hey again everyone, I felt with Bren back in the fold I'd try to sneak back in as well....can never have enough 'tobans on the forum! I have truly hated being out of the loop, but it's been a tough year+: leaving my job of 10 years to take over the family farm, selling a house, building a house, having a baby on the way, moving twice, surviving one of those "worst nightmare" situations, joining just about every local volunteer committee in town (that's what happens to the new guy in a small town), and on and on.....but it's mostly been a lot of fun and I hope I'm able to pop in here a little more often.

I have had a chance to skim through more than 100K unread posts and I thought I'd share a very few of my observations:
-You are all certifiable....but insanely funny
-I must add one more great thing about Canada - Kraft Dinner
-a medusa murse? I thought I was gutsy wearing a pink shirt! (jk of course CV)
-Rick in your search for a good ole fashioned country band - try Elliot Brood
-Zunior is a helluva good website, but they still don't have anything by Negative Orange
-I'm happy i'm not the only one who thinks of women's hygiene products when i hear about the latest apple product
-I've missed a lot of birthdays, so happy belated everyone!

Welcome back! I still think of you whenever one of your tracks from the disc exchange comes up on random play. Seems like 10 years ago now.

Glad to hear you persevered through all those tough changes.

Good to have you back Scott!

Hey, Scott, it's good to see you back on the forum. Sounds like you've had quite an adventure!

Yay! Another old timer come back. Stay awhile!

Nice to see another person pop back in, even if it's in a pink shirt. Sounds like you've had quite a lot going on. Happy Birthday to you, too, whenever yours was.

Scott, another welcome back. Yes, it does sound as if you've been a bit busy; probably haven't had a chance to take in the Saskatoon Symphony recently? Don't know what might be available in your new location.

Beam me up, Scotty!

We seriously have to meet up again sometime... maybe when it's fun and not treacherous to drive.

Family farm was grain mostly, wasn't it?

Bren R.

Hey Scott! Welcome back! Try to stay a bit so you get re-hooked!

Well thanks for all the welcomes! That's what I really love about this place - you can disappear for a year and a half and then slide right back in like you never left, same old great group of people!

John, no unfortunately I haven't had a chance to check out the Saskatoon Symphony since I left and now that ranks up there on my list of regrets: that I neglected to take full advantage of my close proximity....I probably could have traded a night or two at the symphony for my 2 year quest to eat at every Asian restaurant in the city (there were over 70)! But it wouldn't be the same story if I had said every restaurant...but two.

Bren, absolutely we'll have to get together again. I'll fire you a PM some day because it appear as though I'll be travelling more frequently to Winnipeg during the month of February (my gf has a contract working for a broadcaster during the Olympics and will be working out of Wpg). Also you are correct, we are primarily "dirt" farmers - thankfully too - it's been a tough year for cattle & hog producers. I actually thought if anyone was interested, I would post some pics/writeup about what goes on at our fairly typical farm...might give a few some insight into where there food is coming.

Again thanks for all the well-wishes and welcome-backs!
Scott

Wow... quite an adventure indeed!

Having just finished watching "Food Inc." - I would welcome pics of a typical farm. Don't know what your setup is like but there was an oldstyle farmer from Virginia in the movie. If he lived anywheres near me, I would drive 2hours to his operation to buy my Beef, Poultry, and Pork.

Now that you're done reading Peter's posts, are you gonna check out the rest of them?

I felt a disturbance in the force, searched my feelings, and traced it to this location. The perpetrator left evidence, but is nowhere to be found.

I'll get you.

Welcome back, Scott!

I actually noticed the other day that you were online, and was hoping you'd announce your presence with authority. Or something.

Would love to hear more stories about your new life.

Even our authorities aren't very authoritative.

Bren R.

thanks again guys!

Hey Rob, I haven't had an opportunity to see Food Inc. yet, but I will have to try and track it down somewhere so I can have a look. Having not seen it I can't comment too much but it does appear that there will be a few modern agriculture myths perpetuated in the movie that I can hopefully help to dispell. That being said there also appears to be a number of valuable messages througout the website/movie such as eating locally, but more for environmental and "support the local producer" reasons than anything else. At any rate, hopefully I can help a few more people realise where there food comes from and how it is produced on a modern farm!

That whole "eat locally" thing is fine if you live in California.

The rest of us would get scurvy by about March.

umm, yeah...

I have been eating locally - as much as possible since Spring. The Farmer guy in the movie is speaking at Meredith College in March. I am going to try and make that date....

Thanks for coming back Scott ... I now know what people from Manitoba are referred to.

That word is too long. I'm sticking with the more local version "Those folks out West". Of course it's a little vague because here in Atlantic Canada, we refer to anything west of Ontario as "Out West."

Murph I think no matter where you live in Canada or the universe Ontario is the "center!"

(ducking snowballs from Ontario residents)

Not enough snow here to throw a snowball, so I'll just agree with you.

Adrian, we would lend you some but I think it's all being shipped to Whistler.

HaHa! my folks live in Southern BC, they hit 20C a few days ago!

Due to insignificant snowfall amounts, our Local Jack Frost Festival now has a mountain of snow trucked in from local, hockey rinks.

Ok!! we had almost an inch of snow last night, so I think there's enough to start throwin' some snowballs!!!

:::One heading out to Manitoba:::

Luckily, being Canada, there are 114 Hockey Rinks within a 35 mile radius.

Permafrost is like one giant underground hockey rink, right?

...and 5000 lakes or ponds.

don't forget polar bears and igloos!