Community Hall was abuzz with excitement for the final draw on Friday, May 8.

“This years’ Lucky 7 went really, really well,” Shellbrook Kinette Tasha Cyr said. “We are fortunate that we have these two wonderful groups full of amazing volunteers who come out every Friday to help make this fundraiser a success.”

Though the pot didn’t get quite as big by the time ticket sales closed, topping out at $42,817.50, it was still incentive enough for Kaiden Couture to race to the Shellbrook Community Hall to pull his own card when his was the 10th name drawn.

Couture’s decision paid off, netting him the Lucky 7 and the jackpot. And the win comes at a perfect time for Couture, who just purchased his first home.

But Couture wasn’t the night’s only big winner. Based on this year’s success, Cyr says the Kinettes and the Curling Club should each be bringing home about $20,000.

“Everything brought in goes directly back into our community, to help make it better for everyone who lives here and who comes to visit,” she said.

“The Curling Club uses this money to make the curling rink and Shellbrook curling better for all those who take part. The Kinettes have not yet specified what the money will be going towards.”

Chase the Lucky 7 began in 2014 as a joint venture between the Shellbrook Curling Club and the Hidden Hills of Shellbrook Golf Course. Eventually, the Kinettes joined in the initiative, and for the last several years it’s just been the Curling Club and Kinettes running it.

For each week of the Chase the Lucky 7 draw, 50 per cent of ticket sale proceeds are split between the Curling Club and the Kinettes, and the remainder grows the jackpot.

As an added bonus, Sask Lotteries, which provides the licence for the Lucky 7, provides a matching grant to allow the groups to do further good in the community.

“This fundraiser is important to our groups because it helps us give back to our community in ways we wouldn’t be able to without it. There are so many amazing projects we have been able to complete because of this ongoing fundraiser,” Cyr said.

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05/07/2026

Studio 747 ends dance season in style
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By JORDAN TWISS
Shellbrook Chronicle Reporter

The dancers of Studio 747 showcased just how far they’d come in chasing their dreams over the course of three dazzling, sold-out showcases on May 1 and 2, as another year of dance officially ended in thrilling fashion.

Where March’s mini showcase is all about spotlighting solos and small group routines, the focus of the year-end recital is on the show-stopping group numbers that allow every dancer an opportunity to take the stage and show off the skills they’ve acquired throughout the year.

This year’s dream-inspired dance show held to this tradition, serving up 27 routines, in ballet, jazz, hip hop, tap, and other styles, in an exciting two-hour package.

For his part, Studio 747 director Kelly Woodley couldn’t be prouder of his dancers and how much they grew and progressed over the past few months.

“There are always challenges and hurdles along the way, but watching the dancers grow in confidence and skill made it all worth it,” he said. “We had some amazing results and experiences at competition, which are really just the icing on the cake.”

Fitting for a showcase titled “Chasing Dreams,” Woodley says a personal highlight for him this dance season has been watching his dancers experience “breakthrough” moments — moments when they find their confidence or nail something they’ve been working on all year.

But while these moments are what he loves about teaching dance, Woodley says it’s not just about what his dancers can do; it’s about who they are.

“Another big highlight is receiving compliments from other teachers, or competition staff, about how respectful our dancers are,” he said. “This is a big focus, as I believe that we are not just training kids to dance, we are helping raise them into respectful young people who will go on to do great things.”

On that note, Woodley hopes his dancers will remember this season for more than just the techniques they learned or the accolades they earned along the way. He wants them to look back on their dance years with fondness and joy, and remember the community they have through Studio 747.

In a community like Shellbrook — and in any community, really — Woodley says having access to dance is vital because it gives people a place to belong.

“It builds confidence, creativity, and connection — not just for the dancers, but for families and the community as a whole,” he said.

“It’s something that brings people together in a really special way. We are here to support young dancers as they grow into young adults, to give them a second home where they can be themselves, express their feelings through movement, and find a place in a loving team.”

Though another dance season is at an end, and Woodley is always sad to see it go, big things are on the horizon for Studio 747, which will celebrate its 10th year in the fall.

