Calgary-area rural communities offer residents a quiet retreat from the hustle and bustle of the city

As a former farm kid, four-time Canadian bareback champion, and former Calgary Stampede rodeo and chuckwagon manager, Robin Burwash has spent almost every day of his life enjoying the rural-lifestyle dream he now sells as a REALTOR®.

When he talks of finding space and relaxation amidst the trees and hills of acreage properties around Calgary, it comes from personal experiences.

Burwash spent 16 years as a professional bareback rider, and grew up on a farm that eventually became part of the city, not far off of Country Hills Boulevard.

During the years he spent working in Calgary with the Stampede, the best moment of his 45-minute commute to his Black Diamond acreage, he says, was crossing the city limits and entering the wide-open space of the country.

Looking back at 25 years of Heritage Pointe

"Lots of people thought we were crazy to build way out here in the boonies," said Carolina Oxtoby about her company's decision to develop a golf-course community on farmland south of Calgary.

It was 27 years ago when the land on Dunbow Road was purchased, and only two years later, the Heritage Pointe Golf Club was born, with big plans in the works for an upscale, country-residential community to complement it.

Cochrane's Rise in Riversong offers 360-degree living in the heart of Alberta's natural beauty

For homebuyers looking for scenic views, ample amenities and a small-town feel, there's a first-rate option just outside of Calgary.

Value and quality meet in Rise in Riversong, a new townhouse development by Jayman Modus is move-in ready at River Heights Drive, Cochrane.

"The time is now to buy in the Rise because there are only six units remaining out 38 total units. Three weeks ago we had 11," said Hal Pike, sales manager for Rise in Riversong. Units start from $270,000, which include GST. Affordable mortgages are available through Jayman Financial.

"There's still some very good choice whether people need a single or double car garage. And these are all completed units that are great for families or even as an investment. In Calgary, these units would be significantly more and there's huge savings in Canmore with an easy commute to Calgary. It's small town living right next to the big city."

Western heritage is a part of everyday life for residents of Calgary-area ranching communities

While the Calgary Stampede offers Calgarians a mere 10 days each year to indulge in Alberta's ranching and cowboy heritage, that heritage is celebrated every day by residents of communities surrounding the city, including Cochrane, Longview and Turner Valley.

"Cochrane is here because of ranching," said Cochrane town councillor Tara McFadden. Cochrane is named after the man who, in 1881, started the Cochrane Ranche – Alberta's first large-scale livestock operation and a site that remains one of Cochrane's prime attractions.

"Cochrane's ranching history is very important to the Town of Cochrane today. We actively take great pride in keeping it as part of Cochrane's attraction," said McFadden, noting, for example, that the town requires any new building erected within its boundaries to reflect a Western heritage design.

A novel place to plant your savings

Given the fickle Canadian climate, farming for a living is often viewed as a risky proposition. Buying farmland, however, is attracting some interest from Calgary investors seeking a hedge against inflation that will also produce goods and generate income.

The two most common ways to make money from farmland are capital appreciation – when the land increases in value - and income. That income can be from cash rent, calculated by dollars per cultivated acre, or a crop share, where the investor receives a share of the total crop sales each year, usually about 20-30 per cent.

"Farmland has been a tremendous investment over the last 10 years," said J.P. Gervais, chief agricultural economist for Farm Credit Canada. "Not only have land values been rising, but returns from farming have been very strong, with farm cash receipts increasing on a national level by an average of $2 billion a year for the past decade."

Shelterbelts provide a variety of benefits for country homeowners

The phrase "eat dirt" probably came from a country dweller without a shelterbelt.

When people move to the country, the first problem they often encounter is wind. Thankfully, a shelterbelt can solve that.

Outside the shelterbelt's protective boundary, it's the Wild West. But inside, the shelterbelt provides a cozy spot where flowerpots don't blow away and dust doesn't find its way into your eyes and mouth. The benefits don't stop there either. With a well-planned shelterbelt, falling snow will pile up on your lawn, instead of in the middle of your driveway.

Buying a home with renovations in mind

Over the years, designer, builder and renovator, Shane Rennie of Rectangle Design Inc. has seen a consistent trend emerge when it comes to renovations.

"Most people are looking for a long-term investment, a family home, a place that they can see themselves in 15 or 20 years and they are looking to renovate to suit, so that the home lasts a lifetime," said Rennie.

But renovating an entire home at once is often out of most people's price range.

"The trend now is to renovate in phases," said Rennie, who recently purchased a home that he is renovating in three stages. "The home is in a fantastic neighbourhood, but it was at the top of our budget."

A celebration of the attractions and places that make this city great.

Golf course communities offer homeowners space, privacy and a slice of the action

David Roberts and his wife moved to the northwest community of Valley Ridge in search of open spaces. "We liked the idea of backing on to green space, one way or another," he said.

Valley Ridge, which borders the western edge of Calgary, is one of many communities in the city that features a golf course within its boundaries. That course now provides the green space Roberts and his family were seeking – they live behind the course's first green.