Mailbag

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

I loved the profile on Shannon Hunter. We had dinner at Wander the Resort with friends and it was amazing! We were all wondering about her background, so this article provided the detail. Wow, is she driven, creative and business savvy!

My friends and I were taken aback that Shannon was referred to in the article at one point as a “wife of a physician.” It struck a nerve that successful women are still measured by how successfully they marry. Food for thought.

Donna Davies

APPRECIATION FOR WATERSHED

My sincere congratulations to you and your team for the many years, days, hours and minutes of vision in producing the good news of our culture, society and accomplishments in our corner of the third rock from the sun.

I have known many of you from the beginning and see the heart, soul and sweat of that ray of sunshine that lands quarterly without fail. It is a testament to your hard work and positive outlook. I am so happy that others are recognizing you for what we have seen for years.

To Jane, I love your personal editorial and it is the first thing I read with each edition. Your folksy human touch always inspires.

To Meg, to live in your brain with the vibrancy and colour would be a joyous and blessed adventure, if only for one day.

To all the contributors who make this magazine happen, I do know and appreciate how much goes into each edition and your work shines through the pages.

Thank you for your contributions to a better way, and again congratulations – not only for the Outstanding Achievement Award, but for the effort you put forth every day.

Michelle Chiunti, D.V.M.

INVALUABLE COLLABORATION

I wanted to extend my heartfelt thanks to Meg Botha and Greg Ceci for their invaluable collaboration in producing the wonderful article about Angie Colgoni (One Kind of Love, Summer 2024). Their dedication, hard work and seamless coordination were instrumental in making this feature a reality. The exposure and recognition that Angie has received through this publication is truly remarkable, and it wouldn’t have been possible without their efforts. The article itself looked incredibly cool, and the presentation was just stunning. Thank you for going above and beyond to ensure everything came together so perfectly.

Natalia Pereira, designprojekt.ca

A TRUE “PINCH US” MOMENT

Lexie and I were thrilled to see the summer issue and absolutely devoured the piece on Gallola Shoes (Sister Act, Summer 2024). We wanted to sincerely thank you all for bringing our story to life and sharing it with the Watershed community. It was a true “pinch us” moment to see our brand featured in your magazine. Our family has been longtime fans!

Katrina von Hahn and Lexie Blahm von Hahn

PEACEFUL PASTURES

I am delighted that Watershed is publishing articles about agriculture. Farmers are the backbone of society, feeding everyone, following tested traditions and yet keeping abreast of modern technology, experimenting and juggling a myriad of changing variables. I loved reading about Joel Fox (Peaceful Pastures, Summer 2024), a young man who is not only keeping the farm going, but is sharing knowledge with his peers. It’s great to read articles that are thoroughly researched, well crafted and accompanied by vivid photographs.

T. Harrison

Lynn Bilton has showcased the wonderfulness of life in our environs, again! Her warm, persuasive and powerful article on Joel Fox’s endeavours (Peaceful Pastures, Summer 2024) is plain good reading, which focuses on an issue that needs highlighting. Lynn’s wordsmithing and sensory adventures are so powerful. Thank you to all your outstanding contributors.

Helen Evans

“Peaceful Pastures” was a beautiful profile of our dairy farm, and local agriculture. You’ll be pleased to hear that it seems everyone in my life reads Watershed, as people often mentioned it, and I received extra copies dropped in my mailbox by neighbours.

It is important to understand that many livestock farmers actually have a different definition of “animal welfare” than consumers usually have. In farming, good animal welfare is usually viewed as “the minimization of stress/suffering” while many consumers consider it as “a life well lived (more joy than suffering).”

Take cow-calf separation and see how these views play out. Many farmers believe that allowing calves to stay with their mothers will lead to increased stress for the animals – and they would be right. Motherhood is stressful, even for cows, but consumers see it also as a source of great joy for the animal – and they would be right. Which then is better animal welfare? The farmer and the consumer will often answer differently, even with access to the same facts.

Joel Fox, Wooler

MUSIC TO OUR EARS

Thank you for including me in your “Sweet Sounds of Summer” article! How lovely … both an honour and fun! My husband and I love the magazine. It’s really special, SO well done. These days … it is rare to find.

Lenka Lichtenberg, Bewdley

PRAISE FOR PRINT

A friend pointed me to Watershed and I flipped through the pages of your Summer 2024 issue, relishing the satisfying “thwap” of every turn of the page. I was immediately impressed with the high quality of the design and was surprised at the number of advertisers you attract. Who says that magazines are no longer viable or that social media has taken over advertising? I enjoyed meandering through the artwork and the variety of articles covered in the issue. I also found the standard of writing to be high. Overall it made me, who lives in the belly of the Toronto beast, turn my eye eastward and the magazine set my mind churning with possibilities. I guess advertisers still flock to quality when they find it.

Janet Hall, Toronto