Woodley says he and his team are already brainstorming ways to celebrate and make the next dance season one filled with joy from start to finish.

Read the rest of this week's news by picking up a copy of the paper at your local newspaper bin, or view this week's edition on either of our websites:
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04/30/2026

Farmer Tan’s mustard highlights farm diversity
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By BEVRA FEE
Spiritwood Herald Reporter

While browsing the annual fall craft sale in Spiritwood during the 2025 pre-Christmas season, local shoppers were introduced to a new product that proved to be a hot ticket. Farmer Tan’s mustard, offered by Tanner Gaboury, sold out in its first market foray.

Farming 3,000-plus acres west of Spiritwood, Gaboury is the third generation of his family to make a living off the land that began with his grandfather in 1957. Growing the common Saskatchewan cereal and seed oil crops that comprise the province’s farm commodities, Gaboury was not satisfied just selling onto the large global markets.

“A few years ago, I started seeing some products on the shelves — like organic, glyphosate-free rolled oats — and I started thinking that it is a lot like what I grow on my farm. With trying to do things differently and watching what I am spraying, that was something that I wanted to look into,” Gaboury said.

Adding that he’s also passionate about food, Gaboury notes that moving into food processing with something like oats added complications in terms of infrastructure that he didn’t want to undertake. While he briefly thought of other products like flour, peas, and legumes, he soon began to wonder if mustard might be a good option to dip his toes into food processing.

With it already being late in the season, Gaboury couldn’t find any mustard seed through his local contacts. But eventually, he had luck with a producer located south of Battleford.

Gaboury came home with some Rubbermaid tubs of mustard seed and planted it two years ago. That year, he made his first batch of mustard and thought it was pretty good.

“I realized that this is a unique product — unique because I grew it — and I felt that maybe this would be something that people would want to buy,” he said. “Once I started giving it to people to test it out, asking for feedback, I continued tweaking recipes and adding various pairings such as cranberry.”

Gaboury grew mustard again the following year. He processed some that December and started selling it — much to the appreciation of patrons at the Spiritwood Lions Craft Sale, who bought all 40 jars he brought with him and were clamouring for more.

After some weather-related hiccups that all farmers can relate to, Gaboury is now looking at expanding the market for his mustard.

“I want to partner with like-minded business people who see the value in creating local products and selling farm-to-fork,” he said.

Food security is a priority among many of the current generation’s farmers, and a feeling of pride comes from being able to provide healthy food for their families. Gaboury is no different, and enthusiastically describes being able to prepare a complete meal from products grown by him and his cousins who farm nearby. When asked about how far he plans to diversify, Gaboury mulls the concept of a mixed farm.

“Growing our own food is very personal — it is kind of romantic, like having wood heat…you love the feeling but it is a lot more work than having natural gas,” he said.

“But it is a source of pride that we grow high quality wheat as not only a commodity but also to mill my own flour, get some eggs from my neighbours to make pasta or focaccia, buy some beef from my cousin.”

Gaboury also recently invested in his own canola press to make cold-pressed canola oil.

“Between my farm and my cousin’s farm, we can not only feed the world but we can feed our own families completely with our own products,” he said. “Having access to food is something we all take for granted, but when one thing goes wrong in the food chain then you can quickly lose access.”

Discussing his business plan for farming operations, Gaboury notes that the few acres he dedicates to growing mustard aren’t going to alter the course of his mainstay crops overly much. However, when planting a couple of acres to mustard and “messing around” with exploring new products, such as dry mustard and prepared mustard, the long-term result of exploring the opportunity fully could mitigate the need to look into expanding the farm.

“Maybe I can diversify what acres I already have and make those acres convert a higher-margin, value added product,” he said. “The costs that come with having more acres — more equipment, more time traveling to fields farther from the core farming operations because land adjacent does not just come available all the time — that’s not necessarily good practice.”

“When we can be on the farm, raising our kids and including them in the process, we are continuing to farm the way our family has done through the generations before ours,” he added.

Read the rest of this week's news by picking up a copy of the paper at your local newspaper bin, or view this week's edition on either of our websites:
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Shellbrook Chronicle

06/18/2026

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Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 4pm