Tag Archives: Magazine

FROM THE PUBLISHER (PREVIOUS EDITIONS)

From the Publisher May/June 2016

ClubWest

(To view our May/June 2016 issue of ClubWEST online, click here.)

“Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing.”
– Benjamin Franklin

Anyone working in a journalistic capacity has favourites when it comes to topics covered.

When the May edition for ClubWest started coming together back in mid-March a perfect trifecta unfolded for me – horses, history and food – three of my faves.

How cool is it to not only get a gig in your chosen field, but then you get the honour of being a participant in one of Canada’s true iconic events: the Royal Canadian Mounted Police’s Musical Ride. Lucky Lindsay Williamson!

I have not seen the Ride since I was a small child when they made a stop in London, Ont.

Working with the horses at my childhood summer camp, Forest Cliff – just south of Grand Bend, a nine iron from Kettle Point to be specific – and getting into harness racing at 13, I have always been a lover of the equine set.

And when May rolled around, I knew a visit to Vik’s Meats to meet up with Joe Herbinger was in order. From the first time I met him, at a rain-soaked fundraiser last summer, I had been waiting for barbecue season to roll back around. May long weekend coming up, sausages on the grill, mmm, I can taste them already!

The timing of the Friends of Lincoln’s History inaugural house tour was undeniable, too. There are just so many unique and amazing historical stories to tell in Lincoln, I must say this is about time this kind of event was developed. It’s a natural.

Grimsby has had great success running a similarly styled event alternate years. I am sure Lincoln’s will follow suit.

You talk about people who love their work? A local woman who studied criminology obtains a gig with the RCMP and gets to participate with the Musical Ride; a young man from Germany who goes into his trade right out of high school, moves to Canada for a year and stays for 35, and; a group of dedicated history buffs in Lincoln who seek to tell the stories of yesteryear through a living history – all great examples.

These were the exact kinds of stories we set out to tell when this publication was launched just under two years ago.

In that time we have become the only six-time-per-year publication that comes out when we say it will. Readers and advertisers know, like clockwork, the first Monday of alternate months all year, ClubWest will hit the streets. We appreciate every bit of dedicated support we have received and look forward to telling more of these kinds of stories in our July edition. Enjoy!

Publisher, ClubWest Magazine
Mike Williscraft

FEATURED ARTICLES (PREVIOUS EDITIONS)

Right where they BEE long

ClubWest

(To view our March/April 2016 issue of ClubWEST online, click here.)

Charlie Bee Honey: Ontarios’s largest apiary

By David Erman

Farming is not an easy job. With so many variables, such as weather and prices, it can be a fluctuating and fickle business.

Mike Parker
Mike Parker

Mike and April Parker, owners of Beamsville’s Charlie-Bee Honey, Parker Bee Apiaries Ltd. know all about the challenges of running an agricultural operation.

Located south of Beamsville, near the Mountain Road and Fly Road intersection, Charlie Bee Honey is a success story, as they’re likely Ontario’s largest honey producer, as well as the province’s largest bee keeping operation, but like a lot of lot of agricultural operations have found out, it hasn’t been an easy and smooth ride.

Despite all the challenges, April Parker said she is proud of their business and their role in agriculture.

Without their bees there would be a lot less good things to eat.

Along with honey production, the business also rents out hives.

…

See the full article in our online edition.

Top photo:
Gail Schellenberg pours the latest fresh honey at Charlie Bee’s Mountain Road facility. Williscraft – Photo

FROM THE PUBLISHER (PREVIOUS EDITIONS)

From the Publisher March/April 2016

ClubWest

(To view our March/April 2016 issue of ClubWEST online, click here.)

“Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing.”
- Benjamin Franklin

To have about 8,000 bee hives sitting around would be a lot to process for people passing by, particularly neighbours but if bee populations continue declining, it would seem logical to want those little buzzers close to home.

This dawned on me while chatting with Mike Parker at Charlie Bee Honey this month when shooting photos for the profile of his long-standing business.

There are several components which need to be in place to make the whole food supply chain work. Bees are part of that mix. Without them pollinating plants the problems which would quickly materialize are clear.

The problem there has been diagnosed as a pesticide which had a far greater sweeping effect than ever anticipated and its use has been legislated to terminate next year. The need for the lowly worker bee cannot be underestimated and neither can the efforts of unique entrepreneurs like the Parkers.

And speaking of effort, Beamsville has another sparkplug in Riley Michaels. The Grade 9 student at Blessed Trinity has been on a bit of a mission to make his interest in music transcend into a full-time career.

More power to him!

He is going about it the right way: learning he all he can both about music itself and from those involved in the industry already. If you like rock, as he does, having The Beatles and Led Zeppelin as a couple of foundation faves is not a bad way to go.

As well, he understands that if you do well you treat others around you as he would hope to be treated: karma if you will.

Riley and some musical cohorts will be performing a benefit concert for Convos Youth Centre tomorrow (March 4) to help out the place has liked to hang out at in recent years. Convos, in Conversations Cafe, hosts area youth looking for a safe, comfy spot to chill, play games or listen to music. The concert will double as a CD release party, too. Best wishes there, folks.

Similarly, “Just Isaac” Mitchell is another one with big aspirations, but his are much more diverse. A hip hop performer, workout guru, actor...this fellow has a lot going on with much of it based right in Grimsby.

This edition of ClubWest is just another example of the many and varied great story subjects right here in Niagara West under our collective noses. When I launched this magazine some wondered, “what will they put in it?” Well, the problem is what to leave out as we always have many more ideas than space will allow.

Publisher, ClubWest Magazine
Mike Williscraft