June is the time of year, when my family and I hit the road nearly every weekend, following the path blazed by our son’s soccer team.  From Regina, to Saskatoon, Moose Jaw to Medicine Hat, they are trips that nearly always require a hotel room, often for both Friday and Saturday nights.

Sometimes, when the planets align, and one brave yet overworked parent volunteers to try and get us all coordinated, we stay in one hotel as a team, with the boys wandering from room to room, depending on where the latest and best on screen diversion is, or where the best snacks are proffered, while we as parents awkwardly try to find our own way to connect, which can often be difficult when there’s often only each other’s rooms to meet in and beds to sit on.  (Nothing says team spirit, more than two parents who barely know each other, having to sit side-by-side one another on a bed!).  But more often than not, we’re each left to our own devices and the long drawn out nights that follow a tournament, with our boys too tired to go out, or the next day’s draw is too early to allow for much evening entertainment.

So this year, I’m bound and determined to be on the lookout for a new kind of arrangement – one that would let us hang together as a team, save us some money, give us some space to stretch out, allow us to have the always difficult-to-coordinate team supper, and one that most importantly, allows our team (both players and parents alike) to connect off the field and to really get to know one another.  An all in one solution which can be found in my own city of Swift Current, at Green Hectares B&B.

Not usually a seeker of Bed and Breakfasts in my own city, I first came across Green Hectares when I was looking for the petroglyph that exists on owners Dave and Esther Green’s land. (For more on that story and to see some pictures of the petroglyph click here).  But once there, after being shown around the place it struck me, that it would make the perfect retreat for a group of people that wanted to stick together throughout their visit.  Whether they be a team, a family, a “girl’s trip,” or a “guy’s trip,” the Barn at Green Hectares would have them all covered….literally.

Starting out its guest-serving duties as something called “The Craft Barn,” the Barn was built specifically to showcase local crafts and art, and was originally located between the Co-op gas station and the ice cream stand alongside the Trans Canada Highway just outside of Tompkins.   Downstairs the bottom half of the Barn was a generous-sized store, while upstairs, the Craft Barn had a meeting area specifically designed for quilters, and other crafters (which explains the mid-height plug-ins you’ll still see today). While the idea for the store itself was good, sadly The Craft Barn did not prosper and in 2000 it came up for sale and was purchased by the Greens who moved it to Green Hectares.  The bottom half of the barn was soon renovated into 3 bedrooms, each with an ensuite bathroom and doors opening to the outside, able in total to sleep 10, while the upstairs was left as a wide open space that can be used for meetings, parties, scrapbooking, quilting, and other workshops, or any other use a group can think of to put it to.

Circling the Barn visitors will find a wide covered porch, with tables and chairs where you can enjoy some late afternoon shade, or a warm breeze on a muggy summer evening, while  just off the porch lies a Jacuzzi that’s available for guest’s use.  Just beyond the porch, in the beautifully landscaped grounds that surround the Barn, lies a fire pit (complete with old tractor seats as seating), a plenitude of picnic tables, and a BBQ just waiting to do up some hotdogs and burgers.

Within the main house of Green Hectares, there are an additional three rooms that can house up to five people, sharing two bathrooms, and a number of sitting rooms to relax in.  Overall, the Green’s are very accommodating to their guests with their motto being: “our home is yours,” and for the “breakfast” half of the B&B, Esther happily serves up a Ranch style breakfast of: bacon and eggs, hashbrowns made from scratch, with fresh fruit salad that in the summer time comes fresh out of her own garden.  She also offers the options of cold cereal and yogurt, porridge, or pancakes.  Quite simply the Greens aim to please.

With so much of my children’s teenage years spent in hotel rooms attending workshops and camps and tournaments, having a place to go to like the Green Hectares B&B would be a God send.  No more trying to cram the entire team into a restaurant that looks pained to try and accommodate us all – no more spending an evening isolated and watching TV, wondering where the rest of the team is.  Instead we could have a BBQ supper, enjoy a nice leisurely soak in the hot tub (perfect for the end of a day of sports and aching muscles), and wind the evening down with a cozy bonfire.

So, now that I’ve let you in on the secret of Green Hectares for your sports team or group – it’s your turn.  Where can I go to find a B&B of a similar quality and experience located in Saskatoon, Regina, Moose Jaw, Yorkton or Prince Albert?  Leave your comments and suggestions, because I’d really love to know!

For more information about Green Hectares B & B visit them at their website: http://www.greenhectares.ca

How to GoHere:  Located located at the intersection of highway #1 and #4 in Swift Current (just behind the Canadian Tire) – you can’t miss the big red barn – but if you do, click on this map to guide you in. (Or use these coordinates to plug into your GPS: Coordinates: 50.312434 and -107.76809)

Gotta Go?:  Green Hectares has some beautifully appointed brand new bathrooms in the barn and some character-filled ones in the main house.  All are kept immaculate and clean!

Good to Know:

• Green Hectares is the perfect place to host a smallish family reunion of up to 75, and if fully booked up for the reunion, the Green’s will even allow one or two trailers to be parked in the yard.  Though they emphasize they are not an RV park.
• Rates for the B&B are cheaper than any hotel you’ll come across with a range of: $75-$95 for single rooms, and $95-$120 for doubles, depending on the size of room you want and whether or not you want to share a bath or have an ensuite.

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  Some of the bedrooms of Green Hectares

• For those looking to rent the meeting room outside of the overnight accommodations the cost is $100 (with coffee served), but if you’re staying overnight with a group, the meeting room is thrown in for free.
• If you are booking the meeting room, the Green’s can also offer a light lunch for an additional charge.
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  No matter how hard the locals try to sneak in – the rooms are officially “pet-free”

  If you’ve got severe allergies – just beware that there are dogs, cows, hay and cats on the property – though the barn is strictly off limits to any animals (kind of ironic if you think about it), and would be fine even if you did have allergies.

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  City slickers can get a behind the scenes glimpse of life on a farm, without ever leaving the city!

  For those who have never seen a working farm – Green Hectares has that added ability to let you see what farm life is all about, without having to actually get your boots or your hands dirty.

• If you’re travelling by yourself – no worries about being alone – the Green’s, both self-described “talkers” and “visitors” are only too happy to keep you company, and with visitors from around the world stopping by Green Hectares you’re sure to meet some interesting folks on your stop as well.
• An added benefit to Green Hectares is that it’s walking distance to both the hospital and the mall – just in case you have occasion to visit either. (which if you’ve ever travelled with a sports team – you probably have!).