2024, a Year in Review with Pictures!
Welcome to a behind-the-scenes peek at our artisan nursery, located in Hardiness Zone 3 and amid the rolling hills of Two Hills County, a cozy corner of the Central Alberta prairies where magic comes to life!
What better way to mark the darkest time of the year than by reflecting on the memories that brightened our year? Grab a warm drink, settle in, and join us for a fun stroll down memory lane as we share some photo highlights from life at Prairie Hardy.
January was all about enjoying the little things. For us, it was a time to focus on our administration, tidy up, and reset for the year ahead. While most animals were hibernating and most birds had flown to warmer lands, we still managed to spot the occasional critter.
February was a month of subtle transitions. The anticipation of the new season flowed through our veins, even as we were hit by those brutal prairie temperatures. The days were noticeably longer, but working outside was still limited to adding extra snow to some delicate crops (because snow is your new best friend!).
Ah, March... the month we crawled out of winter hibernation and joined the crowds at our favourite Prairie Seedy Saturday and Sunday events in Alberta and Saskatchewan. Since we ship most of our trees Canada-wide, we rarely get to meet you in person, making these events a true joy for us. We love meeting you!
Be sure to keep an eye on our newsletter and social media for announcements about future events.
Everything exploded in April; there’s no better way to describe it. Suddenly, the wheels started turning, and we had to hop on and steer the nursery-ship full speed ahead into the warmer seasons. As the snow melted, we dug out our remaining crops. Thanks to our incredible team, everything came together: we dug, labelled, sorted your shrubs, vines and trees, assembled orders with great care, and finally shipped your packages Canada-wide. This time of year, we work long days to keep everything running smoothly and on time.
It was a buzzing, high-energy season, but we loved every moment, especially after the long, quiet winter.
Beautiful May treated us with its wonders. We were blasted by a solar storm and witnessed the most breathtaking Aurora Borealis. Shades of deep reds, purples, blues, greens, and yellows danced across the sky, a true highlight of the year!
May was also when we grafted up a storm, preparing for the years ahead while shipping your trees for planting in their forever soils. The warmer temperatures finally greeted us, and the intoxicating scent of prairie flowers filled the air, a welcome reminder of the beauty of this season.
June marked the end of our tree planting season. It was quite the rainy spring in Central Alberta, and we couldn’t have been more pleased after the years of drought we have faced. In June we kickstarted our Potted Tree Sale, which we offer locally and by delivery to Calgary and Edmonton.
July was a hot and smoky month, with the devastating fire in Jasper affecting the region and touching our hearts. Despite the challenging working conditions at times, we were rewarded with our first tasty berries, enjoying the vitamin-laden gifts from nature. At the nursery, we worked during the cooler parts of the day to avoid burning out and overheating, and we were grateful for those brief moments of relief.
August brought a shift from the summer heat to those early autumnal vibes. The vibrant greens of summer started to mellow into golden hues. Kristel made the last delivery of potted trees to Sherwood Park and Calgary while Kurt fixed some fencing, with the help of his father.
We enjoyed the tastiest plums and our first apples of the season. We even bought some plums from the store, but (let’s be honest) they did not compare to the delicious taste of our freshly picked ones. There, we said it!
In September, we shifted into higher gear, prepping for winter. It was also Big Apple Month! We tasted so many apples that it almost became hard to keep track of each one (but don't worry, we wrote a blog about it!).
Hazelnuts were harvested, and mulch was topped up on our beds. This year, we picked beautiful strawflowers to add winter-long colour to our home.
October felt a bit like April all over again. This month, we raced against the coming winter temperatures, ensuring everything was in order for our big opening date on November 1st (marking our yearly opening day for pre-orders, giving you the best opportunity to secure your favourite cultivars before they sell out). We spruced up our website and our seasonal team handled the digging, sorting, mulching, storing, counting, and inventory updates, just in time for our annual Opening Day!
We finally exhaled in November after the busy rush of October and the fullness of the warmer months. Once the first snow hit, it felt like a weight lifted off our shoulders, and the pace slowed down. We live by the rhythm of the seasons, with our energy naturally guided by the sun.
Spending so much time outdoors, tending lovingly to your future trees, we poured our hearts into the care and quality of each crop. November marked a time for us to rest a little more, looking back on the year with deep gratitude.
We hope you enjoyed this little highlight reel of our past year. We wish you a restful winter before the excitement of the new growing season catches up with us all. May 2025 bring you abundance and excellent growing conditions.
❄️ Warm winter greetings from Kristel and Kurt.