Vert-à-Go

I initially described this acorn squash as a leftover, but really it wasn’t, because it had never actually gotten as far as being cooked. It had simply sat in a bowl in the counter for three weeks, staring at me accusingly while I tried to avoid looking at it. That’s what you get for buying something you don’t often buy without having a specific plan for how you’re going to use it!

The other issue with the squash is that I had only bought one of them, which really wasn’t going to go far enough to feed four people in any recipe I already knew, so there it sat. I finally realised that it wasn’t actually going to leap onto the stove itself (although I suppose it might have, if I’d left it another couple weeks). So I turned, as always, to Chef Google. This simple recipe for apple acorn squash soup from BC Tree Fruits* took care of that squash, a few apples that weren’t quite as crisp as they once had been, and part of a huge bunch of parsley that seems to have no end. It also finished off the chicken stock I had in the freezer, which prompted me to make another batch of stock that in turn used up some not-so-crisp celery and more of that never-ending parsley. The crisper drawer is now in much better shape. Only nice fresh vegetables remain and I don’t have to feel a twinge of guilt or apprehension when I open the drawer. A fridge really isn’t any different than the rest of the house–if any part of it gets ridiculously cluttered, then it can become very difficult to concentrate at the task at hand (in this case, cooking).

Food waste really has become a huge issue for me over the past few years, and I’ll soon be starting a series on how to drastically cut down on the amount of food that gets thrown in the (compost, hopefully) bin. In the past it was quite common for me to have to chuck stuff out, but now it’s a pretty rare exception. It’s not that hard to change your habits–some menu planning, inventory-keeping, thoughtful grocery shopping, and liberal use of your good friend Google will all help to get your groceries into your stomach where they belong, rather than the landfill. An estimated 5% of food is thrown out of Canadian fridges–at least–on a regular basis. In Britain, it’s about 1/3rd and in the US, estimates are as high as 40%. I can’t see why Canada’s level of waste would be much different. Cutting back on this unnecessary waste is the easiest way to reduce our consumption and ease the demand for food production, not to mention reduce the significant methane gas emissions caused by decomposing organic matter in landfills while saving you some significant money on your food bills too.

As Alex Renton wrote in the Observer a few weeks ago, there would be no need for GM crops if supermarkets and consumers weren’t so wasteful. The first and easiest place to start is with a warming winter bowl of soup like the one above!

* Those are walnuts floating on the top. They weren’t about to go bad–I just thought they would taste good, and so they did. Next time I will candy them. Yum. It could easily be made into a vegetarian soup by substituting vegetable stock.

Donna Ziegler from the Canadian Cancer Society will give a talk about the connection between pesticides and cancer at the next Saskatchewan Environmental Society presentation next month.

Pesticide exposure may increase your risk of developing cancer. Most of the research has focused on occupational (workplace) exposure to pesticides, linking them to non-Hodgkin lymphoma and leukemia, as well as cancers of the prostate, kidney, brain, and lungs. But there is also evidence that children may be especially vulnerable to the harmful effects of these chemicals.  These chemicals appear in a wide variety of places for a wide variety of reasons, ranging from pest controls designed to reduce the threat of disease and safeguard the food supply, as well as those aimed solely at ornamental lawn or garden use. Many of the latter pesticides have recently been banned in a number of Canadian municipalities. This presentation will give you the facts and advice for reducing your exposure risk. 

Pesticides and cancer presentation (for the Saskatchewan Environmental Society)

When: Wednesday 11 March, 7pm

Where: Lower Auditorium, J S Wood Library, 1801 Lansdowne Avenue, Saskatoon, SK (Google map)

Admission: FREE

For more information: Saskatchewan Environmental Society, 665-1915

Yesterday I saw a bunch of 100g Green & Blacks organic chocolate bars–milk, dark & white–in the bin next to the checkout at Blockbuster Video on 8th Street for $1.99. I’m not sure if they are on clearance or if it is a pricing mistake or a new regular price deal. I don’t think I’ve ever seen them for less than $3.99 anywhere else. Why did I only buy two?? (oh, right, because I wouldn’t be able to keep myself from eating 10 if they were in my cupboard. Maybe I should buy a time-release safe).

Local Bounty Saskatoon is a one-day conference organised by Tourism Saskatoon that brings Saskatchewan farmers and food producers together with local chefs. Learn more about how to buy and sell locally-produced food, enjoy a delicious lunch, browse the trade fair booths, and meet one-on-one with future partners. It’s a great networking opportunity that will strengthen the local food economy and result in some truly memorable meals!

