Agriculture Tourism

Tues. Aug. 10 : Brandon Day 06:00 - Breakfast at the Lombard 06:45 - The group led by tour escort John Daly departs by private bus, heading west to Brandon, Manitoba and the Brandon Research Centre.

11:45 - Arrive Austin Agriculture Museum for lunch and tour. This is a 55 acre site that houses a drawn, steam, gas and diesel equipment, the museum displays the evolution of farming practices from the late 1800's to the mid 1970's. The pioneer village displays the homes, schools, churches and businesses that were all part of early rural towns in Manitoba

20:00 - Following dinner the group proceeds down a walkway to the Forks harbour and boards the Paddlewheel Princess Riverboat for an entertaining Casino Cruise. This is a wonderful evening as you cruise along the historic Red and Assiniboine Rivers.

08:30 - Arrive at Vankoughnet Farm for visit. Brent Vankoughnet is the owner and manager of Agri Skills incorporated, a technology and human resource company specializing in agriculture training, consulting and applied precision research and development. He will present production and management methods plus a demonstration of Global Positioning technology.

Optional sightseeing tour Oak Hammock Marsh Lower Fort Garry - River Road 09:00 - Depart Lombard by bus with tour guide David Hatch. The group travels north of Winnipeg to renowned Oak Hammock Marsh, a 36 square kilometre management area home to 280 species of birds and hundreds of species of mammals, insects, amphibians and reptiles.

15:00 - The tour departs Lower Fort Garry and commences with a drive along the River Road Heritage Parkway. There will be brief stops at Lockport with its historic St. Andrew's-on-the-Red Anglican Church (the oldest stone church in Western Canada) and the St. Andrews Rectory National Historic Park.

Optional Golf day - The Links at Quarry Oaks Setting a standard for design excellence on the prairies, Quarry Oaks possesses Manitoba's only inland Links style layout. With a feel reminiscent of the best Scottish designs, this spectacular course has become a must play for all golfers. Renowned Canadian architect Les Furber applied all his skill to create a golf course that could provide a golfing experience and be pleasurable for golfers of all caliber. Golf digest rated Quarry Oaks Four Stars in the 1996-97 edition of their Places to Play Magazine. Only eight courses in North America received a Five Star Rating.

8:15/8:30 pm Forwards the end of dinner Master of Ceremonies Philippe Habeck will take centre stage to greet the audience and introduce the evening's performers with a combination of intriguing information, audience participation and wry humour. The diverse multicultural entertainment includes performances by the following artists:

A showcase of lively and exciting sounds by the Winnipeg Korean Dance group who perform a traditional drum dance. This upbeat high tempo presentation depicts an expression of the four seasons.
A display of rich first nation culture by the Walking Wolf Dance Troupe as they perform the famous Hoop Dance.
A thrilling and athletic display of dance and theatre by the Hispanic Dance Theatre. Numbers include Spanish and traditional Latin Dances such as the Muneira, Tango, Cha Cha and Mambos.
A 15 minute show jam packed with exciting jumps, twirls and spins that showcase the famous "Hopak" by the Rozmai Ukrainian Dancers.

9:15/9:30 pm After this exciting show everyone heads up to the Penthouse level of the gallery and the Rooftop Sculpture Court. With its large fountain and reflecting pool, fine art sculptures, café tables and chairs and attractive landscaping, this distinctive space is a perfect venue to dance the night away.
A popular Winnipeg band "The Renegades" will provide dance music for all tastes.

01:00 The night ends with everyone returning to the Lombard by bus
Sat. Aug 14 Departures

07:00 - Breakfast at the Lombard. Throughout the morning the group is transferred to the Winnipeg airport and their return flights home.