Produce Available – Sept 21 at Brant Villa and Culloden Court

Fall is coming and this will most likely be our last round of markets in the fresh air before we move inside for the winter. This week we will again be featuring some of Fresh Roots Urban Farm’s very local produce including:

• Beets
• Carrots
• Baby Leeks
• Garlic
• Sweet Onion

It also happens to be apple season so come on by to try some BC Fresh Macintosh apples. You can also expect to see an abundance of fruits and veggies at the market including:

Avocados

Bananas

Mangoes

Apples Macintosh BC

Cantaloupes BC

Broccoli Crowns BC

Yams

Zucchini squash BC

Spinach bunched BC

We will be at Brant Villa from 10:30 to 12:30 and then Culloden Court from 2:00 to 4:00. Make sure to swing by to play “Name that Seed” at both locations or sample the tasting kitchen at Culloden Court.

Waste not: eat your beet greens!

Photo from sproutedkitchen.com

Think twice before composting those beet greens! We had some incredible beets from Fresh Roots this week at our mobile produce markets and not many people we talked to knew that the greens can be used. They’re also delicious!

Beet greens, like other similar vegetables, are very nutritious. They are in the same family as kale, spinach, chard, and bok choy: cruciferous greens. Beet greens are full of vitamins and minerals such as Vitamins A, C, K, and E, calcium, iron, and potassium. They also contain quite a bit of protein, which will help you feel full longer. (source)

Beet greens can be used anywhere you’d use a similar cruciferous green. They are a great addition to a stirfry, soup, salad, or casserole. Some folks even use beet greens in smoothies, as their mild flavour can be masked by other stronger ones such as bananas and yogurt.

During our Tasting Kitchen this week, our cooks Alex and Arlene featured the beet greens by mixing them with kale and nectarines to make a warm salad. Here’s another great recipe that uses both the beet itself and the greens: Sprouted Kitchen’s Beet Green Chopped Salad.

For more ideas on what to do with food items you might consider waste (eg. carrot tops), come to our Autumn Harvest Social on September 28th.

Produce Available Sept 14 – Cedar Cottage Neighbourhood House and Orchard Park

This week we will again be featuring some of Fresh Roots Urban Farm’s very local produce including:

• Beets
• Carrots
• Green Beans

You can also expect to see an abundance of fruits and veggies at the market including:

Avocados

Bananas

Mangos

Honeydews (BC grown)

Red delicious apples (grown in Washington)

Nectarines

Bean Sprouts

Broccoli crown (BC grown)

Corn (BC grown)

Onions (grown in Washington)

Kale (BC grown)

White potatoes

Cherry tomatoes (BC grown)

We will be at the Cedar Cottage Neighbourhood House from 10:00 to 12:00 and then Orchard Park from 2:00 to 4:00. Make sure to swing by to play “Name that Seed” at both locations or sample the tasting kitchen at Orchard Park.

Save the date: Autumn Harvest Social, September 28

On Saturday September 28 from 11am-1pm, we will be co-hosting an event called the Autumn Harvest Social with the Cedar Cottage Neighbourhood House! The social will involve games and activities for the whole family, cooking and canning demonstrations, and tasting opportunities.

Last year, the Neighbourhood House held a seed and food swap and we are continuing the tradition with a similar activity this year as well. Attendees are encouraged to bring homegrown produce or homemade preserves (like jam or pickles) to trade with neighbours. So if you have too many tomatoes or cucumbers, you can swap them for something that another person has in excess! We’re sharing the abundance of food in our neighbourhood with everyone.

If you have questions about the event, please get in touch. Otherwise, we hope to see you there (maybe even with produce to trade)!

New Program: Current Affairs Conversation Club

We are partnering with the Cedar Cottage Neighbourhood House for a new program called Current Affairs Conversation Club. The program encourages new and long-term residents to get together to discuss a variety of topics while learning about different cultures. This is a great place for newcomers to practice their English language skills.

The Conversation Club takes place on Saturday mornings from 10:30am-11:45am at the Neighbourhood House (4065 Victoria Drive). Refreshments will be served. 

Each session will have a facilitated topic, although deviations from the list are expected and welcome (wherever the conversation take us)! Below are the food-specific topics for the next few months. For other topics, contact Olga at oshcherbyna[at]cedarcottage[dot]org. 

September 7: Urban farming and gardening in the winter
October 5: Share your favourite recipes and talk about how food brings people together
November 2: Let’s talk about healthy eating and fad diets
December 7: What are genetically modified foods and how do they impact our health and environment?
January 11: Talking about food waste and composting: completing the food system cycle
February 8: Learn about starting a garden on a balcony

Hope to see you there!

These events are part of the Building Welcoming and Inclusive Neighbourhoods program.