Monty & Sharon Vanhouwe
Phone 250-743-9464
HomeSouth Island Saskatoons
1245 Fisher Road, Cobble Hill
About Us
My family, my husband (Monty), my mom and dad (Carol and Dan Teichrob) and I (Sharon) moved to Vancouver Island not for the same reasons so many other prairie people are here – to escape the cold and snow. We moved here from acreages just south of the City of Saskatoon and, actually, we like the cold and snow. The snow covers up all the outside work, it insulates and makes everything so quiet and it is pretty. And the cold, well, it is not cold inside! In fact that is when it is time to cozy up inside with a fire in the fireplace and good book or go outside in the hot tub and watch the intense northern lights! We moved to Vancouver Island because it is so beautiful here! Winter in Saskatchewan is like ”Island time”, everything and everyone has to slow down! But here, it is “Island time” all the time!
Vancouver Island reminded us of northern Saskatchewan (the Canadian Shield area). It’s all lakes and evergreens and that’s what we liked, it is so beautiful. However, it doesn’t make sense to retire in northern Saskatchewan because the services you will need, like the nearest hospital, or doctor, (unless he/she has a cabin in the area!) can be hours away! Going for groceries would be an all day affair and you can be pretty isolated (cabin fever!). And I haven’t mentioned the mosquitoes or ticks yet!
It just so happens we were attracted to the property we bought here, the Saskatoon Farm, because it is such a gorgeous piece of property that, thanks to those before us, was very well planned and maintained! We just fell in love with it. People laugh at us being from Saskatoon and buying a Saskatoon berry farm here! It really was not planned! We always had livestock back in Saskatchewan, beef cattle, a commercial turkey farm and a commercial egg layer farm, so an orchard is brand new to us. But we are figuring it out and it has been fun! I enjoy all of the work involved and lately, going to the farmer’s markets, have been having lots of fun! Marketing our products is not as scary as I thought it would be, and, when you actually land a new account it feels really good!
We certainly do not feel lonely either as so many people here are from the Prairies! I am so surprised, it absolutely amazes me! I appreciate our customers ever so much and hope you keep coming back and do tell me if you are happy, or not happy with something we are doing because, truly we need to know. You, keep us going and are very important to us! Thank you from the bottom of my heart!
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