Local Bounty Saskatoon

When: Sunday 8 March, 10am-4pm

Where: Saskatoon Club, 417 21st St E, Saskatoon, SK (Google map)

Registration: $30+GST (fax the registration form to Donna at (306) 787-0715 before 27 February)

For more information: Local Bounty, mahabir.r@sasktel.net (Chair), Tim.Ouelette@sasktourism.com

Me, I’m greedy about my yard waste. Whether it’s leaves, grass clippings, or the many and varied dead bits from the garden, I throw it all onto my compost heap or pile it onto my vegetable beds for mulch. It’s way too valuable to throw into the garbage, although a shocking percentage of Saskatoon’s garbage cans are filled to the brim with yard waste throughout the spring, summer, and fall. Throwing this organic matter into the landfill is a huge wasted opportunity to help build healthy soil, and also contributes to some of the most harmful greenhouse gas emissions.

If you aren’t able to compost your yard waste on your own property, check out the City of Saskatoon’s Leaves and Grass Collection program, which will expand this year to add 1,000 additional subscribers:

The program will be available to a limited number of subscribers in early May. Participants in the program will receive a green individual roll-out cart to collect their unbagged leaves, grass clippings and non-woody vegetation [ed: tree branches, etc, will NOT be picked up]. The carts will be emptied by City crews every two weeks from May to early November. A schedule of collection dates will be provided to participants in April.

To register, fill out the application form by 15 April. You can also get a form by calling 975-2486. The cost of the program is $40.

If you aren’t in the program but still want to take your yard waste elsewhere for composting, the City of Saskatoon also operates public composting sites starting in April. Unbagged grass clippings and leaves can be taken to the McOrmond Drive Compost Depot (approximately 0.5 km north of 8th Street, next to the off-leash dog area) and the Highway 7 Compost Depot (on the west side of the 11th Street junction) free of charge (watch for the signs).

But don’t forget that composting your own waste is the easiest option of all! For information on how to get started, see the Saskatchewan Waste Reduction Council’s informative compost resource pages. Your garden will thank you when you give it a dose of that lovely rich black compost!

Saskatoon Community Garden Network meeting

When: Monday 2 March, 7pm

Where: Core Neighbhourhood Youth Co-op, 905 20th Street W, Saskatoon, SK (Google map)

For more information: Saskatoon Community Garden Network Facebook group, dana@chep.org

Terroirs are “vibrant and innovative spaces that define the people who live there and reflect a marriage between traditions, culture and the natural environment.”

The Terroir Identity and Seduction Symposium (presented by the Assemblée communautaire fransaskoise (ACF) and its partner, the University of Regina’s Institut francais) plans to bring entrepreneurs, farmers, governments, researchers and consumers together reflect on the enormous potential of terroir development for Saskatchewan’s rural communities.

Symposium participants will attend Saskatchewan-focused workshops dealing with a variety of local themes (regional development, culture and food, organic/natural gardening, agri-tourism, project development, and slow food, among others). The weekend’s schedule also includes discussion panels, a local taste show and gala banquet (featuring La Raquette à Claquettes).

Terroir Identity and Seduction Symposium

When: 20-22 February

Where: Saskatoon Inn, 2002 Airport Drive, Saskatoon, SK (Google map)

COST: $20 (show only), $50 (banquet only), $100 individuals/$150 corporate (entire event)

For more information: Terroir Symposium web site, or call the ACF at 1-800-991-1912

Gardeners of all levels of experience are welcome to attend an informative day of gardening workshops at the University of Saskatchewan, offered as part of the Master Gardener program.

The morning begins with a presentation by Early’s Farm & Garden associates about their favorite plants and products, followed by a keynote address by author and horticulturalist Sara Williams, who will discuss hardy and underused grasses and ferns.

Following a buffet-style lunch, gardeners will attend a workshop of their choice:

• Color and Design in the Perennial Border (Sara Williams)
• Hypertufa Pots (Angie Skiba) This class is limited to 15 students, so register early
• Practical Organic Gardening (Paule Hjertaas, President of SNAP–Saskatchewan Network for Alternatives to Pesticides)

U of S Master Gardener program midterm break: Take a break From the cold

When: Saturday 21 February,  9am-4pm

Where: College of Agriculture building, 51 Campus Drive, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK (Google map)

COST: Registration fee $70 for a full day (includes lunch and refreshments). Half-day rate is $35 (lunch not included). Registration deadline is 18 February. To register, call (306) 966-5539.

For more information: Master Gardener program web site, call 966-5546 or email mastergardeners@usask.ca