People from all over the world love staying “in the middle of nowhere”

By Joan Janzen

MERID (AKA the Middle of Nowhere) - It’s been four years since Kathy and Keith Warrington completed the restoration of two one-room schools at their Merid & Magna bed and breakfast. At that time, I spoke to the couple about their newly opened historic retreat venue. Fast forward to 2025, and I find that the Warringtons have expanded their pursuits, welcoming visitors to Merid Mercantile and their new greenhouse, which is filled with a wide variety of herbs and 400 tomato plants.

Kathy Warrington points out one of many local historic photographs adorning the walls of their renovated Merid and Magna schoolhouses. PHOTO BY JOAN JANZEN

Kathy is always looking for antique farm items like this tin watering can. PHOTO BY JOAN JANZEN

Keith and Kathy Warrington and their two dogs extend a friendly greeting to all the guests who visit their Merid Mercantile greenhouse and Merid & Magna bed and breakfast situated between Alsask and Marengo in the middle of nowhere. PHOTO BY JOAN JANZEN

“We started the mercantile because our guests wanted to experience local culture and enjoy local shopping. People really like it,” Kathy said. The shop carries lentils, garlic powder, dog treats, stained glass, crocheted items, bird houses, painted cow skulls, Ukrainian crafts and much more, all made or grown by local artists and farmers. Kathy is always looking for antiques and pottery to add to the store and keeps busy making homemade jams and salsa. The mercantile helps local artists sell their crafts and gives their guests a local shopping experience; it’s a win-win scenario.

When I arrived, Kathy was preparing for the arrival of bed and breakfast guests from Calgary. “It’s been extremely busy,” she said. “Lots of people doubted our sanity when we first started and asked us who would want to stay in the middle of nowhere?”

Then Kathy chuckled, telling me about their recent guests who arrived after dark. The husband looked up at the star-spangled sky and said, “This is just where I want to be - in the middle of nowhere!” Much to their amazement, the Warrington’s have discovered that people from all over the world love staying ‘in the middle of nowhere.’

“It’s amazing what you can do if you take off the limits,” Kathy said. “People will come out here, and you don’t have to move anywhere.”

Keith said the best part for him is meeting people who are looking for a farm experience and want to learn about agriculture.

Kathy said the biggest gifts for her are the people who come to visit who used to live at Merid or had family who attended Merid School.

The Warrington’s have invested a lot of time, resources and funds into their labour of love. “You can spend money on whatever you want to, but you have to pick what matters,” Kathy said. Renovating the old one-room schools and keeping local memories alive is what matters to Kathy and Keith.

“We didn’t know what we were going to do when we started renovating,” Kathy admitted. “It just evolved and kept growing.” Now, it has become a full-time endeavour. They’ve rented out their farmland and reduced their cattle herd to make more time to look after the bed and breakfast, greenhouse, garden, fruit trees, and mercantile.

Visitors who stay at Merid & Magna repeatedly tell their host and hostess how beautiful the countryside is. It’s a great reminder for local residents who take the rolling hills, prairie landscape, sunsets and starry skies for granted.

The latest handwritten note in the Merid & Magna guest book speaks volumes. “We have had an amazing peaceful stay here,” the Ontario guests wrote. “Adding this stop along our cross Canada journey was the right move!”