15) YARIS AND CRAIK

Saskatchewan is known as "Big Sky Country,' yet without the help of our little Toyota Yaris, (possibly the smallest car on the market, possibly also available at Toys R Us ) we never would have seen what all the fuss is about: endless fields of canola, wheat, flax, untamed grasses that stretch to the horizon on all sides.

With dwindling populations and poor agricultural yields, communities are banding together to encourage tourism, mostly through the construction of 'landmarks' : giant sculptures to lure drivers away from the monotiny of the highway and into the coffee shops and if possible motels that cluster along the main artery between Saskatoon and Regina.

But sadly the novelty is fleeting (eg. the giant tea kettle and cup in Davidson) and in communities like Craik, with a dwindling population of 400, the need for a long-term strategy that supercedes the current rusted 'Buffalo Hunter' statue is evident.

The development of an eco-village was the first step, but a solar powered restaurant hardly seems enough to sustain an entire town. Then along came Joe Turgeon, the potential saviour of Craik, much to the skepticism of the locals. The North Dakota farmer brought with him an imported hay-bailer and an entrepreneurial dream. Following a southern U.S. building trend, Turgeon wants to bring flax houses to Craik. Instead of timber, the frames are entirely fabricated from bales of flax.