Yep, we literally were out of the country!
The U.S. Custom Harvesters Board of Directors were invited by the Association of Canadian Custom Harvesters – www.acchi.com – to attend their annual convention and meeting in Calgary, Alberta. Jim and I decided it was time to make a trip north and participate. Kent Braathen and Roger (and Lisa) Sammons were also able to attend. (You can click on the address to view the ACCHI website.)
What a wonderful experience!! Over the past 30 years, there’s been a lot of history between our two groups – and some of it not so good. My feelings are it’s time for a change. After all, we are all harvesters and we have a job that needs to be done – “harvest the crops that feed the world”. The same problems that affect the U.S. harvesters also affect the Canadian harvesters. The attendees welcomed us and made us feel like we were part of their family. “Family” – a common denominator of the two groups. We ARE family and that feeling is felt when attending both group’s conventions. There’s nothing quite like being a member of the harvesting family!
After the convention was over on Saturday, we headed for the Calgary Tower for lunch. Then the snow began. Not much snow (maybe 4 inches) but who wants to go out when that begins to put a damper on things? So, for the evening, we opted for pizza and stories in the hotel room with the others who were still hanging around.
On Sunday, we took a quick trip out of Calgary and headed to Banff for an afternoon of sightseeing. We stopped at a majestic old hotel and walked around it for a while and then headed for the gondola ride up the side of a mountain. BEAUTIFUL!! I was certainly wishing we had more time to take in all the beauty that Banff and Canada had to offer. 
The trip was way too quick but definitely worth it. Thank you, Association of Canadian Custom Harvesters, Inc. for making me feel so welcome! You are an amazing bunch of people. Now I can’t wait til summer so I can be watching for you on the road.
We’ve seen this lake many times from the ground. This is Fort Peck Reservoir. Was so much fun to see from the air!
A perfect picture of an agriculture quilt!
Downtown Calgary from the hotel window.
Jim and Kent Braathen
The Olympic ski jump where “Cool Runnings” was filmed.
The view from inside the gondola on our way back down the mountain.
Goodbye Calgary!
More pictures can be viewed on the Zeorian Harvesting & Trucking FB page.