Town & Country

WINNIPeG FRee PReSS, SATuRDAY juLY 25, 2015 3 S T O N E W A L L PINKERTONS conTinued from Page 1 RIVERTONTRANSPORT(1998)LTD. Riverton204-378-2394**Winnipeg204-694-2223 ServingInterlakeBusinessesandResidents In Arborg*Argyle*Arnes*BerensRiver*Bloodvein Gimli*GullHarbour*Hecla*LittleGrandRapids MathesonIsland*Pauingassi*PoplarRiver Riverton*Stonewall*St.Laurent*StonyMountain Teulon*WinnipegBeach*Woodlands*Winnipeg With DryVans,Reefers,ContainerChassis, FlatDecks,5-Tons AlsoTrailerLoadsanywherewithinManitobaandWinterRoads CentreSt.Gimli 204-642-8588 ERIKSDALE CREAMERY MUSEUM ComehometoEriksdaleforfamilyfun -our11thAnnualCreameryDays Fair&Rodeo Fri,Sat.&Sun,August14-15-16 Forinformationcontact: Doreen204-739-5322,Sandra204-739-2067,Andrea204-739-8002 Forappointmentspleasecall(204)482-5720 Locatedat6WerschStreet –acrossfromtheRecreationCentreinSelkirk Allservicesforahealthy&happypet: LaserTherapy PetMassage PhysicalTherapy Ultrasound DentalX-ray LaserSurgery ACARINGTEAMFORYOURBESTFRIEND Dr.BirteKlug-Dr.KevinPenner LisaTaylor, D.V.M. MackenzieMarks, D.V.M. Box339 PTH68andHWY7 Arborg,MBR0C0A0 Ph.(204)376-2797 Fax:(204)376-2091 Email:arborgvh@mts.net Cell:(204)641-5523 Email:pswaffer@mts.net Residential/Commercial/Interior• Conventional&AcrylicStucco• ColoredStucco• StuccoWire• CulturedStone• "The set is really quite beautifully designed and built; it turned out to be a real asset." The surrounding landscape also fit Buffalo Gal's requirements for 1800s Kansas City, with lots of possible locations in and around the municipality. The availability of the Prairie Dog Cen- tral, an authentic steam locomotive that actually runs to the train station, was a big part of the decision to shoot in Grosse Isle, although the station itself was altered for TV. Another location featured a false house exterior built over a stable next to a barn that was cosmetically aged. Local horses were authentic enough already. The Pinkertons shot some footage that required both chickens and cows out at the farm of one of the local councillors. Smee says the chickens were naturals. "Being used to bright lights, they played their roles like profes- sional chickens — the cows, however, were not pleased with the bright lights and failed to hit their marks and eat, as was required by the script. "Whether they were nervous about the media attention this might bring and the disruption to their otherwise peaceful bovine lives, we don't know," says Smee. "The chickens, however, had no such reservations. I'm sure they'd be willing to consider any other acting jobs that come along." Manitoba Film & Music film commissioner and CeO Carole Vivi- er says she is delighted with the level of employment provided by local productions like The Pinkertons, (domestic fowl notwith- standing). She says new local jobs are always being created and new local talent is always being nurtured. "On The Pinkertons, 98% of that cast and crew were from Mani- toba," she says. "They live and work here and I think that's really an important piece to always remind people." The show is broadcast by 211 affiliates in the u.S. and Canada. In the meantime, the set is still standing in Grosse Isle. The saloon in the Grosse Isle Hall is in place, waiting for someone to order a sarsparilla. In the end, it will either be left as is or restored to its original appearance. That will be up to the hall committee to decide, says Smee. "We haven't heard for sure if The Pinkertons will be returning, but we certainly hope so." ❚ it's not a big-box store, but Jasperson's green- house does have a greeter on staff — a young golden retriever named Jake is the self-appointed director of greetings at the thriving greenhouse south of stonewall. " J ake is a great dog," says Bruce jasperson, co-owner with his wife Liz Wilson. "He likes to give big, sloppy kisses." jake is a member of an extensive, one- stop operation that includes generous growing and storage space. The business is located three miles south of Stonewall on PR 236, on property owned by the maternal side of the jasperson family since 1887. "We were designated a Century Farm in 1987," said jasperson, who started the greenhouse as a "backyard operation" with his parents, brother and sister about 25 years ago. jasperson studied horticulture at Red River Col- lege as a prelude to his blooming career as a plant cultivator and retailer. In 1995, the business was incorporated and 18 years later he and his wife took over the operation from the other family members. "Including a recent addition, we now have 15,000 square feet of greenhouses in which we grow mostly annual and perennial bedding plants, as well as a substantial variety of shrubs and trees," he says. A new venture is contract growing, the creation of big pots and containers of flora for businesses and streets. jasperson has been involved in the Stonewall Communities in Bloom for many years. Launched in 1995, the cross-Canada competition encourages communities to enhance green spaces through a number of initiatives including landscaping, ground- covers, floral displays and community involvement. For this year's competition, jasperson is landscap- ing a monument built in 1978 to honour Stonewall's historic quarry and former lime production facility. He also undertakes private landscaping jobs such as small outdoor living spaces he designs with boul- ders, ground covers and Barkman stone. For customer convenience, he stocks a complete line of DIY garden and landscape products such as mulches, soils, potting mixtures, fertilizers and much more. The greenhouse is a boon to the local economy as it provides jobs for 11 full and part-time employees, some of whom are students who require and appre- ciate the summer jobs. For full-time staff, the work year begins in late February when thousands of seedlings are planted in flats and tended daily for a couple of months in greenhouses heated with pellet stoves. "I use pellets because they are a recycled, environ- mentally friendly product that I purchase from a nearby Hutterite colony," jasperson says. The greenhouse opens officially on Mother's Day, but customers do start arriving as early as April, which he doesn't mind because what he likes best about his business is meeting people. In the summer, jasperson sells his own vege- tables, including tomatoes, beets, squash and car- rots, as well as other fresh produce that is home- grown, though not necessarily by his company. Come Halloween, his pumpkin crop is usually sold out well before the festive eve begins and from late November to Christmas, his selection of four to five varieties of evergreens are gone before Santa arrives. During the slower winter months, jasperson oper- ates a snow removal business to keep himself active and in shape for the budding spring. As for jake, he retains his greeting skills by drooling on family and friends, especially kids who are closer to his height. ❚ cusTomers can geT eVeryThing from mulch To floral conTainers To big sloPPy kisses — The laTTer courTesy of golden reTrieVer Jake. PhoTos courTesy of JasPerson's greenhouse By David square for the Free Press Growth Industry greenhouse BlossomeD From BaCKyarD Business

• Cover