Bruno Wiskel, Bsc. P. Geol.

President, CEO and Chief Bottle Washer

Bruno (also called the big Kahuna) graduated from the University of Alberta in 1983 from the University of Alberta with Honours in Geology with a specialization in Environmental Geology.

A terminal unemployable, he purchased a half section of land by the hamlet of Colinton in 1988 using the severance money from yet another layoff, and started a farm called Mr. Vegetable, the precursor of Mr. V's Field and Forest.

His first book, "Pond Raising Rainbow Trout" was published in 1990 along with several critically acclaimed articles on water, soil and forest conservation.

His second book "Woodlot Management" was published in 1995 as part of a woodlot management initiative by Alberta Pacific Forest Industries Inc.(Alpac) Bruno was in charge of running Alpac's woodlot management program and also developed a demonstration woodlot that combined many of the latest techniques for water, soil and forest conservation including shelterbelt, orchard and forest harvest demonstrations.

Mr Vegetable formally changed to Mr. V's Field and Forest Inc. in September 1999. The name change accompanied the addition of the new Mr. V's Garden Centre and Giftshop Building, attached greenhouse and tree nursery.

Bruno's third book "Designing and Landscaping the Family Home" is based on the the construction of the the new Mr. V's building that holds the giftshop and executive offices of the corporation. This 5500 square foot building was built at a cost of less than $35 per finished square foot and uses less than $150 of natural gas per year.

Bruno's fourth book "The Emperor's New Climate - Debunking the Myth's Global Warming" provides a completely different view of climate change question.

Bruno's year is packed with Mr. V's activities ranging from teaching and landscape design in the spring, growing fruit, vegetable, and tree crops in the summer, reclamation projects in the fall and writing in the winter, most notably for his gardening column "Time To Get Growing".
Bruno is the tall guy with the dark glasses, funny hat and pink striped shirt in the top photo

Gayle La Casse B. Ed.

Vice President

Gayle joined the Mr. V's team in 2000 after working as an life skills coach in the provincial corrections. Gayle started as the Mr. V's giftshop manager and subsequently advanced to manager of human resources and accounting and finally to Vice president after she married The Big Kahuna.

She is also responsible for the beautiful show gardens that adorn the Mr. V's property and has been instrumental in the the design and layout of the giftshop and adjacent lounge area.

Although supposedly retired, Gayle runs the giftshop in the summer and does the books and accounting in the winter. The rest of the time she just wastes!!
Gayle is second from the left in the Mr. V's Apron

Ann Junknies

Sales Manager

Ann came to Mr. V's in 2005 as the result of a mid-season trade for casserole dish of pyrogies and a kick in the pants. Rapidly progressing from a minimum paid garden assistant Ann is now Mr. V's top sales person. Knowledgeable in all of the plants and trees, Ann (as a former EMT) is the person you want serving you if you accidentally suffer a heart attack after hearing about our prices.

Ann has been the recipient of Mr. V's Employee of the year for the last three years.

Ann is the stick figure in the blue in the group photo.

Johnathan Schreiner

Technical Support

Johnathan started here in the summer of 2005 as a grounds keeper and berry-picker and has moved through the ranks to become an apprentice landscape supervisor. Johnathan was responsible for building the Roman Amphitheatre in Mr. V's show gardens.
Johnathan is finishing his grade 12 at Grassland School and will be attending NAIT in the Landscape Architecture program this fall.