Preparing for the winter ahead

It's October and it's time to get serious about the fall garden. Plant bulbs, rake apples, empty compost and clean out plant pots before the sleet and snow freezes everything solid like a jellied salad.

Harnessing the sun for all your energy needs

St. Albert's Ron and Carole Kube had never known anyone with a solar-powered home. Then, in 2014, Ron Kube read a story in the newspaper about a household that installed a solar array. He was surprised to learn they were his former neighbours.

"In fact, the guy was Craig Dickie – he used to live across the street from us," said Kube. "And I was so excited that I called up Craig and I said, 'can I come over to the house and see the solar system?' And he said, 'yeah, sure, come on over.' "

The moment Kube saw the system, he was hooked.

South Health Campus anchors diverse southeast-Calgary communities

Right now, it takes Michael John Suva 30 to 45 minutes on public transit to commute from his home in Shawnessy to his job as a nursing attendant at Calgary's South Health Campus (SHC), the city's newest hospital, located in the deep southeast.

"It's not close enough," said Suva.

Reducing power consumption is easier than you think

What if we told you that with a few simple changes, you could cut your household electricity consumption in half? It's possible, and Ron Kube is living proof.

Kube recently installed a solar-power system on his St. Albert home. But before going solar, he checked to see how much electricity his home was using. He was shocked to discover his family was using 70 per cent more than the Alberta average of 7,200 kilowatt hours per year – they were energy hogs.

Becky Feasby's Briar Hill home showcases natural and manmade beauty

When Becky Feasby and her husband Colin first laid eyes on their 1960s-era, two-storey home in Briar Hill, they knew they had to have it. It wasn't so much for the home, which was dark and in need of a major overhaul, but for the fantastic third-of-an-acre lot peppered with century-old trees. The couple thought that over time they would upgrade the home to suit the demands of their growing family – they have two teenage daughters – but when push came to shove, they realized that it would be more economically feasible to rebuild.

Alberta's agricultural heritage defines thriving Strathmore

The Town of Strathmore has a rich and varied history – a history that was built on agriculture and community spirit.

"Quality is a way of life here in Strathmore," said Strathmore Mayor Michael Ell. "It just has that small-town feel to it and it is a friendly, caring community."