Lögberg-Heimskringla - 22.06.2001, Blaðsíða 4

4 » Lögberg-Heimskringla * Friday 22 June 2001
iicii I.
QmS(
The purpose of this column is to encourage
and enable people of Icelandic descent
throughout North America to exchange
information about their careers, in a “this
is what I do” format. Contributors will be
invited to provide photos.
This column recognizes people of
lcelandic descent who have made or are
now making significant contribution to the
Icelandic/North American community.
Please let us know if there is someone spe-
cial you know who should befeatured. Send
us bio notes and a photo. Ifyou don’t have
bio notes available, let us know and we’ll
arrange an interview.
Mark Myrowich to1 water erosion
IHAVE ALWAYS WANTED tO run my
own business since a very young
age but I did not know when I was
young that I wftuld be in this particular
business,” says Mark Myrowich. His
business is fighting soil erosion caused
by rain.
Mark owns two companies—Mid
Canada Hydroseeding, a Winnipeg
company which he has operated since
1995, and ErosionControlBlanket.com,
which he established in Riverton last
November.
Mark explained that when it rains
kinetic energy is produced, dislodging
dirt particles and breaking them up,
making them easy for water to carry
away the soil. Under normal condi-
tions, the kinetic energy is absorbed by
vegetation. At construction sites the
land is disturbed, making it prone to
water erosion. Mark’s hydroseeding
operation supplies various services to
these sites, usually at the end of a proj-
ect, to protect the soil. After seeding
with grass, he spreads a wood fibre
mulch with organic glue and fertilizer
over the seed. This slows down the ero-
sion, as the rain hits the wood fibre,
rather than the dirt, giving the grass a
chance to grow. He also installs sedi-
ment control devices in places where
erosion has already occurred. These
devices, such as the erosion control
blanket, silt fence, and permeable
panel, slow the water down.
One day when he was laying down
an erosion control blanket, wheat straw
sandwiched between two nets, made in
Califomia, beside a field in which a
farmer was buming straw, he won-
dered, why? Why was he buying a
product from the United States, while
Canadian farmers were burning it?
Another time he was laying down
coconut fibre, which is stronger than
jtesNtínlte
... .....
Come to the Nordic
House of Canada to
Enioy a Favourably
Priced Friday Smorg.
either lunch or evening!
n r
Ir The Cultural home of f-
764 Erin Street,^
Wiunipeg, MB
Tel: (204) 774-8047
wheat, and is used in areas where ero-
sion is more invasive. Beside the ditch
he was working on was an industrial
hemp field. Once again he asked why?
Why import coconut fibre from India
and Sri Lanka to the United States,
manufacture the blanket there and then
import it to Canada? Why not use
another tough fibre, as tough as
coconut? A fibre that cannot be grown
in the United States? All this observa-
tion and thinking resulted in Mark
founding ErosionControlBlanket.com,
which manufactures erosion control
blankets from wheat straw and/or
industrial hemp fibre. He set his opera-
tion up in his home town of Riverton,
where he has a good supply of straw,
and contracts a hemp farmer to grow
what he requires. The old boat works
building was available to set up in. He
employs thirteen staff there, contribut-
ing substantially to the economy of the
town. He sells his products to distribu-
tors and contractors in the Midwest of
the United States, and all over Canada.
He believes he is the only business in
Manitoba using hemp fibre.
His interest in erosion control
began in- an odd way. While he was
studying for his B.Com. (Hon.) at the
University of Manitoba, he ran a
College Pro Painters house painting
franchisé so successfully that they
wanted him to stay with one of their
other companies after he graduated. He
spoke to the Nutra Lawn person, and
although he didn’t end up working with
them, the idea for hydroseeding came
from them. He started out hydroseed-
ing residential lawns.
Mark grew up on a farm outside of
Riverton with his mother, Carol
Gudmundson (Myrowich), nee
Bardarson, and his stepfather Roy
Gudmundson. His father, Mike
Myrowich, a farmer at Ledwin, died
when he was seven. His maternal
grandparents are Evelyn and Hemit
Bardarson.
He went all through school in
Riverton, and continues a connection
with his home town. It pleases him to
bring industry to the Riverton area.
And do you know what he likes about
his business? He brings life to trillions
of things—grass plants—each year,
helps prevent erosion and therefore
helps the environment. He also makes a
good living at it!
The Business Strip
Attract Aftcntion!
Advertise your
Business or
Services in
The Business
Strip!
(204) 642-9133
NORDAL’S
AUTO-BODY-GLASS
• Automotive Repair • Autobody &
Glass Repair • Safety Station
• Structural & Alignments • Towing
376-2416
Toll-free 1 -888-8NORDAL
aUtDpaC 1-888-866-7325
VlKING INN
Gimli, MB
(204) 642-5168
1 21 Renovated Rooms
■ Gord Lee’s Chinese Dining
Ph. 642-5170
> ‘Two Friends” Nite Club
• Beer Store
Argyle Transfer Ltd.
Specializing in livestock
transportation
Wally & Linda Finnbogason
Stonewall, MB
Wally 467-8822 Mobile 981-1666
Daryl 322-5743 Mobile 981-5460
Don 467-2018 Mobile 941-0498
<hi ii* mw Rin* xm mív m'wi m n iwmr Niir'K^ihrN hk rim j nn wHfci&iMh